Many FitWit trainers rely on Delaine Ross, owner of Condition Kettlebell Gym, for her kettlebell expertise when questions about perfecting the Turkish Get-up arise. Condition Kettlebell Gym, a kettlebell and bodyweight training boutique gym, who opened 7 years ago in Old Fourth Ward at Studioplex is also a wonderful supporter of The FitWit Foundation, which we are very grateful for. The instructors at Condition Kettlebell Gym are known for their intense focus on making sure members do things correctly, effectively, and efficiently, ensuring injury prevention and great success….another reason why we like them!

In case you are curious about the benefits of kettlebell training, Delaine shared with us the main benefits:

• It develops strength and lean muscles
• It requires a minimal time investment – 3 times a week for 45 minutes is ideal for most people
• It’s about well rounded strength, cardio, and mobility – all at the same time – so you not only look better, but move and feel better as well!

Condition’s classes are designed for all fitness levels – from the absolute beginner to the elite athlete.  The only difference is that people of different levels pick up different weights.  They are true to making members feel comfortable, confident, and reach their goals with a minimal time investment. For the most effective results, they recommend their 45min classes 3 times / week. In addition to the multiple classes they offer daily, Delaine also has some DVD’s and online classes to master that Goblet squat.

Check out their class schedule online:  www.gymcondition.com/ to check them out – be sure to give them a high five for their support of The FitWit Foundation!

Not only will you find Jenn Pete busting her butt at FitWit Grant Park 9am class, but did you know she is also co-owner of Zifty?  Yes, that’s right, she is responsible for those cars/vans with yellow signs that you see running all over town bringing goodness to your front door. A few fun highlights we learned about Jenn and Zifty’s dedication to their customers and the community. We are thankful to have such a great company as a sponsor of The FitWit Foundation. 

 

What products/service does Zifty provide?

Zifty.com is a web-based delivery company. We deliver everything from DVD rentals, games, food, and more to you in about an hour or less between the hours of 11am and midnight. (i.e.: They take traffic, gasoline, and crowds out of the image you hold of enjoying your favorite meal at your favorite restaurant.)

 

How old is Zifty?                                                                                   

Zifty launched in 2003.

 

Where are you located?                                                                    

Right now, Atlanta. We will be in new markets in 2015.

 

What makes your product/service unique?                                 

 Zifty is unique in that we partner with locally owned restaurants and brands. We love the idea of great neighborhood restaurants who don’t offer delivery to do so with us. From Bantam & Biddy to Mezcalitos to great brands we carry like King of Pops and Holeman & Finch baked goods. We are always adding new partners. The other key part is that we really focus on delivering experience- from the ease of site, the real time tracking we developed and touches like handwritten cards.

 

How do you like to be known by your customers?                       

 We like to be known for delivering! From being on time, to providing lots of access in customer support, to building an amazing team who really cares about and loves what they do.

Side note: We found how one customer describes Zifty: “I can also see it as a dream come true for when I’m huddled under the covers sick with the flu or a cold, and Zifty-ing NyQuil, magazines and a cupcake from Chocolate Pink.”

 

Any fun facts about your company/business owners?                 

The way my business partner, Todd Miller, and I met is pretty unique. We actually met thru the classifieds in Creative Loafing. He was getting his PHD at Georgia Tech and created Zifty as almost a project to prove online delivery could work. This was post bust of Webvan and Kosmo. He was looking for his first driver and I had just made the corporate leap. We met after I applied to be a driver. I had an insane gut feeling when I saw the landing page for Zifty. So Driver #1 and Driver #2 is what we became and we actually still have those titles on our business cards today. Zifty is now a team of over 90 and we continue to grow by over 30% each year.

 

How are you connected to The FitWit Foundation / FitWit?   

Fitwit is my personal daily dose of challenge, comradery, and actually letting someone else tell me what to do. To say I love it doesn’t do it justice. That’s largely due to my 9am Grant Park crew, the trainers but most of all Stacy. The fact that it also feeds into an amazing foundation just makes it that much more fantastic.

 

What inspired you to be a sponsor for Pushup Throwdown 2014?   

Sponsoring an event like Pushup Throwdown directly impacts kids who rely on the foundation for fitness and healthy influences. It feels good and it does good. I don’t think it gets much better than that.

 

 

We all have those shirts that you put on and can’t help but say, “I feel good!” due to the way they feel and fit. However, sometimes it takes years to get to that “feel good” state…. unless they are from Alternative Apparel. After years of creating and crafting proprietary fabrics that are vintage, soft,  Alternative Apparel nails it with their soft, ready for anything clothing, that doesn’t require “aging”.

Founded in 1995, originally as Alternative Headwear, (there must be a good story behind that!), company headquarters landed in Norcross, GA. They are still there, but thanks to technology, you can find Alternative Apparel wherever you are. Their design lab and showrooms are in Los Angeles and New York City, respectively. You may also drop into one of their stores in San Francisco, New York, or Los Angeles.

Alternative Apparel’s products go beyond the basic T, they make soft, simple, mostly sustainable fashion basics for men and women. We are particularly fond of their brand new Move line designed for active lifestyles.

Not only are we incredibly thankful for Alternative Apparel’s amazingly comfortable and sustainable clothing but also for their commitment to empowering communities to move differently. We are thankful for their sponsorship to The FitWit Foundation’s Pushup Throwdown event. Grant Park FitWitter, Heike Casson, is an employee of Alternative Apparel, who was very instrumental in bringing Alternative on as a sponsor for our recent Pushup Throwdown event, which we are very thankful for.

When asked why they were willing to be a sponsor to TFWF, their response of, “We believe in Moving Differently, from the way we make our products to the communities we support. The FitWit Foundation is the embodiment of that!” made us like them even more.

Thank you, Alternative Apparel!

ATLANTA, Georgia (September 29, 2014)

The FitWit Foundation and 79 of it’s supporters tested their limits by performing 90 seconds of pushups at The FitWit Foundation’s event, Pushup Throwdown 2014, held on September 13, 2014. The event raised money that will provide students across Atlanta access to The FitWit Foundation’s free fitness programs that build strength and develop character for the young who need it most.

While a cheering crowd surrounded participants, a total of 3,997 pushups were performed in 90 seconds. After two weeks of collecting pledges participants received for each pushup they performed, the amount raised from the event totaled $31,072. Proceeding the 90 seconds of performing pushups, participants, friends, and families enjoyed an afternoon of Wild Heaven brewery tours, beer tastings, food, and celebrations.

“On the day of the event, we were not sure we would reach our goal of $30,000, so we are beyond thrilled to have exceeded it.” says director, Megan Gilroy

 

 

Along with the participants and their sponsors, the many business sponsors including: Wild Heaven Brewery, Alternative Apparel, FitWit, Zifty, The Body Well, Condition Kettlebell Gym, Northwestern Mutual, Inman Park Dentistry, The Graham Seeby Group, and Sunset Aerial Photography made the success of the day possible. The money raised will allow The FitWit Foundation to provide its free fitness programs to 10 schools in Atlanta in 2015.

“We are incredibly grateful to have so many amazing supporters who made this possible. It exemplifies the desire so many people have to empower youth and make Atlanta known as an active, healthy leader in the south,” states Gilroy.

 

 

 

 

For more information on The FitWit Foundation, thefitwitfoundation.org

The FitWit Foundation is pleased to announce Sarah Ruppersburg as it’s newest board member. Sarah was officially voted onto the Board of Directors on July 10, 2014 at their monthly meeting. Sarah’s experience of nonprofit work, her passion to for fitness, and dedication to the community make her a great addition to the organization and it’s mission of providing free fitness programs to the young who need it most.

Sarah currently works as a Proposal Development Coordinator for CARE USA, an International Non-Governmental Organization that provides humanitarian aid in emergencies and long-term development programming. Her work with CARE has exposed her to a variety of funding as well as cultures and countries.

The FitWit Foundation (TFWF) is pleased with the success of the three FitWit Clubs that were held at Maynard H. Jackson High School (MHJ), Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School (ANCS), and Renfroe Middle School (RMS) this past spring semester.

“[My daughter] loved it and has been feeling really good about herself since she started,” said one parent of her daughter’s participation in FitWit Club.

Among the three schools, 63 students were exposed to FitWit Club and a total of 72 hours of after school workouts were conducted this past semester. Students also participated in two community 5k’s and experienced a variety of exercise forms including Zumba, Aikido, yoga, kettlebells, and circuit from 11 different guest instructors who volunteered their time.

TFWF is excited to continue expanding and getting closer our goal of having FitWit Club in 25 schools by 2018. Thank you for your FitWit membership and being a part of the FitWit community, as both allow for us to grow!

What is The FW Foundation up to over the summer?

 

Kids are out of school and the temperature is high, which has many people asking, “so what do you do over the summer?” During the school year, we are in full-time program mode, which means summer time quickly gets filled with preparing materials for the next year of FitWit Club, reaching out to more schools about FW Club, planning fundraisers, along with other daily operational tasks!  Each month, we are also offering a couple of workout opportunities for FW Club members to attend. With all of these items going on, we would love some help!

We are looking for a volunteer who is competent in social media, able to commit to helping us out with social media for 6 months, asking no more than 1-2 hours per week. If interested/able, please email:

 

I feel that in May, even more than in January, many endings, beginnings, and celebrations take place – particularly for students and parents. As The

“Due to more schooling, and thus increased money earned include healthier food, better medical care and health insurance, more education, and better housing in safer neighborhoods”(1) research shows how a high school diploma impacts health, but what about the reversal? How does a student’s health impact the likelihood of high school graduation?

FitWit Foundation wrapped up programming this past week, there were some sad farewells to a few students who have been FitWit Cub regulars for the past two years. This is a lot of time we spent together – allowing us to see them in a variety of circumstances and moods, as you would your own family. It has been awesome to watch many of them grow into maturity and to now hear about their dreams, desires, and plans for after High School. The cafeteria that was filled with chatter about prom and graduation today, as I began to wonder what the graduation rate of Atlanta Public Schools was. I was astonished to learn that in 2012, the graduation rate was 50.87%. This is a frightening – considering high school graduation rates are a barometer for the future workforce skill level of American Society.

I believe the diagram North Carolina Public schools had in their study entitled, “Exploring the Relationship between Healthful Living and Graduation Rates (2),” explains it best. 

 This very simple diagram shows the big picture of how The FitWit Foundation’s work of providing free fitness programs that build strength and develop character for the young people who need it most impacts them. Although it is a benefit, our mission is not fighting Childhood Obesity. We recognize the lasting impact that Physical and Mental Health has on a student.

 

 

 

 

 

= More educated and skilled future      workforce = Safer Neighborhoods, Healthier Foods, Better Health Insurance and Medical Care

 

 

 

Interesting how just one small addition at the end of the diagram reveals how building strength and develop character for the young people who need it most will impact you personally and directly in your future. Having only 50.87% of the future workforce possess a high school diploma?  Yikes! That must change. The desire to have a future with safer neighborhoods, healthier foods, better health insurance and medical care should be enough motivation to get kids out and moving! Join us in doing so!

 

(1) http://www.livewellwinona.org/get-the-facts/risk-factors-related-illnesses/high-school-graduation/#sthash.H4OYiJJD.dpuf

(2) http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/intern-research/reports/healthstudy.pdf

 

 

You know how when you go to something so cool, you want to tell everyone, but then again you also love the fact that you are in “the know” and kind of enjoy the community feel of the event??  Well, we have decided to let you in on “the know” about the East Atlanta Beer Festival. (Yes, you Midtowners, Decaturites, North Druidites, Buckheaders… there is this awesome area called East Atlanta that hosts an amazing beer festival each year). Although we may be biased, we believe it is one the best beer festivals around town – offering 175 local brews, local food, local bands, and THE best part… all the proceeds benefit community projects – including FitWit Club! It’s a double whammy!

The FitWit Foundation is pleased to announce it’s newest board member, Dr.Erin Torzewski. Dr. Erin is the owner of The Body Well, Chiropractic Wellness Center in Glenwood Park.  Dr. Erin brings her wellness expertise and passion as well as a business owner’s perspective to The FitWit Foundation’s Board of Directors.  

After graduating with a B.S. in chemistry at Indiana State University, Erin pursued her passion for health and enrolled at Logan College of Chiropractic, finishing in 2006.  After practicing and living in New York, Erin decided that Atlanta was the perfect place to call home in May, 2011. Erin loves working and living in the Grant Park community. She can often be found walking her dog, Moses, around the park, or running with friends.

“Providing opportunities for local youth to discover their potential through fitness and other wellness tools is what excited me most about The FitWit Foundation’s work,” states Dr. Erin. “I also love that TFWF exposes kids to understanding that having a sense of belonging to community is just as important as the physical strength they gain. I believe every person deserves to live to their fullest potential and that includes physical, mental and social well-being.”

We are very excited to have Dr.Erin joining us and believe she will be a valuable addition to The FitWit Foundation Board of Directors and the future of The FitWit Foundation.

 

        When sharing the TFWF story with others, they sometimes ask, “Why does The FitWit Foundation focus specifically on students not involved in sports?” My response is always, “did you play sports growing up? How do you think playing sports in your youth has impacted your life as an adult today?”  I never get an answer anything more than a contemplative look. The answer to “Why kids not involved in sports?” may be obvious, until you try to put it into words. I know what you may be thinking, but no, our answer is not, “look how many obese kids we have.”

       According to the CDC, youth ages 6-17 should be getting at least one hour of physical activity every day. Atlanta high school students are required to take a Physical Education (PE) course one semester of their 4-year high school career. So how do youth get their recommended daily physical activity for the remaining 7 semester of their high school careers? Some play sports and others may play outside or be self motivated to be active, but a large number of students are missing any daily physical activity, as you may imagine. The number of students not being physically active is a problem; rather than blame anyone for this, The FitWit Foundation is solving it.

        FitWit Club creates a non-competitive environment, which is more appealing to students not involved in sports. At FitWit Club, students are exposed to workouts that allow for improvement day by day. As students improve and see success each day, they develop an inner competition as well as a love for physical activity, that perhaps they did not believe existed. This inner competition and desire for improvement is result of habit and discipline, which transfers into student’s daily lives at home and school.

           The desire for self improvement as a result of habit and discipline is what I am getting at when I answer the initial question of “why kids not involved in sports?” with “How do you think playing sports in your youth has impacted you as an adult?” By focusing on students not involved in sports is how I believe we fulfill our mission statement of, providing free fitness programs that build strength and develop character for the young who need it most, every single day.

FitWit Nation upturned goal of $3,000 to $16,000….in 90 seconds.

In case you did not hear, the Saturday morning of October 26, Forty-three FitWit’ers gathered together to participate in The FitWit Foundation’s first annual Pushups-for-a-Cause event. Not only did participants bring their energy and muscles, but friends, family, trainers, and kids rallied in through the doors with them as well. After a quick warm-up and discard of coffee mugs, each FitWit location was called in waves. Each wave brought more enthusiasm, excitement, and a small amount of competition. At the sound of, “Go,” participants rapidly began pumping pushups, working as though their life depended on it, as the entourage watched the clock cheered them on. As participants finished, they high five’d one another, recorded their number, and got ready to cheer on the next wave – regardless of the fact they probably didn’t

know the person (due to a different location). It was as though they didn’t care who was coming up behind them because that was not what the event was about. In fact, the event wasn’t even about the number of pushups each individual completed – there was no recognition of who completed the most, despite the fact the numbers were impressive. What participants were thinking about was the fact that their sore throats, arms, and abs that resulted from the day were done for a cause outside themselves – knowing the more pushups they performed equaled more Atlanta High School students being exposed to exercise and character building.

The festivities not only started with a bang but also finished with one as the first ever (“annual” is TBD) FitWit Trainer Games took place right after the pushups, while the pushup money was being calculated. Trainer Games gave campers an opportunity to yell and cheer for their respected trainers that push them through grunting workouts each week. It was chance for the trainers to, “show us what they got,” as campers may say… and the trainers did just that –brining their a-game faces and donning official “camper designed” uniforms, that only enhanced the experience**. Every

trainer from all four locations and FitWit head quarters performed five different events*** that required a variety of exercise components (agility, strength, stamina, speed, power, etc.). While each event took place, campers fervently cheered and filled the gym. Each individual scored points for the team, which collectively was averaged together to celebrate the location with the most points. According to the placing, each location received points towards their standing in the Fall for The Foundation campaign that has been happening during the month of October and November.

The final results of the trainer games concluded with North Druid Hills taking the lead, a close race for second and third place      going to GrantPark and Decatur respectively, Midtown in fourth, and FW Head Quarters in fifth.

Knowing the results of the trainer games would affect the standing for Fall for the Foundation, was awesome. However, what was even more awesome was the announcements that between the 43 people who pumped out pushups for 90 seconds and the ridiculousness that the trainers performed afterwards resulted in raising $16,000 for The FitWit Foundation. It’s amazing what an army of people, like FitWit Nation, is capable of doing when they come together. It was a true example of the community that FitWit Nation has created because of you. The FitWit Foundation is proud and thankful to call each of you a part of our community.

 

*Hand Release Pushup: When chest touches the ground, both hands are lifted off the floor for a slight second, placed right back, and body in full plank position is fully pushed back up.

**Photos of outfits are available – click here to view.

***Trainer Game events included:

#1: 25 Double Arm Kettlebell Squat (M=50lb W=35lb) followed by as many Pullups as possible

#2: Box Jump (points given according to highest)

#3: Dizzy Bat Relay

#4: Ladder Shuttle Run- increasing in 10m increments

#5: 8 min AMRAP of: 50 Wallballs (20/15), 50 Burpees, 50 D/U