Key West Island Gym

Toys For Keys Kids

2011-12-20T20:18:00.003-05:00

Toys For Keys Kids

The very fit Gabriella of Key West Island Gym helps the boys to load up the sporting goods & toys donated by the very kind & generous members & non-members of Island Gym in Key West. The sporting goods collected will help get the kids of the keys off to a happy and healthy new year.

Toys For Tots 2011 & give the gift of Health & Fitness

2011-11-14T07:55:00.007-05:00

Toys for Tots

During the month of December we are collecting sporting goods such as footballs, baseball bats and gloves, soccer balls, tennis racquets etc to be donated to Toys for Tots again this year which will benefit kids throughout the Florida Keys and help get the kids New Year off to a healthy and happy start. Any toys or sporting goods can be dropped off at the gym and will be much appreciated.

FANTASY FEST 2011 & KEY WEST ISLAND GYM

2011-09-27T17:25:00.016-04:00

"Fantasy Island Frollic"

"Fantasy Island Siren"

Fantasy Fest 2011

"Undiscovered Species" [above]

"Key West Island Gym"

"Urchin"

Key West Fantasy Fest Headdress Ball 2011

Aquatic Afrolic Fantasy Fest 2011

The popular expression of the fun Key West Island Gym Costumed Walking Group will invade the streets again this year at the main parade on Saturday the 29th of October. We will merge art and spirit and you will almost "see the music dance" as our costumes are designed to express the movement of our performers.
We will have five large Caribbean Festival inspired costumes which we have designed and constructed as well as many participants wearing their own aquatic inspired creations.
Everybody is welcome to join our group [non-gym members are also welcome] so throw on your own aquatic creation and join us for an evening of fantastic fun and spontaneous playfulness.
For more information see Sam at the front desk of the gym

Key West Island Gym and AIDS Help Key West

2011-08-17T15:08:00.003-04:00

Key West Island Gym & AIDS Help Key West

In the spirit of Fantasy Fest Key West Island Gym 1119 White Street has raffle tickets available now for two one year memberships with the proceeds going to AIDS Help Key West. Tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20. The winning tickets will be drawn on Friday October 21st just before the Royal Coronation Ball.

Gift certificates to Key West Island Gym will also be available at the various King and Queen fundraising events during the build up to the Coronation Ball with all of those proceeds going to AIDS Help Key West.

Key West Pridefest 2011

2011-06-15T21:08:00.008-04:00

Pridefest Parade Key West June 2011

Key West Island Gym & Pridefest 2011

KEY WEST PRIDEFEST 2011

Key west Island Gym took to the streets again this year, this time to participate in the colorful and exuberant celebration of diversity and freedom.

Our wildly costumed walking group rolled through old Key West on a hot Sunday afternoon from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean showing our colors and pride.It seemed that all of Key West was eager to share theirs too. What a fantastic day it was.

We designed and constructed caribbean festival inspired costumes especially for this extraordinary event and were delighted and honored to receive the "best walking group" award as well as the "most creative" award.

All of the floats, and the classic cars, the walking and riding groups as well as all of the individuals looked amazing as they celebrated.

There is truly nowhere like Key West.

We always like to invite everybody to be part of our costumed walking group and you don't have to be a gym member to participate so check back to Key West Island Gym's blog page for info on upcoming festival parades.

Key West Pride Parade 2011

2011-04-23T23:08:00.012-04:00

Key West Pride 2011

Everybody is welcome to celebrate and join the very fun Key West Island Gym Costumed Carnival Group in this years Key West Pride Parade which is held on Sunday June 12th 2011. Our group will feature three 15x 20 foot costumes which we constructed especially for this extraordinary event.

Our theme for the Key West Pride Parade this year is "Age of Aquarius" so feel free to wear your most colorful "Flower Power Drag" and join our group in this outrageous and fun celebration of diversity and freedom.

Key West Island Gym and St Jude's Children's Research Hospital

2011-01-15T10:40:00.003-05:00

Key West Island Gym is raffling off two one year gym memberships to benefit St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. St Jude's sole purpose is to conduct basic and clinical research and treatment into catastrophic childhood diseases, mainly cancer. St Jude's is the first and only pediatric cancer center to be designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute. The drawing will be held on Valantine's Day 02/14/2011. Tickets are $10 each and are available at the Key West Island Gym 1119 White Street, Key West

Toys For Tots and Key West Island Gym 2010

2010-12-25T18:12:00.006-05:00

Key West Police Department and Key West Island Gym collecting Toys For Tots

This holiday season Key West Island Gym has joined the Key West Police Department in it's quest to gather toys for needy kids in Key West and throughout the Florida Keys.

Each year here at Key West Island Gym we focus on gathering sporting goods which will bring holiday joy as well as a healthy start to the kids new year. This year Key West Police Chief Donie Lee stopped by in person to collect the sporting goods that were donated by members and friends of Key West Island Gym. Happy holidays everybody.

Key West Island Gym & Toys for Tots 2010

2010-12-07T14:21:00.006-05:00

Key West Island Gym & Toys for Tots

This holiday season Key West Island Gym is collecting sporting goods of all kinds for Toys for Tots of the Florida Keys. Our team at the gym is asking for donations of all kinds of unwrapped sports equipment such as soccer, basket, foot, tennis, soft or baseballs as well as mitts, bats, hoops, frisbees, kites, racquets, skates, jump ropes and even boomerangs. The sporting goods/toys will be wrapped and given to children throughout the Florida Keys.

This is our way to help bring a happy holiday season to kids in need as well as a healthy and active new year for the kids of the Florida Keys.

Key West Island Gym & Bottle Cap Groove Lounge Join Forces For Special Olympic Athletes

2010-11-15T11:25:00.013-05:00

On Friday evening Nov. 12th 2010 the Key West Island Gym and The Bottle Cap Groove Lounge joined forces and put together an incredible benefit that raised almost four thousand dollars which will benefit the Special Olympic Athletes directly. Sam of Key West Island Gym was the organizer behind this fundraising effort and all of us at Key West Island Gym are very proud of the fantastic results he achieved. Job well done Sam.

Key West Island Gym/Bottle Cap Groove Lounge/Special Olympics benefit

2010-11-10T12:24:00.003-05:00

Fantasy Fest 2010 & Key West Island Gym

2010-11-03T19:51:00.019-04:00

"One Humid Calamity"

Best Costumed Group Award Fantasy Fest 2010

"Ultimate Predator" third place professional category at Pretenders in Paradise

"15 minutes" of insane first place winner at Key West Business Guild's Headdress Ball

What a blast this past week of Fantasy Fest has been for everyone at the Key West Island Gym. As well as having a lot of fun we crossed the finish line in first place at the Key West Business Guild's legendary Headdress Ball with a headdress titled "15 minutes" of insane. All of the contestants looked amazing in their remarkable headdresses. We're already looking forward to the Key West Business Guilds Fantasy Fest Headdress Ball 2011.

At the world class Pretenders in Paradise costume contest we also had a blast and placed in the top three finalists receiving the bronze in the professional category with a gigantic 14 foot tall, pitchfork carrying, devil costume titled "Ultimate Predator "

At the Fantasy Fest main Parade on Saturday night we entered a quartet of 15 foot puppet costumes titled "One Humid Calamity" with our costumed walking/dance group, we "danced da costumes" what a workout that was, and the next morning everybody was pleasantly surprised to learn it all wasn't just a silly dream we had while passed out in Denny's on Duval Street at 4.30am in the morning, and we had received a "Best Costumed Group Award"

Key West Island Gym has a permanent exhibition of Fantasy Fest posters and artwork from the seventies to present day. Feel free to stop in and say hello.

FANTASY FEST 2010 "Habitat for Insanity"

2010-10-21T19:08:00.006-04:00

With just a few days to go 'till Fantasy Fest we have assembled our core team of entertainers to participate in this years parade and what a group it is going to be, but don't forget, everybody is welcome to be a part of our group, just sign up at the front desk at the gym, throw on your zaniest costume and get ready to entertain over 60 thousand people.

KEY WEST ISLAND GYM NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION RAFFLE

2010-09-11T11:38:00.003-04:00

Key West Island Gym is pleased to announce that we have raised and donated $390 to the National Wildlife Federation. Thanks to everybody who bought a raffle ticket and congratulations to the lucky winners who won two one year memberships to the gym.

FANTASY FEST 2010 "Habitat for Insanity"

2010-07-17T14:08:00.007-04:00

KEY WEST FANTASY FEST 2010

"HABITAT FOR INSANITY"

Everybody is welcome to join the Key West Island Gym Crazy Carnival Group in this year's Fantasy Fest Parade on Sat. 30th of Oct. 2010.

It's never too early to start thinking about designing your Fantasy Fest costume as it is a fun way to spend your time during the long days of summer.If you are interested in being a part of this years Key West Island Gym fun and funky Carnival group please see front desk at Key West Island Gym for details. Feel free to use the Island Gym Carnival Group Costumes/Colors as your inspiration when designing your "insane" costume or you can participate wearing your own crazy creation.We would like to encourage people to be entertaining when performing in the parade.

Our Crazy Carnival Group will feature four 15 ft carnival costumes [see photos]and as many fun psycho freaks as we can round up.

Call the gym or see front desk for details.

National Wildlife Federation Gulf Oil Spill Restoration Fund

2010-06-07T12:44:00.008-04:00

KEY WEST ISLAND GYM IS HOLDING A RAFFLE

Key West Island Gym 1119 White Street is holding a raffle in an effort to aid in the clean up of Gulf Coast Wildlife. The Island Gym is raffling TWO ONE YEAR MEMBERSHIPS, tickets are $5.00 each and all of the proceeds will go to the National Wildlife Federation's Gulf Oil Spill Restoration Fund.

The tickets will be sold at the gym and the drawing will be Labor Day September 6th, 2010.

KAYAKING FOR FITNESS IN THE FLORIDA KEYS

2010-05-30T10:01:00.006-04:00

KAYAKING FOR FITNESS IN THE FLORIDA KEYS

Members of Key West Island Gym are always looking for new ways to keep their workouts feeling brand new. Fitness training at the gym is always convenient as it fits easily into anybodies schedule but it sometimes needs to be supplemented with an outdoor activity just to keep things fresh and to also add some cross training into your fitness routine. Running, walking, biking, and swimming are some of the many options available to us in Key West and the Florida Keys.

Another option is an activity that people from any age group or fitness level can participate in at an intense or relaxed level and that is kayaking. Kayaking is truly a wonderful form of exercise. The basic skills required can be learned in a day or less and you will be so busy having fun you will be unaware you are getting a great workout. Kayaking can be experienced in groups which is a lot of fun or solo if you prefer a more tranquil kayaking experience.

The first benefit of kayaking is stress reduction as you will be outdoors on the water paddling your kayak under the blue sky taking in nature, bird watching, and observing marine life or taking photographs. I personally like to find a sandbar which enables me to add swimming or snorkeling to my kayaking experience or even lunch if it's a full day excursion.

Kayaking is an ideal low impact cardiovascular workout which burns many calories to aid in fat reduction and is also a excellent strength workout for the upper body and core and the fixed isometric exercise tones the legs with no risk of injury. You will also see great improvements in your overall flexibility. Importantly, you will arrive back on land feeling energized and calm as well as a general sense of wellbeing.

For anybody interested in preserving health and overall fitness kayaking provides an evenly balanced all round routine as well as a remarkable Key West ecological experience.

SPECIAL OLYMPIC SUCCESS

2009-10-01T10:45:00.009-04:00

Our team at Key West Island Gym, is pleased to announce the success of our Second Annual Special Olympic Bake Sale and Silent Auction. We raised $1045.00 this year which will benefit the athletes of the Special Olympics of Monroe County directly.

Special thanks goes out to Sam of Key West Island Gym and also...

Matthessen's 4th of July

Cafe Sole

Coles Peace Bakery

Julia Moffit Personal Fitness Trainer

Louie's Backyard Upperdeck

Pavel Kethum

Island City House

Gregory Henke L.M.T

Camille's

Raquel Robbins Personal Fitness Trainer

Kermit's Key Lime Shoppe

Alexander Ristl Personal Fitness Trainer

Abbondanza Italian Restaurant

Duffy's Steak and Lobster

We look forward to seeing you all again next year

FROM KEY WEST FLORIDA TO CORK CITY IRELAND

2009-08-25T17:10:00.008-04:00

KEY WEST TO CORK

From fun loving Key West Florida to the "real capital" of Ireland, Cork city where Pride 2009 was celebrated wildly. The weather was gorgeous, the floats were fabulous, the music was pumpin' and the people came out in their thousands. Want a break from your usual treadmill routine for a day? Walk or dance in a parade. You'll burn a lot more calories parading in stilts [practice required] and have a lot more fun doing so. Give it a try.

KEY WEST ISLAND GYM & SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES

2009-08-12T14:01:00.010-04:00

Key West Island Gym, 1119 White Street, Key West is hosting the Second Annual Special Olympic Silent Auction and Bake Sale which will directly benefit the Monroe County Special Olympic athletes.

The fundraiser will take place on Saturday, September 19th, 2009 from 7.00 am 'till the last cookie is gone.

Chefs and bakers from some of Key West's finest restaurants and bakeries are donating all manner of baked goods for sale as well as items for the silent auction. The gym will also donate a variety of memberships for the silent auction as well as some home baked healthy treats.

Please join us for in supporting the athletes of the Special Olympics of Monroe County as well as some food and fun.

For more information please contact Key West Island Gym at 295 8222 or the Special Olympics of Monroe County at 294 7752.

Many thanks from everybody at the Key West Island Gym

HILLWALKING FOR HEALTH IN IRELAND

2009-08-01T06:47:00.009-04:00

HILLWALKING FOR HEALTH IN IRELAND

Many Key West Island Gym members are familiar with the enchanting beauty of Ireland with it's unique charm, artistry and splendor. Some members are regular visitors and also part time residents enjoying the surfing, sailing, fishing, the arts and even a pint or two of Guinness. When planning your vacation getaway this year you may want to try the south west, the south west of Ireland that is. You may be concerned about the climate in the Emerald Isle but it is my experience that even a rainy day in Ireland cannot prevent it's magnificent beauty from shining through.

One of the best ways to experience the allure of the south west of Ireland is hillwalking. As well as discovering Ireland, hillwalking will also give you "glutes of stone" to match your "abs of steel" of course. Anything you eat is immediately burned off and what a great way to add some cross training into your fitness routine.

There are many fine hillwalking clubs to choose from in the south west but I chose the warm and welcoming Cork Gay Hillwalkers. This club challenges and conquers some of the highest and most dangerous peaks in Ireland as well as the less challenging ones. The organizers have decades of mountaineering and hillwalking experience between them, Tony Doherty being a respected writer on the subject for the Irish Times Newspaper. Check out their website for information on www.corkgayhillwalkers.com where you can also view an extensive library of scenic photographs taken mostly by the talented and charming Paul Sheehan.

When hillwalking in Ireland you will experience captivating and remote places charged with mystical ambiance. The mountains, lakes, waterfalls, beach and coastal views are truly breathtaking. You will meet friendly and curious people and you may even pick up a few words of gailic [gaeilge] the native language of Ireland, as many of the climbs take place in the traditional Irish speaking areas.

Unknown to many, a variety of subtropical plants found in Key West can also be found in the south west of Ireland and the many palm trees that thrive here are also an unexpected surprise. This is due to the warm waters of the Gulf Stream arriving like a gift to the waters of the south west of Ireland.

From Key West, the southernmost island city of the U.S.A. located in the Carribean Basin to Cork the "Rebel County"and Kerry the "Kingdom County" located in the south west of Ireland you will experience true natural beauty, a warm welcome, as well as a breathtaking enjoyable workout.

Slan go foill.......................Goodbye for now

Shape Up in 2009

2009-01-03T20:32:00.008-05:00

Shape Up in 2009

Wow! What a celebration it has been.Say hello to the year 2009 and no doubt to a few more pounds added to your festive waistline but do not worry as "for every up there's a down" in the positive sense of course.You will know for sure if you have gained weight if.....................................

1.When you get on the scale the zero passes twice.

2.Everything seems to be shrinking except the food bill.

3.You tell the waiter "I need everything in my mouth before noon tomorrow"

4.You're unlucky enough to have a gun emptied into you, but none of the bullets hit a vial area.

If your heart missed a beat when reading any of these, then read on for some "serious" tips to help you eat correctly, at least until your Birthday or Thanksgiving.

1.Eliminate junk or highly processed foods.This is an obvious guideline.These foods contain lots of sugar, sodium, and fat, and so, lots of calories. NASTY STUFF.

2.Follow the 40% to 60% low fat rule.This means when you fill your plate you fill 40% to 60% of the plate with complex carbohydrates such as brown rice,vegetables,grain products,oatmeal, or wholegrain bread.The remaining percentage should be from lean protein foods such as chicken, fish, egg whites, or lean meats.Think low fat as fat contains double the amount of calories as carbohydrates or protein.There is fat hidden everywhere in food so read labels but don't assume accuracy.

3.Drink plenty of water throughout the day and try not to let your body get dehydrated as this can reduce your energy level and this may in turn affect your ability to metabolise fat.

4.Eat high fiber foods.High fiber foods assist the digestive processes and may help to decrease blood cholesterol levels.Available in fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains and oatmeal.

5.Eat small frequent meals.Smaller meals are easier for the body to digest and absorb and is less taxing on your system.Eating this way assures a steady flow of energy and helps to stabilize your appetite.

6.Fit exercise into your everyday routine.When you have made some simple but effective changes in your diet,you can then plan your exercise program which should include some aerobic training and some form of a resistance program such as weight training.One of the most important things to remember before begining any program is patience.To get results that last takes time.Fad diets or programs that promise quick results may be unhealthy and can backfire with "temporary improvement" instead of "longterm improvement."

I will now explain and describe the best way to perform a circuit resistance routine which can help you reach a heartrate high enough to assist in the burning of fat.It can be performed before your 30 minute aerobic session or seperately on a different day or later on the same day.The circuit should be made up of around eight different exercises which will work the larger muscle groups of the body.Each exercise should be perfect in technique, and you should take little or no rest between exercises.Perform each exercise one after the other until all the exercises have been completed, and then repeat the circuit two or three more times.

If you have any doubts about begining any exercise program, get medical clearance first.This point can not be over-emphasized or taken lightly as the body is a very complex and sometimes delicate "machine."

The most important things in preventing an injury are 1.Proper warm-up.2.Proper training techniques.3.Proper nutrition.

Added to the list would be :avoid silly stunts or showing off, don't use excessive amount of weight in any exercise, get enough sleep and rest as fatigue can cause injury, break into your new program gradually and carefully, and also use "common sense."

Some examples of types of exercises to use in the circuit routine would be:Squats and lunges to work leg and buttock muscles:Push-ups and dips to work upper body muscles such as the chest, arms and shoulders:Chin-ups or pulldowns to work the muscles of the back but also the muscles of the arms and shoulders:Stability ball crunches to work the abdominal muscles.

All of these exercises can be done at home or at your local gym but make sure you get proper instruction before you start on your routine.Have a fun workout, but remember to have a safe one also.SHAPE UP IN 2009.

Winning the Battle of the Holiday Bulge

2008-12-03T16:26:00.017-05:00

Winning the battle of the holiday bulge

Welcome. By taking a few minutes to read this article you have taken an

important step towards a healthier and more attractive body

and maybe have a laugh at the same time, so let's get started.

First of all we'll forget about the New Years Resolution Diet, the

First Real Date in Two Years Diet and last but not least, the It Can't be Summer, I haven't lost any weight yet Diet. The only way we can get leaner and healthier and stay that way is by following a year round health and fitness plan.Don't get me wrong, you wont have to be miserable and give up all of those scrumptious treats, or all of those beers or the occasional night out on the town. After all there is more to life than being "perfect" and pouring yourself into a 30 inch pair of jeans or a tiny little dress. I must admit however I have seen numerous plus sizes successfully, but uncomfortably, squeezed in there "somewhere".

Seriously, in the past 25 years of training people on a one-to-one basis,I have seen some remarkable transformations in my clients and not by fanatical means, but by using simple guidelines that anybody can follow.

In this article I will not address nutrition as the Holiday Season is approaching and I'm sure everybody is going to eat , drink, and be merry.I will save that topic for the next article in the New Year which will also include a super basic weight-training circuit routine that will help melt the fat away but I will outline the first simple steps you could take when starting an exercise program.

The first step towards a healthier and more attractive body is to include aerobics [cardio] of some form in your schedule.But wait...this does not mean getting into your best "lycra-spandex performance wear"[The shining yellow one-piecer with the hot pink running stripes] and being barked at by some hop-till-you-drop aerobocop dictator in tights.No Way.

It could be a brisk walk along the waterfront, swimming in the ocean or your local swimming pool or the second most popular cardiovascular activity in Key West, riding a bicycle.Three 30 minute sessions are ideal, but you can perform up to five if desired.Cycling to work is an easy way to squeeze these sessions into a busy day.These activities are excellent for stimulating fat metabolism and can continue to burn fat for hours after the activity is completed .The next step is to include a resistance or weight training program into your schedule.But wait... This does not mean trying to hoist hundreds of pounds over your head until your face matches the colors on your "lycra-spandex one-piecer.No Way.

It simply means performing some sort of resistance training using weights or your own body.You can use light, medium, or heavy resistance, depending on your personality and what you wish to achieve with your program.This can be done at home or at your local gym.Three sessions of 30 to 45 minutes are ideal for the beginner or for somebody just getting back into shape.Weight training assures that you maintain and build muscle tone and shape while at the same time burning fat.

If you are patient with your fitness program you may be unveiling a new you sooner than you think. Getting, not pouring into those jeans may just be over that Key West sunset.

Holiday Season 2008

2008-12-02T19:14:00.004-05:00

Key West Island Gym is collecting sporting goods

and toys for the annual Toys for Tots Christmas

gift drive. Donated items should be dropped off

at the gym, 1119 White Street.

The toys will be wrapped and given to needy

children throughout the Florida Keys.

Gym staff and members are participating to

encourage children to have a happy holiday

season and a healthy new year

Special Olympics Of Monroe County

2008-08-31T16:10:00.009-04:00

The gang from the Special Olympics was presented a check for $3,087.98 by Damien McCarthy of Key West Island Gym which will cover all expenses for the Athletes to travel to Miami to compete.

The presentation was a result of the August fundraising events by Key West Island Gym and the Special Olympics of Monroe County.

Special thanks to Sam and Debbie of Key West Island Gym.

Welcome to Key West Island Gym

2008-06-23T15:19:00.011-04:00

Key West's newest and most modern fitness facility

Key West Island gym almost shimmers with a healthy energy

Brand new state of the art equipment

Hammerstrength/Lifefitness/Matrix/Hoist resistance & cardio

Full range of free weights/multigrip bars/lifting frames

Sport specific "Vertimax" training platforms http://www.vertimax.com/

Numerous sport and fitness accessories

Both indoor and outdoor training areas

Impeccable hygiene with sparkling lockeroom/shower areas

Flat screen TV's with headsets

Fully air conditioned

Great location & free parking & large bike rack

Friendly atmosphere and helpful staff

Personal Trainers/Free instruction available