Sixteen years of experience as a fitness trainer, a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise and a master’s degree in exercise with a focus on exercise physiology form the foundation of Jay Weitzner’s business, Symmetry Fitness, in Naples. He is also a resistance training specialist and has studied muscle activation techniques. Weitzner designs effective and safe fitness routines using biomechanics and the physics of exercise. Decisions about what movements to incorporate into fitness routines are based on human physiology and thermodynamics, rather than the latest hot fad in the fitness industry. “We choose what is best for the individual,” says Weitzner.

Knowing where muscles attach to bones, what each muscle does and what it can do depending upon its position, is essential for determining the type of exercises and number of repetitions the body can safely handle. “This is the best strategy for preventing injuries and strengthening muscles surrounding joints, which is a great anti-aging approach to keeping weight off joints and giving them more good years of life and flexibility,” advises Weitzner, who often works with individuals with sports injuries that require rehabilitative exercises.

Weitzner points out that the goal of fitness is to get people healthy, whereas the goal of sports is to win. Each requires very different fitness routines, as well as an initial, in-depth assessment. “The trainer needs to know where the individual falls within the fitness spectrum. On one end there are individuals who have injuries, are sedentary or obese, and at the other end are the high-performing athletes. This is why routines must be customized to be effective,” he says.

According to Weitzner, the majority of today’s exercise routines emerge from the entertainment industry. “People should not just plug into exercise protocols without understanding where it’s best for them to begin and what progressions are appropriate. Starting the latest fitness fad without consulting a personal trainer may lead to injuries. Our joints are capable of a certain number of repetitions, based on load, resistance and direction of movement, which is basically about math, where there’s no room for opinions and media hype from celebrities,” cautions Weitzner.

Location: 1750 J&C Blvd., Ste. 10, Naples. For more information, call 239-940-2121 or visit NoFadsAllFitness.com.