JUST Fit Gym
Making wine is hard work. Being up to the task is as important as knowing what to do. Together you get a winning combination. To make sure we have both we started the JUST GYM and the JUST FIT program at JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery in 2003. Proprietors Deborah and Justin Baldwin learned first hand about the value of being physically fit when they personally triumphed over physically debilitating illnesses in their lives. Accordingly, they built a world class gym on the vineyard property to allow all JUSTIN employees the opportunity to get fit and stay fit! An incredibly talented personal trainer was hired named Rich Pollock. Several days a week all of our employees are able to work out with a professional regimen that includes cardio vascular, weight training, diet and lifestyle instruction and lots of disco music. Our trainer is there to coach and instruct but the juices really get going when the competition between fellow employees heats up. For a long time the oldest employee (Justin) surprised us all and led in the “strong man” category but he has long since been replaced by younger employees, especially the women including Debby Baldwin. It’s healthy fun for all. Many of our staff had never had the opportunity to workout and after the initial exposure, they are addicted. Eligible staff extends to our estate growers who, like the winery and vineyard staff, have heartedly embraced the program. Healthy vineyards come from healthy people! In 2006 we took our health consciousness public and started an annual contest among all wineries in the Paso Robles Appellation. The JUSTIN Harvest “Hard Body” Fitness Contest pitts contestants from each of the Paso Robles wineries against each other in a series of 10 feats of strength to determine who will be the Most Fit Woman and the Most Fit Man. The event is held at the conclusion of the harvest to give everyone the opportunity to “bulk” up and hone their abilities during the grueling grape harvest and winery crush. Winners receive $500 each from JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery.
Meet Our Trainer: Richard Pollock
Fitness has been a way of life for Rich Pollock since his earliest days.
His father’s passion for fitness initially drove Rich to seek a career in physical fitness. Starting as a self styled fitness fanatic, Rich soon moved on to help others. To better instruct others he advanced his education and earned numerous designations including a Personal Training Certificate, Advanced Personal Training Certificate and Biomechanics Certification from the Cooper Institute of Dallas, Texas. Rich has continued his education, broadened his base of expertise and kept current by completing workshops in such area as Active Aging, Senior Fitness Specialist, Rehabilitation Specialist and Master Fitness. He is actively employed as a Personal Trainer at a fitness club in our area but since 2004 has been the JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery Personal Fitness Trainer. He oversees the JUST Fit Gym located on the vineyard property and works two days a week with the staff at JUSTIN as well as their estate grape growers to improve their health. He offers weight training, cardio vascular exercise, dietetic programming and life style advice. Additionally he oversees the annual JUSTIN Harvest “Hard Body” Fitness Contest among all the wineries of Paso Robles, operates his own fitness studio, trains firefighters and paramedics, works with recovering cancer patients at The Wellness Community Central Coast and lectures at active adult communities in his area. Rich works with clients ranging from 14 to 89 years old including those with totally sedentary lifestyles, people in rehabilitation, tri-athletes and professional athletes.
His idol is Jack La Lanne who he recently met. He loves good healthy food which his wife expertly prepares, travel in his fifth wheel and cruise ships that offer all the lobster you can eat!
"Go on, have a glass of wine with dinner. What is wine, anyway? Pure grapes." -Jack La Lanne
JUST Fit Highlights:
Sit-Ups:
Current Records:
Mens - Justin Baldwin: Does 100s of sit-ups!
Mens - Raul Sanchez: Does 71 sit-ups in a minute.
Ladies - Erin Hoffman: 57 sit-ups in 60 seconds.
Side-to-Side Sit-Ups:
Mens - Justin Baldwin holding a 25 lb dumbbell behind his neck and with 5 lbs on each wrist he can do over 25 times, each side
Ladies - Erin Hoffman did 55 on each side on the small ball
Push-Ups:
Current Records:
Mens – Raul Sanchez: over 100 men's push-ups in a minute
Ladies - Erin Hoffman: 70 men's push-ups and 58 men's push-ups while balancing legs on a ball
Legs:
Current Records:
Mens – Justin Baldwin: Leg Press – 525 lbs, over 30 times. Leg Extensions – 315 lbs, 30 times. Overall has the strongest legs.
Ladies - Deborah Baldwin: Leg Press – 275 lbs, over 30 times. Leg Extensions – 225 lbs, over 40 times. She has the best looking legs of any 30-year-old.
Dumbbell Military Press:
Current Records:
Mens – Seth Engel: 70 lb. dumbbells in each hand, 20 times.
Ladies - April Sutton: 30 lb dumbbells in each hand over her head 26 times.
Dumbbell Bench Press:
Current Records:
Mens - Raul Sanchez: 100 lb dumbbells in each hand over 20 times
Ladies – April Sutton: 40 lb dumbbells in each hand 33 times.
Balance on the Ball:
Erin Hoffman balanced on the ball, both hands on top of her head for 43 minutes!
Most Improved in 6 Months:
Man - Curtis Lockshaw
Woman - Sonya Lockshaw
Miscellaneous:
Current Happenings:
Rebecca Howald: Taking spin classes and participating in Roller Derby in her spare time.
Erin Hoffman: Taking step, yoga and boot camp classes in her spare time.
Justin Baldwin: Almost the bottom of the stacks of all the cable machines at the JUST Fit Gym. Overall, the strongest at the winery!
Success Stories:
Erin Hoffman and Rob Schuberg won the 2007 Fitness Contest! ($500 prize each!)
John Crossland: Did less than 15 push-ups in February of 2007, by July 2007 he did 90!
Neeltje Crossland: Did less than 30 ladies push-ups when she started in April 2007, now in July 2007 she did 100!
Mitch Wyss: Started with 25 lb. dumbbell presses in March 2007, in July 2007 pressing 70 lbs in each hand over 20 times!
Tracy Bentson: Started doing 20 Ball-to-Toes in August 2007, in September 2007, she did 75!