A perfect ‘fit’

There are many fitness classes to choose from at Lakeside Rehabilitation Family Fitness in downtown Hart.

By Allison Scarbrough. OCP Editor.

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HART — With a new 7,000-square-foot family fitness center that opened downtown just over a year ago, the staff and clients at Lakeside Comprehensive Rehabilitation Inc. are pumped about the expanding business.

Located in retail space at 39 State St. that formerly housed Oceana Pharmacy, Lakeside

Swimming lessons and aquatic classes are available in the 89-degree pool at Lakeside Comprehensive Rehabilitation on East Main Street in Hart.

Rehabilitation Family Fitness offers many exercise options for all fitness levels and ages at very reasonable prices. Whether you’re a die-hard lifter or someone who just wants to check out a fitness class, LRFF is the place to be. The spacious facility opened in August of 2013 and has been gaining popularity ever since. Personal trainers are on hand to share their expertise.

There is a wide variety of classes such as yoga, pilates, zumba, tai chi and piyo, which is a combination of yoga and pilates. Martial arts instructor Ray Johnson offers high-energy classes that build muscle and self-esteem.

Gain cardiovascular workouts and a toned body using the facility’s state-of-art Cybex equipment. The gym offers treadmills, ellipticals, circuit training machines and weight benches. There are flat screen TVs to tune into as you work out.

A large staff of occupational and physical therapists and assistants help clients get back on their feet at Lakeside Rehab.

A big draw for clients are children’s dance classes, said Director of Operations Erica Fenton. Kids as young as 3 years old can take dance and tumbling classes, such as ballet and hip hop. The closest venues for children’s dance classes elsewhere are Whitehall and Ludington, she said. “You can have your kid in a class while you work out,” she said of the convenient set-up. Spinning classes are another big draw, Fenton said.

A key appeal to the new workout facility is the low cost for memberships, Fenton said. A student rate of $10 per month has attracted many young fitness enthusiasts.

Lakeside Rehab, which is located 601 E. Main St., first opened its doors in March of

There are many ways to get fit at the Lakeside Rehabilitation Family Fitness center, which opened its doors in downtown Hart just over a year ago.

2003, and the business has thrived over the last decade. “It all started with the rehab facility,” Fenton said, which offers physical, occupational, speech and massage therapy, as well as aquatic classes and swimming lessons in its 25-by-30 foot pool. “It kind of grew to the community being able to use it,” she said. The pool and gym area were added in 2007 for a total 9,000-square-foot facility. Swimming lessons in the 89-degree pool are available for infants on up to adults.

Registered Occupational Therapist Deborah Windell owns the thriving business, and there are also two physical therapists, five physical therapist assistants and two occupational therapist assistants on site. Many people are seeking therapy for back pain and rotator cuff injuries, Fenton said. “We get people back to being well and back on their feet and staying that way,” she said.

Staff is excited that a new state law that takes effect Jan. 1, 2015 that will allow people to seek out therapy services without doctors’ orders, Fenton said. The booming business, which employs a total of 35 workers, should see even more clients walk through the doors. The director said she expects Lakeside Rehab to continue to thrive. “We are busting out of the seams.”

For more information, visit lakesiderehab.