marina del rey, ca? Two Ritz-Carlton properties are reaching out to guests who might want to add a little spice to their daily fitness routines. At the 306-room Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey in California, nature-loving guests can add a little bit of enthusiasm to their fitness routines with bicycle rentals or by using either of the two lighted tennis courts or the 25-meter heated outdoor swimming pool. They can work up a sweat on the NBA regulation basketball court, or use free weights, life cycles, treadmills, and step machines while viewing the marina. Individualized fitness programs, spa services, locker rooms with full amenities, and a dry sauna are also available. At the tennis courts, guests can make an appointment for private or group lessons with resident tennis pro, Michael Lee, who competed nationally on the pro circuit. Yoga and Pilates classes are offered in the guestroom for $85 an hour, also by appointment only. Other classes include aerobics, water aerobics and personal fitness training. At the Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey there are three personal trainers to provide sessions in-room, outdoors or at the fitness center, noted Martino Santillana, the fitness center manager who has been a personal trainer since 1992. ?Our personal trainers are professionals so these sessions are good for anyone who wants to start a program or just improve an existing program,? Santillana said. ?The personal trainers will work with them and will not push them to go too far, especially if they are new to personal training or fitness programs in general.? ?We try to accommodate everyone and make our programs as much fun as possible,? he added. At The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island in Florida, stress reduction and fitness can be achieved during Tai Chi classes led by Tom Gagne, director of fitness and recreation for the 449-room property. ?With Tai Chi, you can improve blood pressure and tighten muscles without the worry of injury,? said Gagne, who has more than 30 years of experience in the martial arts. ?Tai Chi is something that you can do for your whole life. You can feel a difference after an hour, but if you keep it up on a regular basis you will see marked differences. In addition, Tai Chi improves memory retention,? he added. Three mornings a week Gagne leads a sunrise Tai Chi class on the beach. ?Usually, during the winter season we get two to five people at these sessions and during the summer season we get between eight and 12 people,? said Gagne. Another fitness program offered at the hotel is the cardio-blast aerobics class, a reflexive workout that incorporates different forms of exercise. For the guest looking for a personal training session, appointments can be made at the fitness center for approximately $65 per session. ?Personal training sessions are great for people who want to start a fitness routine or even for those that need to improve their current routine,? said Gagne. At the fitness center, a series of tests are done to determine heart rate and flexibility before starting someone on a fitness program with a personal trainer. ?Even though the request for personal trainers is high, we always send a follow-up letter and encourage our guests to continue the classes or with their routine, once they return home. In the instance that the person needs us to, we?ll even check the area for a local fitness center that they can use,? Gagne said.
