New health club offers key to fitness

CEDAR LAKE | Too often, the biggest losers lose more than they bargained for.

"When you get to a certain age, you begin to lose muscle mass," Rich Stringer said. "So you take a man in his 40s who goes on a diet and drops from 200 pounds to 180 ... a lot of that could have been muscle.

"And let's say the diet he was on was too unrealistic and discouraging for him to stay with it. So when he gains back that 20 pounds, he's going to be in worse shape than when he first started."

When Stringer talks about health and fitness, he speaks from experience, and not all of it was good experience.

Stringer was an accomplished bodybuilder who won an Indiana State Championships title when he was 22 years old. He also was a trainer at the old Admiral's Health Club located within the Twin Towers office complex in Merrillville.

"It was a real ritzy place," Stringer said. "A lot of the lawyers and professionals who worked in the towers were members."

The club eventually closed and Stringer changed careers -- as well as his shape.

"When I started to sell cars for a living, I picked up a lot bad habits ... eating late, fast food everyday," Stringer said. "I have a 29-inch waist size. Back then it got up to a 38."

Stringer eventually returned to the health and fitness business, and at 46 years old has found renewed success as a bodybuilder. He also is the manager/trainer at the new Admiral's Health Club in Cedar Lake.

"(Owner) Paul Banter used to also work at the old Admiral's," Stringer said. "We were able to get rights to the name and start a club in memory of where we first started."

Other trainers at the club include Jay Anderson -- an accomplished bodybuilder himself, and Mark Rayone.

"Between the three of us, we have more than 75 years experience as personal trainers," Stringer said.

Though there has been a proliferation of emerging health clubs since the days of the first Admiral's, Stringer says they're not really in competition with all the bigger gyms in proximity.

"We aim for a more personal approach," Stringer said. "A lot of people are intimidated when they first join a big gym. We want this place to be more accommodating.

"Here, we're limiting our membership to 150 people. We're open 24 hours a day. Each member will have a key to the club to come in any time they want."

The club is located behind Banter Floor and More. There is a line of Nautilus complete-range resistance machines, free weights, a cardio theatre room and basketball court.

"And we offer one-on-one evaluations," Stringer said. "We go over nutrition ... what plan works best for a certain individual.

"A lot of times people stop going to health clubs because no one took the time to put them on right path to success."

The club has been open for nearly four months.

"But we plan to hold an official grand opening soon," Stringer said.