OUR FEATURED GYM FOR DECEMBER 2002

Baguio City is proud to have the Asia Fitness and Rehabilitation Center. It is not just a gym for serious bodybuilders but is also a center for people who are undergoing therapy from sports injuries, cardiac problems and other health-related issues. As a matter of fact, the clientele here, 50% male and 50% female from beginners to advance, young teens to senior citizens (the youngest is 12 with parental consent and the oldest is 86) and students to working professionals, all have different goals, closely monitored and initially assessed by its proprietor Mr. Sammy Ayochok (see pictures of Sammy below).

Mr. Sammy Ayochok opened the gym in May, 1991 and have attained close to 100% success rate among its members ever since. Having been certified by the International Physical Fitness Association in Sports Injuries treatment, he evaluates and assesses all members joining the gym as a standard operating procedure for the center in order to understand their goals and requirements.
They are tested in the following:
1) cardiovascularity fitness
2) strength
3) flexibility
4) body composition
He believes that weight training can actually be used for cardiovascular conditioning utilizing the "aerobic circuit resisitance" training which means the trainee uses weights for resistance that is light enough to go through the exercise program without having to rest in between sets. "Resting in between sets causes the heart rate to drop down. Using heavy weights may make the trainee rest in between sets, thereby sacrificing the aerobic benefit of the exercise." says Sammy. The gym has 4 male instructors to help assist the members in their exercise programs.

Moreover, Mr. Ayochok also manufactures and builds gym equipment from dumbbells to designer machines. He designed and built all the equipment in the gym. The Flex line of equipment in the gym is based on weight centered and functional design. The dumbbells are designed to have smooth handles instead of the regular rough edges, in order to eliminate stress on the wrist and alleviate intolerable callous on the palm. Overall, the machines were designed with the following guidelines in mind:
1) biomechanical design or user-friendly
2) safety of member
3) durability
4) aesthetics
If you're interested in starting a gym and you need equipment to order, Sammy can be consulted and contracted in this business. Currently, he is working on a project to build the gym and all the equipment for the Saint Louis University Fitness Center in Baguio City. He recently finished designing and building the gym and equipment for the Baguio City Fire Department, Texas Instrument Baguio City and La Trinidad Fitness Center in Benguet.

But wait a minute! If you haven't heard the name Sammy Ayochok, you must have been watching too many soap operas and telenovelas on ABS-CBN and GMA7 for the last 20 years! Sammy Ayochok's name has been synonymous to the sport of Bodybuilding in the Philippines since the 70's. He won the Mr. Philippines at the age of 18, an 8 times Mr. Asia and a Mr. Universe titleholder. Need we say more? (Pictures below speak for themselves. Pictures of Sammy in white trunks were taken recently)

Asia Fitness and Rehabilitation Center is located at 10 Upper Brookside, off of Bonifacio Road in Baguio City. The telephone number is (0919) 521-7759 (cell phone).