30 | SUNRAYS JUNE 2014
ONLINE:
SCTXCA.ORG
FITNESS
Nugget was Paul Black’s best friend for 17 years. Just the slightest jingle
of her leash and she’d be eager to hit the road for at least a two-mile walk.
Her infectious “Let’s GO!” attitude would sometimes propel the pair as far
as five miles. “We’d stop when she got tired,” says Paul, who still chokes up
when he talks about the Golden Retriever/Chowmix who died in December.
With his walking buddy gone, and an exercise void to fill, Paul pulled out
his old softball glove and tried out for the Sun City Texas Softball team,
even though he hadn’t swung a bat in more than 18 years. “I just thought
I was in some kind of shape,” he says now, laughing. “My muscles had a
communication problem with my brain. Although I was stretching before
playing, I found out that my muscle tone wasn’t nearly as good as I thought
it was. So far, my most severe injury has been a strained quad.”
In March, Paul decided to be proactive and prevent further injury with the
guidance of Sun City Texas Personal Trainer Don Elgin. “I didn’t want to
try a workout program on my own because I’m sure I would have selected
the wrong equipment or started off at a level beyond my capabilities,” says
Paul, a Pennsylvania native and retired Army veteran who ran track and
cross country in high school and was undefeated on the school’s wrestling
team. “Don is an excellent trainer. I told him I would need lots of motivation
to get back into shape. Training with him improves my workout ethic and
allows me to get feedback on my workouts.”
Paul, 68, is already beginning to reap the benefits. “The programs that
Don has designed for me are increasing my mobility,” he says, noting that
his lower back pain from a bulging disk has also improved. “I feel great
after my workouts,” he adds. “Each morning my back feels less tight, and
I begin my day with less pain.”
Paul’s softball game is progressing nicely too, thanks to improved strength
and toning. He even has enough energy these days to pursue his other two
hobbies, bowling and fishing. Paul says, however, that the greatest benefit
of personal training has been an improved mental attitude, which is swiftly
lifting him from thoughts such as “Not now, I’m too tired,” to “Let’s GO!”
And Nugget, he thinks, would like that.
Athlete of the Month
By Lynda Dufour
Paul Black
Personal Trainer: Don Elgin
Meet Don Elgin
Personal Trainer
Don has more than
40 years of expe-
rience in exercise
and physical fit-
ness and has been
with the Sun City
Texas Fitness Cen-
ter more than eight years working
as a Personal Trainer and Fitness
Coordinator.
Certifications
• Physical Fitness Specialist
• Special Populations Training
• Fitness Specialist for Older Adults
• Biomechanics of Resistance
Training
• CPR/AED Certified
For an appointment with Don, call
512-948-7751.
Children’s Swim Time
For Kids Ages 4-15 years
MAY - September
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Daily
Outdoor Pool
Children’s Age Restrictions
Children ages 4-15 may use
the pool during designated
swim times.
Children under the age of 4,
per the CA Rules/Regs., are
not allowed at the pools or in
the Fitness Centers.
Hop in as it Heats Up!
As the temperature rises, join us
in the pool! Did you know that
Sun City Texas Fitness Centers
offer over 30 Aqua (Pool) classes
per week?
There is a class for
every person, every level.
