Best of Health & Fitness

Gym

1st place
Mavericks
5171 Telegraph Road, Ventura
642-9600

2nd place
True North
6019-D Olivas Park Drive, Ventura
650-1239

3rd place
Gracie Barra
51 W. Main Street, #J, Ventura
643-7717

Personal Trainer

1st place
Jeana Scarlett
(Scarlett Strength and Conditioning)
4561 Market St., Suite C, Ventura
310-977-7996

2nd place
Rob Yontz
(True North)
6019-D Olivas Park Drive, Ventura
650-1239

3rd place
Warren Middleton
(Physique)
2200 Outlet Center Drive, Oxnard
278-7700

Martial Arts Studio

1st place
Gracie Barra
51 W. Main Street, #J, Ventura
643-7717

2nd place
Makoto Dojo
3026 Telegraph Road, Ventura
641-0447

3rd place
West Coast Jiu Jitsu
2945 Los Olivos, # 101, Oxnard
604-0944

Best military-style workout with a great view

Fuzion Fit Beach Body Boot camps
Thaddeus Jeckell, tjeckell@yahoo.com or 260-6346

Ventura’s scenic pier and nearby beaches are places of leisure for most visitors, but the soft sand and historic wooden structure serve as exercise equipment in a unique oceanfront workout class.

Military-style calisthenics, like running in the sand, sit-ups and weight training, bring on burning muscles and flowing sweat during Fuzion Fit Beach Body Boot camps.

Climbing the stairs leading up and over the pier is another heart-pounding part of the workout, as friends and random onlookers occasionally shout words of encouragement.

Piles of rocks found on the beach are sometimes incorporated into the workout as members of the class pick them up over their heads and move them around.

Thaddeus Jeckell leads the boot camp and believes working out on the beach around sunset is motivating. “We live on the California coast so everybody wants to be outside,” says Jeckell. “And working out in the sand is so much tougher, and a bigger calorie burn. And it’s fun.”

Cindy Arbuckle says boot camp workouts are not exactly a day at the beach. “They’re pretty intense, you feel it for days, and you come back and do it all over again. Actually, it’s a very good workout,” says Arbuckle.

But Arbuckle says there are also relaxing aspects to exercising along the local shoreline. “The breeze, getting to see the ocean, the calming effect of it is part of the stress relief,” says Arbuckle. “We’re extremely gifted.”

Katherine Maxwell says they support each other to keep everyone’s fitness goal on track. “It’s a good group of people, everybody encourages each other, and the camaraderie makes it kind of fun. I think Thaddeus is a good leader, too, and that helps,” says Maxwell.

— Alex Wilson

Yoga Instructor

1st place
Maribeth Hammond
2520 Roosevelt Blvd., Oxnard
984-2520

2nd place
Zan Ferris, ZanZilla
2750 E. Main St., Ventura
890-4863

3rd place
Bryan Legere
110 N. Olive St., Ventura
643-5979

Yoga Center

1st place
The Yoga Channel at Silver Strand
2520 Roosevelt Blvd., Oxnard
984-2520

2nd place
Yoga Jones
105 S. Oak St., # 200, Ventura
643-5669

3rd place
ZanZilla
2750 E. Main St., Ventura
890-4863

Dance Studio

1st place
Connexions Ventura
275 S. Laurel St., Ventura, 643-0788

2nd place
House of Dance
3007 Bunsen Ave., # E, Ventura
650-2719

3rd place
Ballet Academy Ventura
2750 E. Main St., Ventura
653-2800

Best public tennis courts

Libbey Park, Ojai

Ventura County is blessed with year-round tennis weather and lots of nice public courts, but Ojai’s Libbey Park is hard to beat for beauty and history.

The downtown courts are at the center of the annual Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament, considered the oldest amateur tournament in the country, which held its 109th event this year.

The setting is spectacular, with large mature trees surrounding the courts, mountain backdrops, and the charming Ojai Arcade just steps away.

My wife, Dawn, and I sometimes enjoy escaping a foggy day in Ventura with a quick tennis vacation in Ojai, where our gray mood is transformed by the sunshine and warmth we usually find there.

Stepping onto the main courts, we often feel the presence of tennis greats whose strokes have graced them over the years, such as Pete Sampras, Arthur Ashe and Billie Jean King.

Families with small children occasionally pause to sit in the green wooden grandstands and admire our efforts, even though it’s been many years since we played tennis for our high school teams and we’re far from our top form.

But playing in Libbey Park does seem to make us try harder and sweat more, because we’re inspired by the lingering history and tranquil setting.

The annual tournament, usually known simply as “The Ojai,” has a rich tradition of hospitality with roots dating back to the 19th century. Volunteers in period costumes serve fresh orange juice and tea to players, and many competitors stay at the homes of local families.

Tennis is held in such high esteem in Ojai that it’s no wonder the United States Tennis Association recently named it a top finalist for the title of “America’s Best Tennis Town.”

— Alex Wilson

Tennis courts

1st place
Pierpont Racquet Club
500 Sanjon Road, Ventura
648-5161

2nd place
Camino Real Park
Dean Drive and Varsity Street, Ventura

3rd place
Oxnard Tennis Center
801 Hobson Way, Oxnard
483-2600

Chiropractor

1st place
Logan Osland
4561 Market St., # C, Ventura
644-4937

2nd place
Dr. Syd Dhillon
1624 E. Main St., Ventura
641-2004

3rd place
Wilson Sports Chiropractic
2000 E. Main St., Ventura
643-4176

Licensed massage therapist

1st place
Susie Christensen - Cara Mia
424 E. Main St., Ventura
641-2556

2nd place
Shannon Mathey - ArchiTexture
25 S. Ventura Ave., Ventura
641-3900

3rd place
Kim Freetly - massage
for peak performance
805-612-0968

Pilates studio

1st place
Mind & Body Wellness Studio
1445 Donlon St., # 9, Ventura
654-8354

2nd place
Pilates Influence
3150 S. Harbor Blvd., Oxnard
479-1066

3rd place
Ventura Pilates
1899 E. Main St., Ventura
648-4191

Dentist

1st place
Brian Fisch (Ventura Center
for Dental Health)
2807 Loma Vista Road, Suite 201, Ventura, 656-7033

2nd place
Daniel Sones
3356 Loma Vista Road, Ventura
642-4128

3rd place
Dr. Phillip Kroll
2901 Loma Vista Road, Ventura
643-7516

Dermatologist

1st place
Dr. Karlsberg
1190 S. Victoria Ave., Suite 300, Ventura
677-1600

2nd place
Dr. Jordan
3400 Loma Vista Road, #1, Ventura
644-9321

3rd place
Dr. Kaplan of Coastal Dermatology
3615 Las Posas Road, #F100
484-2813