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'Most Fit' Title Doesn't Fit All Athletes Compete to Test Physical Condition Mettle

Posted on: Monday, 3 October 2005, 21:00 CDT

By Joanne Leis Daily Herald Correspondent

Personal fitness trainer Ken Hedrich can empathize with his clients' pain when he prods them for one last repetition.

More importantly, he knows firsthand the rewards of diligent training.

The South Elgin resident has run, climbed and bench-pressed his way to becoming one of the five fittest men in the Chicago metropolitan area.

On Saturday, Hedrich, 35, will vie for the Most Fit Man title in Jiffy Lube's BenchAmerica Fitness Weekend at Elgin Community College.

Five women also will compete to become Chicagoland's Most Fit Woman. The Most Fit amateur challenge is just one of the activities planned for the health and fitness event, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday at the new Spartan Events Center.

The whole family can enjoy the fitness challenges, kids' sports clinics, fitness vendors, big-name entertainers and the drug-tested National Benchpress Championships, which feature 10 women and 60 men from around the country.

The fitness weekend is free until 4 p.m., when the price becomes $10 for adults and $5 for students. Those who are already in the building by 4 p.m. can stay for free.

The evening activities include the Chicago Bulls Bucket Boys, B96 Mix Master Dan Morell, and the Men's Heavyweight National Bench- press Championship Finals, in which many participants will try to lift 700 pounds. Other highlights include the Jesse White Tumblers at 2:30 p.m., the Jiffy Lube Fitness Team and Chicago Rush dancer Beth Allen.

The day begins at 8 a.m. with a 5K Run/Walk around the ECC campus sponsored by GMI-Burger Kings. The run/walk benefits the Boys and Girls Club of Elgin.

The Women's National Bench-press Championships will be on the main stage from 9 to 11 a.m. The Men's Lightweight (114-148 lbs.) National Bench-press Championships will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by the middleweight division (165-220 lbs.) from 1 to 3 p.m.

Hedrich and his fellow Most Fit finalists will be on the main stage from 3 to 4 p.m. The fitness challenge includes a 5K run, Stairmaster climb, chin-ups, push-ups and the bench-press.

Kristen and Joe Eckert, a brother-and-sister team from Arlington Heights, are among the finalists.

"It's a mixture of strength and cardio, so it's a true fitness event," said Joe Mukite, an Elgin native and founder of the BenchAmerica Fitness Weekend. "It is more geared to the average person, who can bench-press his or her weight. It's truly a smaller version of a triathlon.

"We've got some serious competitors, so we're very excited about it."

The top five men and women athletes were culled from thousands of competitors at 15 Xsport Fitness gyms in the Chicago area. Athletes did not have to be members of the gym to participate in the Most Fit challenge.

Hedrich, who works out in his South Elgin Body Evolution studio, competed at the St. Charles Xsport Fitness club. To become a finalist, Hedrich performed 43 chin-ups, 109 push-ups in one minute, climbed 74 floors on the Stairmaster in 10 minutes, and did the 5K treadmill run in just under 30 minutes. He bench-pressed his 150- pound bodyweight 56 times, and did one repetition of 315 pounds.

"Fitness is my life," said Hedrich, who has a master's degree in exercise physiology. "I am always striving to be a good role model for my clients. I want to demonstrate to my clients that I practice what I preach."

Hedrich said he had a cramp the day he ran the treadmill at Xsport Fitness, and plans to greatly improve his time in the finals.

He is training for the title by following a strict low- carbohydrate, high-protein diet. He includes both strength and cardiovascular activities in his regimen, and trains an hour a day, five days a week.

"I focus on quality over quantity," Hedrich said. "If I were to summarize my philosophy, it would be a traditional weight-training protocol with free-weight exercises. I do a lot of repetitions."

In addition to strength training, Hedrich runs the treadmill, does incline walking, rides a stationary bicycle and uses the Stairstepper.

Comcast Sports Net will tape the Most Fit finals and the National Bench-press Championships and air them at 7 p.m. Oct. 18 and noon Oct. 20.

The Most Fit challenge is the first of its kind, and Mukite would like to present it every year, eventually going nationwide.

"Comcast Sports Net is very interested in the Most Fit challenge," Mukite said.

"Here's the chance for the average guy to compete and be on TV. It's a neat concept and we hope it continues."

In addition to the BenchAmerica Fitness Weekend, ECC is hosting free fitness activities from noon to 4 p.m. to celebrate the opening of the newly remodeled Spartan Events Center.

The 35-year-old facility now houses 1,550 stadium seats, 950 floor seats and portable staging.

ECC kids' sports clinics include a rock wall, speed-pitch golf, basketball and soccer.

Face-painting, dance clinics and fitness challenges for kids and adults also are on the agenda.

For schedules and more information, visit www.benchamerica.com or www.elgin.edu.

GRAPHIC: Meet the contestants

Jiffy Lube's "Who's the Most Fit Man and Woman in Chicagoland Challenge" includes five male and five female finalists, with one alternate for each group. They will vie for the men's and women's titles at 3 p.m. Saturday at Elgin Community College.

The athletes competed at 15 area Xsport Fitness gyms during the summer to make it to the finals. The challenge included a 5K treadmill run, Stairmaster climb, chin-ups, push-ups and bench- press.

Here are area finalists, their home towns, and the Xsport Fitness club in which they competed.

Athletes did not have to be members of the club to take the challenge.

Men

1. Ken Hedrich of South Elgin; competed in St. Charles

2. Joe Eckert of Arlington Heights; competed in Arlington Heights

3. Thomas Boba of Niles; competed in Des Plaines

4. Brad Alpert of Prospect Heights; competed in St. Charles

Women

1. Kristen Eckert of Arlington Heights; competed in Arlington Heights

2. Cheryl Tenerelli of Lombard; competed in Lombard

Source: Daily Herald; Arlington Heights, Ill.

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