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Winterstein a believer of fitness

A medical diagnosis can be the end of a fitness journey. Most seniors have experienced setbacks due to physical issues. If you have avoided an injury or a chronic disease, then you are an exception. Thankfully, as a seasoned adult, you can deal with obstacles such as this. Imagine having to deal with such adversity at a much younger age. What path would you take? Perhaps you would be so devastated that fitness and athletics would be the last thing on your mind. No one would fault a youngster for taking the easier path to avoid the pain of training.

As a high school student, Steve Winterstein did not choose the easier path when diagnosed with a very painful and debilitating autoimmune condition.

"I had a condition, ankylosing spondylitis. It is a form of arthritis, and I have had it since I was a young teen," Winterstein said. "My sophomore year in high school I was receiving homebound instruction. The teachers would come to my house and provide instruction and assignments. The arthritis was bad enough that I had trouble walking across the room, and eventually they gave me a diagnosis of juvenile arthritis, which was wrong, but at least the medication had a positive impact. I received a good treatment plan and it changed everything for me. I got most of my abilities back and I could do most anything that I wanted to do." Winterstein went back to traditional classes and wrestled for Huntingdon Senior High School in the 98-pound weight class.

Following graduation, Winterstein attended Clarion University for one year. His father, who had purchased supermarkets in Bellwood, Tyrone and Hollidaysburg, asked him to take a year off from his collegiate pursuits to help in the family businesses. He did not return to college and continued to support those enterprises as he pursued other interests.

"In 1983, I opened my first gym, Physically Fit, in Bellwood. I saw the opportunity to be able to sell equipment and started doing that in 1989," Winterstein said. "In the late '90s, Cybex, one of the companies that we repped for, came out with a requirement. They wanted all their dealers to have a personal training certification, and so their recommendation was National Academy of Sports Medicine. I took the course with them, and passed the two-day exam." Winterstein developed a passion for personal training from this experience.

In 1989, Winterstein opened Natural Gains in a self-described hole in the wall across from the Greenwood Fire Hall. He sold exercise equipment from this location and also provided personal training.

Winterstein became a martial artist as part of his fitness quest.

"I started training Pai Lum Kung Fu in Altoona," Winterstein said. "They didn't have enough business here or couldn't get somebody to run the school. I don't know the particulars of it, but they left the area. I had to look for somebody else to instruct me. I started training Wado-ryu under Dave Salyards and Doug Hoover and eventually opened my own school." He eventually earned a third-degree black belt.

Winterstein instructed students until 2000 when he decided to close the martial arts school located in Bellwood.

"I always said I would never teach for the money, and I found the only reason I was continuing was for the money, so I thought 'I'm done'," he explained.

Winterstein opened Natural Gains as a facility to provide personal training and eventually equipment sales.

From the time he was introduced to resistance training as a high school wrestler, Winterstein has made fitness part of his daily routine. These days, the 69-year-old does not attempt the heavy lifts that once were a part of his program.

"My goal is to train every day. I train two body parts a day. I work my chest and back day one, shoulders and legs day two, arms day three, abs and core day four, and then repeat the process all over again. Age will make you change what you do. I perform a lot more dumbbell work now. On the rare occasion when I decide I'm going to use a bar, I usually pay the price for that decision," Winterstein said.

His everyday training philosophy does not waiver during vacations.

"I get up at 4 a.m. every day. It is just how my body clock works. When we go on cruises almost every ship has a nice size walking track. I'm out there at 5:15 a.m. walking for two and a half to three miles. Then we head to the gym, which opens at 6 on a ship," Winterstein said. He has made walking an integral part of his daily routine whether on land or at sea.

Winterstein has devoted himself to staying fit and sharing his knowledge with others as a personal trainer. He currently guides clients at his business, Round 2 in Greenwood, where he meets with clients very early in the morning.

"I have been training with Steve since 2018. He provides a variety of different workouts to challenge you. There's always a variety and it's always something different. He has a unique way of incorporating free weights, exercise bands and different machines. He also includes cardio in the sessions," said Brian Ianuzzi who meets with Winterstein at 6:30 a.m. weekly.

Kelly Mertiff has been training with Winterstein since 2009. Her rationale for such dedication is beyond the physical aspects of training.

"He motivates me to keep up with my goals and always works with me to make sure that I show up and dedicate myself. He's always there to listen and provides positive feedback," Mertiff said.

Winterstein is civic-minded and has served on the school board of the Bellwood School District. He is also a township supervisor for Antis Township. His contributions to community are not for personal accolades.

"I was on the school board for six years, two years as a regular school board member, two years as the vice president, and two years as the president. That is the most thankless job. Even being a sports official is not as bad of a job as being a school board member," Winterstein explained.

He can compare a school board position to that of a sports official, because he has officiated local football, softball, and baseball games for 54 years.

The 98-pound high school wrestler is now about 100 pounds heavier. Winterstein is cognizant of his appearance as a personal trainer.

"I never wanted to be the Michelin Man, and that has been a motivator my entire life. As a trainer, you must look the part," Winterstein said. He follows a keto diet, when necessary, to keep his weight in check.

The kid who could have thrown in the towel due to his diagnosis has positively impacted on his own health and that of so many others he has trained.

"I am a firm believer that exercise is what has allowed me to be able to do so much at a more advanced age. One thing that really does help arthritis is movement," Winterstein said.

The changes he sees in his clients are substantial.

"The biggest benefit is how they feel about themselves. They feel healthy and they function better. Once we get to age 50-plus, we start to think everything is downhill and it really doesn't have to be," Winterstein said.

George Thomas Kattouf of Altoona is the developer of the website AgelessTimeless.com. He has been instructing martial arts for over four decades in the Altoona Area at the Academy of Martial Arts and encourages seniors to stay fit through martial arts training. If you or someone you know in Blair County is age 50 or older and would be a good candidate for the Fitness Track, email Kattouf at george@agelesstimeless.com. Tune in to the YouTube channel AgelessTimeless to learn more.