THE CLONING OF JAKE STEINFELD

Hollywood Jake's latest fitness brainstorm: licensing personal trainers for upscale resorts.

He whipped Indiana Jones into shape, put muscle on Madonna and now he's set his sights on offering his unique blend of fitness and motivation to everyone. Better known as Hollywood's "Trainer to the Stars," Jake Steinfeld has a master plan to shape up America. After years of flex, sweat and grind with the likes of Morgan Fairchild, Steven Speilberg and Priscilla Presley, Steinfeld wants to transform the traveling business executive, on-the-go housewife and sports enthusiast into a body by Jake.

Credited with developing the personal trainer concept, Jake has now formed an international licensing program targeted at upscale hotels, resorts and country clubs. "One-on-one training is the fastest growing segment of personal fitness," according to Phil Scotti, president of the newly-formed Body by Jake Licensing Corporation. "We're addressing that growing market head-on with a network of personal training studios designed for today's busy lifestyle."

As the fitness craze of the '80s peaked and plummeted, the '90s pose even greater challenges for personal training pros like Steinfeld. According to Peter Francis, Ph.D., author of If It Hurts, Don't Do It, the fitness cry of the last two decades has left many people unwilling to invest the time for total health and longevity. Nearly half of America's adults don't exercise -- of those who attempt a program, 40% to 50% drop out within the first year, according to Francis.
"Don't Quit, Please Hold." "Motivation is the key," says Steinfeld, whose company credo -- "Don't Quit!" -- can be found on answering lines and desk tops throughout his San Diego based offices. "Personal trainers offer the support and inspiration people need to make exercise a life-long habit."

Tailored to individual needs, Jake's signature 30-minute, high-intensity, low impact workouts focus on strength and endurance, sports enhancement and weight control. Sports specific training is extremely important for athletes such as tennis players or golfers, who are known to suffer the highest rate of lower back problems. Programs can be devised to build specific muscles, such as the shoulder and lower back and increase the range of motion. "We've seen dramatic improvement in both amateur and professional play as a result," says Scotti.

Personal Trainers Licensees. Regardless of the focus, all programs will include elements of strength training, cardiovascular exercise and flexibility conditioning. And the price is right. Jake and his team of professionals will charge an average fee of $45 per half-hour session in addition to a nominal studio charge. Guests and area residents are welcome.

Not surprisingly, Body by Jake licensing opportunities are a "hot" ticket among the country's leading hotel properties and a number of sites have already been committed since Scotti announced the new venture last May.

Backed by a team of fitness, psychology and dietary experts, there's more to Body by Jake than meets the muscle. The two-tiered company has amassed an impressive roster of advisory and staff personnel to license the Body by Jake studios and develop a complete line of retail products targeted at the active consumer.

Certification By Goldman. Key players such as Dr. Bob Goldman, director of Chicago's National Academy of Sports Medicine and noted sports psychologist James R. Vicory, Ed.D., head up the training and certification program. Academy certification, under Goldman, requires an intensive three-day training seminar with more than 30 hands-on and theory sessions. Trainers also undergo a series of performance psychology and motivation seminars with Vicory. Founder of and lecturer for The Vicory System, a workshop series dedicated to personal excellence through selfmastery, Vicory is internationally recognized for his work with world class and nationally-ranked athletes.

Pairing exercise with the proper diet, the Body by Jake studios will also offer a unique weight-control program which is being developed under the guidance of Craig Jaakkola, the creator of many national products for companies such as Quaker Oats and General Nutrition Centers. Amy Barr, director of the Good Housekeeping Institute will serve as an advisor.

"Too many diets focus on quick weight loss with no regard to dietary and exercise habits," says Steinfeld. "Our program will blend nutrition with motivation and exercise -- you'll be able to follow it for the rest of your life." In addition to audio and video tapes, the program will set out guidelines on "how" to eat in a variety of settings from fast-food menus to five-star restaurants.

"This is an enormous challenge for me," says Steinfeld, "but personal training shouldn't be a luxury, and I'm excited to be the one to bring it into the mainstream."

Koleen Hamblin is a freelance writer living in Southern California.