Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 2-19-16 Edition

Features
Barmetrics Is An X-cellent Way To Get Into X-traordinary Shape
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Feature Writer
Mr. Xtraordinaire is 60 years old, but he looks and moves more like a man half his age.
His bulging muscles and rippled physique wasn’t achieved with spending countless hours in the gym lifting dumbbells.
The secret, says the fit- ness buff who goes by “X” for short, is a form of calis- thenics exercise he calls barmetrics.
It requires participants to use their own body weight to lift themselves over and under a set of high bars. Mr. X, who is based at the gym located at the University Area Community Develop- ment Center, has been prac- ticing these exercises for more than 40 years.
Now, he’s teaching a new generation of fitness geeks his techniques.
Mr. X, who was born and raised in New York City, said he was first introduced to calisthenics at the age of 17 when he saw a man lift himself over a high bar.
“I said to myself, ‘wow, I’ve never seen someone pull up that high’,” he said.
Mr. X set about teaching himself to pull up and over the high bars, eventually being able to raise his waist above the bar with just one pull.
Over time, he became well-known for his seem- ingly effortless moves on the bar, earning him the nick-
‘MR. X’
name of Bar Master.
“I say no, I’m a Bar Extra-
ordinare,” he said, hence the nickname of “X”.
Mr. X says maintaining his physique and level of fit- ness is no easy task. In addi- tion to eating right, Mr. X says he starts his day at 5 a. m.andhitsthegymby9a. m. He works out for a few hours, takes a break, and then returns to the gym from 6until9p.m.
The advantages of such a strenuous workout are in- valuable, Mr. X said.
“It gives me a peace of mind,” he said. “I get rid of a lot of stress.”
Mr. X, who moved to Tampa almost a year ago, said he’s excited to introduce barmetrics to his new town. His team often visits schools to perform demon- strations.
“Some people are scared of calisthenics because it’s a much harder workout,” he said. “Some find it easy be- cause they know what they can get out it.”
Barmetrics is just one of several exercise programs available at the center, said Ronnie Oliver, Health and
Wellness Coordinator. Yoga, P90x, and nutrition classes are among the classes that are available or soon will be added to the center’s sched- ule, Mr. Oliver said.
Anyone living in the vicinity of the center is wel- come to join the gym for just $5 a month, while those who donot,canuseitfor$10a month.
The low price of member- ship and free exercise classes are to help encourage resi- dents to patronize the center, Mr. Oliver said.
“It’s for the people in the community,” he said.
Gabriel Bonilla, 23, said he was heavy into weightlifting, but wasn’t see- ing the results he wanted. Then he met Mr. X and was introduced to barmetrics and now is part of Mr. X’s fitness team.
Mr. Bonilla said he was instantly attracted to the ex- ercises, but it took much practice before he was able to replicate Mr. X’s moves on the bars..
“You feel better, you eat better,” he said. “It’s been a whole year since I’ve been sick.”
General Colin Powell To Deliver Keynote Address At Luncheon
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
This weekend, Hillsbo-
rough Community College
will celebrate its 10th Annual
Historic “Black, Brown, &
College Bound” Summit.
The event will take place at
the Downtown Hilton, 211
North Tampa Street, Febru-
ary 18th through February 21st.
5
As part of the celebration,
the Honorable Colin L. Powell will serve as the keynote speaker at the lunch- eon. It will be held on Friday, February 19th, at the Tampa Convention Center Ballroom, B-D.
Statistics show that 1 in every 3 Black males can ex- pect to serve a prison sen- tence in his lifetime. And, 1 in every 6 Latino men will re- ceive the same fate.
General Colin Powell
became the first African American to serve as the U. S. Secretary of State. He also be- came the first African Ameri- can to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
A retired 4-Star General, Powell, 78, is a native of Harlem, New York. After completing his education in the New York Public School System, General Powell graduated from Morris High School.
He continued his educa- tion at City College of New York, where he joined the ROTC. He graduated from
college in 1958 and was com- missioned as a Second Lieu- tenant in the U. S. Army.
General Powell served a tour of duty in Vietnam, where he was wounded and awarded the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star.
During a second tour of duty, then Major Powell was injured in a helicopter crash. But, he rescued his comrades from the burning helicopter. He was awarded the Soldier’s medal for those actions.
During his military career, General Powell amassed 11 military decorations, includ- ing the Legion of Merit.
He went on to win a White House Fellowship and was assigned to the Office of Man- agement and Budget during the Nixon Administration.
In 1989, then President George H. W. Bush ap- pointed him as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The post is the highest position in the Department of Defense.
GENERAL COLIN POWELL
PAGE 2-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016