Today we’d like to introduce you to Wally Baskovich.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Wally. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
It all started when I started exercising in the 4th through 6th grade before school each morning; encouraged by my father who was a 3-time AAU Gold Medalist on the Flying Rings in the 1940’s, and a 2-time U.S Amputee Golf Champion (lost his leg hopping a train at age 11).
After too much complaining (and often I really did like it), my father stopped making me do the exercises. But little did I know at the time what a tremendous foundation it built on me.
At age of 19, I took up Weightlifting (and bodybuilding later on), my father’s Calisthenics, and Martial Arts, and have virtually not stopped.
Through the years I was fortunate enough to have come across some tremendous people, in person, and in readings.
CIRCUIT TRAINING is a world-wide known method to train, and I had the privilege of being trained under Gary S. in 1976, who worked directly beside Dr. Arthur Jones, who invented and introduced the entire worlds’ eye towards the Nautilus Circuit Training System of exercise; a popular method of training, especially athletes all over the world, even to this day.
JACK LALANNE, the godfather of fitness (coined by Arnold Schwarzenegger), was an inspiration from my youth. His methods are used even today, and many of his feats of muscular endurance have yet to be accomplished by anyone. Jumping Jacks were even named after himself.
Other fitness disciplines include: DYNAMIC TENSION (now called Isometrics – incredible overall strength and core development) – a lost but essential art of exercise; made world-famous in the 1950’s & ’60’s by Charles Atlas.
And of course, BRUCE LEE, of which I still do many of his particular type of Isometrics on a consistent basis for incredible core-strength.
MARTIAL ARTS: My disciplines include: Shotokan, Uechi-ryu, and Commando Krav Maga.
In around 1978, I met a nutritionist, Mike D., who set me on a path of ‘eating to win’. Since 1980, I have read virtually every label on food I purchase at the grocery store. And yes, I DO cheat here and there.
I have my Personal Training Certification through the most widely recognized company in the fitness industry, National Academy of Sports Medicine.
I am so very thankful to be able to do what my life-long passion has been; to share with others the knowledge of exercise and nutrition in my own facility. I have ‘preached’ this stuff for over 40 years, and now I have a platform to do it on.
I have been blessed to have had a father that was an AAU 3-time gold medalist in gymnastics on the Flying Rings, who had me exercising during elementary school for a few years (then he let me stop – whew!). My mother was an amateur nutritionist, raising us by the guidelines of health & nutrition magazines.
I had the intense and overwhelming urge at 19 to stop doing the stuff I should not been doing (that could have ended up destroying my life), and started up my dad’s exercises, plus lifting weights and Martial Arts – and I have virtually never stopped. In 1980 I began reading food labels and still do to this very day.
With over 5 decades of actually ‘living-it’, I now can share with others, in a much greater capacity, the way to a healthier and happier life. I now call it, “EVANGELIZING HEALTH”.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not always been an easy road to travel; many times I was working so many hours (80+) that it was impossible to exercise as often as I knew I should, so doing what I could at home, which can be quite effective, was my only option – though the workout time was often short.
Yes, I was tired after 16 hour work-days for months on end, to even a year…and getting home at midnight or later -but I did what I could as humanly possible without causing injury to an already fatigued body and just tried to have balance in it all.- which is the key; balance!
Body By Wally Personal Fitness Training Studio – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My business is BODY BY WALLY (Personal Fitness Training Studio). I specialize in personal training that is geared towards ‘functional’ fitness (what stimulates the athlete’s movement of the sport; or for what simulates or ‘supports’ a person’s movements in everyday life. To use a term which many are familiar with: most of our exercises engage more than one major muscle group (2-3) at ONE time, tying the movement of the body to get for an effective and natural movement to develop strength through the entire body and DEEP within the muscle tissue, called “CORE development”.
Jack LaLanne and Bruce Lee did this back in the 1950’s and 1960’s all the time – and they were some of the fittest people on the planet pound for pound.
I am asked what I am known for.…well; I am 65 years old. In the past few years, I have done 100 pull-ups in 10 min. and 700 push-ups in 29 min… Now, this is NOT any kind of record, but not too bad I guess. I have tremendous muscular endurance, and that is how I train virtually all my clients, to have great endurance cardio and muscular wise. Strong is good now, but to be able to use that strength and not wear out is paramount.
What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
My proudest moment is ALWAYS when a person does something that they have NEVER done before – especially those that have great physical challenges. To see a client (who often become friends) accomplish some physical feat; such as a major weight-loss, or to be able to walk or do a light jog when before they were not able to, is what I truly live for!
Contact Info:
- Address: 4007 Columbia Rd
Augusta, GA 30907 - Website: www.BodyByWally.com
- Phone: 706.726.2116
- Email: BodyByWallyLLC@yahoo.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FitnessInAugusta/?timeline_context_item_type=intro_card_work&timeline_context_item_source=100000887904635&pnref=lhc
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/body-by-wally-augusta
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