Jake Steinfeld Is Fitness Leader

On December 18, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger joined forces with Palisadian and Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness Chairman Jake Steinfeld at Culver City Middle School to announce the launch of the annual “Governor’s Challenge Competition,” a statewide contest among K-12 schools that promotes increased physical activity and better health among California’s youth. Schwarzenegger, himself a former Palisadian, announced several new incentives for students and teachers to participate in the challenge, including a free lift ticket to Mammoth Mountain for every middle school student and a free pass to 24-Hour Fitness for every teacher. “We couldn’t have done this without the support and vision of a great guy, a guy I’ve known since I was 19 years old,” Steinfeld said. “I was a fat kid with a really bad stutter growing up. I got laughed at. And it wasn’t until my dad bought me a set of weights when I was 14 that it really changed my life. “And I always had an inspiration, more like an idol’the greatest bodybuilder of all time and now a terrific governor, my good buddy Arnold Schwarzenegger.” In 2006, the Governor’s Challenge consisted of 10,000 students and in 2007 the number of participants rose to 70,000. This year, the goal is for 150,000 students. Steinfeld stressed to his young audience the importance of not quitting. Then it was the Governor’s turn to take the podium. “I remember Jake from the time he joined Gold’s Gym and we were working out together’this goes way back to the ’70s of course, and I just want to say that he always wanted to share his great enthusiasm and talent with other people,” Schwarzenegger said. “He started writing fitness books, he went all over the country promoting fitness and thinking of ways to make America fit. So it was natural when I became Governor that I said I’m going to make him Chairman of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. “As Governor, I’m here to say it’s important to take care of your body and your mind. What the California Council on Physical Fitness is all about is to promote fitness and this challenge will be for kids statewide to exercise 30 to 60 minutes three times a week. The top school can win $5,000 in exercise equipment.”