Everybody has a story…and this one’s mine (abbreviated). My name is Dwight Ward and ever since I can remember I have been interested in fitness. My earliest memory is one of sitting in front of this huge TV with a small black and white screen in the early 60’s, watching this man in a jump/leotard exercise. For those of you old enough to remember, this fitness guru was Jack LaLanne (still alive and going strong at 93)…and I remember hearing my parents’ talk about how fit and muscular he was. During my pre-teen and teenage years I remember reading the Charles Atlas ads encouraging men not to be 90lb. weaklings and to workout to avoid having sand kicked in their faces. Also, Joe Weider’s Muscle Builder magazine starred many of the top bodybuilders that I dreamed of becoming. These first tastes of the many faces of fitness would be long lasting ones.
When I was 16 years old and growing up in Martinsville, VA a young pharmacist from Iowa stayed with my family while searching for a new home to move into. He taught me many different exercises and how to lift weights correctly…thus began my real love of exercise – thank you Mark Edwards.
Throughout high school and my military career I continued to learn and help others train. After being honorably discharged from the Navy, I enrolled in college at VCU in Richmond and joined a local gym there called Body Mechanics. Thanks to the owner, Barry Neumeier and another fellow I met there named Boxley Crenshaw, I learned even more about fitness.
Both of my sons were born in Richmond and my family and I ultimately moved to Northern Virginia where I took a job as Director of Operations for Mega Advertising, a cable commercial advertising firm. Along with helping my wife raise the boys and the hours necessary to be successful in growing a new business, my fitness fell by the wayside for a couple of years and at 30 years old, I found I had transitioned from a fit 180 lbs. to a sloppy 205 lbs ( I was miserable). I was working 12-18+ hours a day and there seemed to be no time to work out…but my love of exercise and fitness was not to be kept down….I was determined.
I joined a fitness facility called Olympus Gym in Chantilly, VA and was soon back in shape. While at Olympus, I gained quite a lot of lean muscle and really improved my cardio-vascular system. At 35 years old I was probably at my all around peak physically.
In October of 1998 I decided it was time to spend more quality time with my boys and my wife was ready to go back to work. We decided to move back toward home and settled in Roanoke, VA.
Now, at 51 years old I’m truly doing what my passion has been these 30+ years. I am a certified personal trainer and prior to opening my Anytime Fitness, I operated a private, personal training facility for individuals with many different types of fitness issues. I thoroughly enjoy helping and watching people become fit and change their lives!
Opening Anytime Fitness of Bonsack is tremendously exciting for my family and I. The ability to help even MORE people change their lives in a clean, inspirational, enthusiastic and motivational environment has been a dream of mine and is INDESCRIBABLE!! The concept of a state-of-the-art, 24-hour, private, adult, co-ed fitness facility that is reciprocal with close to 1000 other clubs in the U.S. with a simple key fob is unreal…there literally are NO MORE EXCUSES!
There are many people who have played vital roles in my life and I would like to take a moment to recognize them. My father, Darwin Ward who was my best friend ever and died unexpectedly of a heart attack at 58 years old was always my greatest supporter…I wish my sons could have known him. I also owe so much to my mother, Mary K. for believing in me and also supporting and encouraging me in this venture and ALWAYS telling me that I could do and be whatever I wanted to in this life. My sons, Chad and Erik who have grown into such great young gentlemen and make me so proud every day to be their dad – they make me feel like I’ve done okay by them. My supportive wife of 31 years, Shirley who picks me up when I fall, comforts me when everything closes in and brings me back to reality when I seem to be out in space….thanks for putting up with me! Lastly, Anytime Fitness – a great company, a great group of people and my new extended family who has been there for me at every step.
We are a great nation that has become lax and we need to change our lifestyles … and more importantly we need to do it for our children, our grandchildren, our employers and most of all … OURSELVES!
I invite YOU to come in and talk to us, join our gym and we will CHALLENGE and help you change your life….for the better! My family and I will be there to help you on your journey!
