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Swordplay Is Exercise At New Fitness Studio In Beverly

 Andrew Sanders uses swordplay as a workout at Sculpt and Shred Fitness. He opened the fitness studio April 25 at 1751 W. 95th St. in Beverly.
Andrew Sanders uses swordplay as a workout at Sculpt and Shred Fitness. He opened the fitness studio April 25 at 1751 W. 95th St. in Beverly.
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DNAinfo/Howard A. Ludwig

BEVERLY — Andrew Sanders has a sword, and he's not afraid to use it.

That said, Sanders primarily uses the martial arts weapon as a workout tool. The personal trainer, bodybuilder and nutritionist opened Sculpt and Shred Fitness April 25 in Beverly.

The fitness studio at 1751 W. 95th St. is the first in what Sanders believes will be a chain with locations in Hyde Park, Downtown and eventually spanning the globe, said Sanders, a resident of suburban South Holland.

"We have invented all of our classes," Sanders said Thursday.

Besides classes that incorporate swordplay, other workouts include a course Sanders describes as "CrossFit on steroids" and a treadmill workout that has defeated everyone who has tried it within the first 15 minutes.

Howard Ludwig talks about the sword workout.

Zumba, yoga and other more traditional classes are also available for $29 each or 10 classes for $190. Sanders highly recommends his clients pair their exercise courses with a meal plan for $49 every three months.

Sanders typically designs meal plans that are 750 calories per day and often pushes clients towards a vegan diet. By pairing diet and exercise, he said clients can shed upwards of 60 pounds in three or four months.

 Andrew Sanders opened Sculpt and Shred Fitness April 25 at 1751 W. 95th St. in Beverly. The personal trainer said most of his clients pair their workouts with a nutritional plan. He said the results are often dramatic with some clients dropping upwards of 60 pounds in as little as four months.
Andrew Sanders opened Sculpt and Shred Fitness April 25 at 1751 W. 95th St. in Beverly. The personal trainer said most of his clients pair their workouts with a nutritional plan. He said the results are often dramatic with some clients dropping upwards of 60 pounds in as little as four months.
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DNAinfo/Howard A. Ludwig

Sanders played football at Simeon Career Academy in Chatham and later at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. He initially dreamed of becoming a gynecologist but his path changed when a childhood friend asked him for help losing weight.

A change of diet was first required, and the pair then met in a nearby park to work out three times a week. The 5-foot-4 friend went from weighing 283 pounds to 190 pounds in six months, Sanders said.

The workouts also weaned him off 14 different medications, and he was able go on five mile runs just nine months after asking for help, he said.

"I could not believe it," Sanders said.

The trainer bought a building in Chatham one year later and converted the basement to a gym. Bodies by Dre was born in this basement, and Sanders eventually had nearly 300 clients. These same customers will now transition to Sculpt and Shred Fitness, he said.

"This thing is from my heart," Sanders said.

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