Gilad Janklowicz Track and Field Gilad was pursuing film production at UCLA while teaching aerobics and giving private classes at the Beverly Hills Health Club, Sports Connection and the Gilda Marks Studio. In 1981 he received an offer to come to Honolulu with some of his private clients, and through a variety of circumstances, his visit developed into "Bodies in Motion" in 1983, which went national through ESPN in 1985. In 1988 he convinced ESPN that they needed another fitness show, so he created the "Basic Training" show, which was hosted by his sister, Ada. Gilad was at the front lines in the Sinai in 1973, volunteering to a unit whose job it was to evacuate the injured to a field hospital. It was a sobering experience for a 19-year-old. His resolve was noticed, however, and he was selected for Officer's Candidate School. After becoming an officer, his knowledge and expertise in physical fitness prompted his appointment as fitness director of an entire base. Gil showed athletic prowess from an early age. While still In the military, he trained for and broke the Israeli decathlon record. He then came to the U.S. In 1976 to study and train at UCLA with Russ Hodge (1968 Decathlon Champion), in hopes of making the 1980 Olympic Team. An injury to his achilles tendon in 1977, however, forced Gil to retire from competition the following season. Gilad's main interests are producing and directing, and he has gathered tremendous experience since 1983. His reputation sparked several promotional involvements, such as national spokesperson for LA Gear's aerobic shoes, and national spokesperson for the Crystal Light Aerobic Championship. He has appeared on most every morning talk show, and his first three (of five) exercise videos have been certified Gold.

 

Ada Janklowicz Fitness Co-inductees Gilad and Ada Janklowicz are native Israelis who have made it to the top of their chosen professions: fitness training, design and film production. Gilad hosts and produces ESPN's "Bodies in Motion", and Ada hosts a second daily exercise program on ESPN entitled, "Basic Training, The Workout", also produced by Gilad, and both of which are taped in Hawaii. Gilad's and Ada's birth in Israel was the result of a circuitous route to the Holy Land. Their dad escaped Germany to Shanghai with his mom and step-dad before coming to the United States to the San Fernando Valley. He met his future wife, who had moved to California from Jerusalem as a young girl, at Shomer Hat-sa-ir Camp, a Jewish movement camp in the Valley. They decided to return to Israel soon after they were married in the early 1950's, and made aliyah to Kibbutz Galon where Gilad was born, and later to Holon, where Ada was brought into the world. Being seven years apart, their memories of growing up in Israel are very different. A strong childhood memory for Ada was running down into the bomb shelters during the Six Day War, and painting the light bulbs dark blue so the light couldn't be seen from the air. As a child, there was less fear involved for Ada than the exhilaration of all her friends being closely together whenever the sirens went off. The Six Day War was an adventure for a six year old, but the Yom Kippur War, when she was 12, brought real fear as her older brother and father were away for long periods with no communication, and no knowledge as to where or how they were. Ada was very involved with dance in school, and her special love was ballet. In 1976, when the whole family moved to the U.S. for business purposes, Ada attended Beverly Hills High School, and kept dancing in school productions. She was also a Hebrew counselor at a local temple in her spare time. Upon graduation she returned to Israel and volunteered for the Israel Defense Forces spending six months in the Negev. Using her own experience in dance and movement, she later became a fitness trainer for the Israeli military. After her military training Ada attended the Shenkar Institute, the fashion Institute where she studied fashion design and anatomy/physiology. Probably more than a coincidence, in 1986 Gil invited Ada to join him in Hawaii to help with the production of "Bodies In Motion". She designed the costumes and styled the show. One year later he developed the idea of "Basic Training", which carried a military motif with intense, simple movements that concentrate on strength, flexibility and endurance that can appeal to everyone. Ada co-hosted this show with Gil for the first year, then went "solo" as host in 1988. Ada now makes her home in Los Angeles, and, when not commuting to Hawaii to tape her shows, she is pursuing an acting career in television and film.