Do I really need an effective workout routine for older adults? I told myself I would never get out of shape. That I would stay active until the day I die. That I would walk without getting winded, climb stairs without huffing and puffing, and swim at least 60 laps several times a week.
But what I try to tell myself doesn’t match the reality of growing older.
Never Too Old to Move
Two years ago, my 84-year-old dad invited me to the exercise class he and his new bride attended. He invited me several times.
I really didn’t want to join this group of 60- to 100-year-olds for exercise. After all, I could swim a mile in a standard-sized pool. At the gym, I could hang from the chin-up bar, do 140-pound leg presses, and run for 23 minutes on the treadmill. I was already paying for a gym membership. Did I want to spend another $10 a year to join the senior center?
But my dad was persistent, and I eventually visited the Four Seasons Senior Center in Mifflintown hoping to find effective workout routines.
My stepmother warned, “If you’re going to join us, you need to know your left from your right.” That sounds easy, but I’m a lefty and tend to go the wrong way from everyone else.
The Four Seasons Center
On my first visit, I felt like I had joined the Marines. The regimen was perfectly structured, with a team of counters who measured the number of repetitions or the duration for holding a muscle-toning position, though the numbers sometimes came out with that extra-syllabled southern drawl, like “foe-ur.” The counters sometimes get silly or confused, which is just as funny.
My first visit was calm and quiet, aside from the leader with the shockingly spiked blond hair and sun visor. It turned out the headwear was covering a shiny, bald head.
But as the weeks went on, I realized workouts were sometimes interrupted by random moments of chaos - a toppled metal water bottle, questions about what, exactly, was on the bottom of someone’s shoes, and the battle to see who could tell the corniest joke. What do you call a sad strawberry? A blueberry. What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear. Sometimes the antics remind me of my days in the middle school classroom.
It didn’t take many visits to realize there were benefits to attending the senior adults’ exercise class. The Four Seasons workout, usually led by either Bob Deamer or Bev Swartz, follows the same routine three times a week. We do stretches, muscle-toning, and balance-building exercises. We lift weights and use resistance bands, pulling them back as though shooting a bow and arrow. Wall push ups build arm muscles. We lift dumbbells for the military press. I discovered muscles my gym workout had overlooked. I’m trying to strengthen those muscles enough to do each movement with ease. It's still a workout!
We Do What We Can
At any given time, a fair number of attendees are awaiting an upcoming procedure or recovering from hip, knee, or shoulder surgery. Many still take part, but sit out the exercises that older and mending joints can’t handle. Some people can get an effective workout while seated in a chair. We do what we can.
For a good upper-body workout, join the chair volleyball teams. They use a large, soft-on-the-palms beach ball. A team loses the round if a player's butt leaves the chair. And sometimes the beach ball slams into the back of another player’s head. Sorry, Marie. But there’s plenty of laughter and competition. And I felt like I had lifted weights when I was finished.
Over the past two years, my physical abilities have declined. Both knees are missing something called cartilage. I’m slowing down, and I don’t like it. Swimming laps has dropped to just treading water and doggy-paddling. Running on any surface is unwise. Maybe the senior center workout is exactly what I need.
Most of the time, I skip out after the 45-minute exercise routine. Many people stay for lunch. Sometimes, local healthcare workers visit to check blood pressure or discuss safety topics. Seasonal activities such as hayrides, 50s Day, or birdwatching outings are also available.
Other local senior centers offer classes as well. The Lion’s Den in McAlisterville provides both strenuous and lighter but effective workouts, usually set to lively music.
When my schedule is clear, and I can’t swim, ride a bike, or handle another day at the gym, you’ll find me at the Four Seasons Senior Center, holding onto my chair and trying to remember my left from my right. It may be the best $10 I’ve spent this year.
More on Staying Fit as You Grow Older
The Benefits of an Effective Workout Routine for Older Adults
