A Step & Strength class targets balance and coordination along with building muscle. Photo: Chris Emeott
A focus on fitness is redefining what it means to be 55 and older.
In preparation for her retirement, Lori Dietrich started the search for an athletic club before the big day. She was surprised to find one less than a mile from her home in Plymouth. Now, she visits the Plymouth Creek Athletic Club Monday through Friday and attends a total of nine classes per week.
“I attend one to three classes per visit and spend time socializing with my wonderful exercise family,” Dietrich says. She is not alone in her endeavor. Approximately 30 percent of the club members are seniors, many of whom have Silver Sneakers memberships through Medicare.
Keeping this in mind, club manager and personal trainer Steven Frolov has created a class roster curated to the 55-plus crowd. “I prefer the following classes: Step & Strength, Balance & Stretch, Silver Sneakers, Yoga for Healing, Boot Camp Fitness, Chair Yoga, Tabata, Strength Yoga and Silver & Fit,” he says.
According to Frolov, physical activity is important because as we age, our muscles lose elasticity and mass, our bones lose density and our joints are not as lubricated. “These classes can help alleviate some of the discomfort by increasing strength, rebuilding muscle mass and, over time, bettering overall flexibility,” he says. “Use it or lose it is a key principle to remember.”
Steven Frolov works
one-on-one with a client.
Frolov says he also commonly hears clients mention arthritis pain as something that prevents them from weight training or weight-bearing activities. “I’m here to tell you that it’s the exact opposite of what they should be doing,” he says. “Weight-bearing training—from water aerobics or machines or dumbbells—will only benefit and reduce the inflammation caused by arthritis.”
Improving fitness and exercising regularly can slow some of the physical digressions of aging, specifically the loss of bone density and muscle mass. One of the most common injuries you hear about when it comes to seniors is falling and breaking a hip, wrist or other extremity. “This happens because as we age, we’re not able to create the same neuronal connections between our brain and muscles to keep our balance in tip-top shape. This is called proprioception,” Frolov says.
If your balance becomes less sharp and the bones become more brittle, the risk of injury increases. This is where weight training, yoga and diet come into play. “Exercise is a form of medicine. It’s cheaper, it’s fun and it’s effective,” Frolov says. “I can’t tell you enough how many of my clients tell me they feel stronger, sharper and sturdier after working together.”
No matter where you are in life, remember, it’s not a race. Your class choice and workout program all depend on where you are individually. In fact, having accomplished her goal of physical fitness, Dietrich keeps coming back for more. “Now that I feel fit, I need to keep coming to stay that way,” she says. “It has made a huge improvement in my mental well-being as well as my physical well-being.”
Plymouth Creek Athletic Club
3131 Campus Drive; 763.559.6286
Facebook: Plymouth Creek Athletic Club
Instagram: @plymouthcreekathleticclub
