The YMCA of San Benito County’s aerobics room Mondays through Thursdays is full of senior citizens who are using a new fitness program to enhance their lives. After the first session offered in the spring, the local Y added a second class for the second session as demand grew for the Enhance Fitness program.
On a recent Tuesday morning, about 20 seniors followed the instructions of Cynthia Bullwinkel, who teaches other fitness classes at the YMCA in addition to the senior-focused class. She started her students with stretches before they moved into a vigorous cardio routine that included marching in place in between the various exercises.
“Cross your feet and slide your arm up over your head,” Bullwinkel instructed the students during a warm-up. “Keeping your feet together is fine, too.”
For most of the exercises, Bullwinkel offered a modification for those who might not be able to do the full exercise, whether it be because of back pain, a hip replacement or a tender knee.
“It’s a pretty fit, active, mobile group,” Bullwinkel said of her Tuesday and Thursday students. “But there are some limitations.”
Kristie Agan, the regional program director, said the program seems to show seniors that even if they have a little pain, they can still engage in exercise. She said it creates a safe environment where they know they won’t be doing exercises that could cause injury or further agitate sore spots.
“The less you move, the more aches and pains you have,” Bullwinkel said.
The local YMCA received a grant to send instructors to training sessions to learn the Enhance Fitness program that was developed based on scientific research and input from older adults. The grant also allows them to offer the program free of charge at the Jovenes de Antano Senior Center in Hollister and the Vista Meadows Senior Apartments.
Many members of the YMCA who took the first eight-week session signed up for the second session that started again in August.
Joann Turpin and Diane Collins both took the first session together. The pair said they take yoga and pilates classes at the Y, but Enhance Fitness offers something unique.
“In the others we were not getting cardio,” Turpin said. “Now we are getting it.”
Kelley Ojeda, one of a handful of men enrolled in the class, said he liked it because there were “no jumping jacks or leaping about.” He said in the weeks he’s been taking the class, his flexibility and range of motion has improved.
“What I can do is drop something and not get down on my hands and knees to get back up after picking it up,” he said.
Collins said Bullwinkel is a “great instructor.”
They all appreciated that the movements in the class are geared toward exercisers who are 50 years and older.
“I don’t think I could do some of the classes the younger people do,” Turpin said.
The class also incorporates weight training, with the assistance of a chair. On Tuesday, the seniors first used wrist weights to do a few arm exercises before swapping to ankle weights. Again Bullwinkel offered modified exercises for those with limited range of motion. After the weight session, the group finished with a few stretches as part of a cool down.
“This is very structured,” Bullwinkel said, of the program. “The only freedom I have is in the cardio portion.”
She said the structure gets down to how many minutes of warm-up, cardio, weight training and cool down is included in the hour class.
“The way Cynthia structures the class they know it is a safe place,” Agan said.
Agan said the goal is to have five instructors trained with the grant funding. Several instructors have already received training through the grant. The grant will also allow the programs to expand to two more community locations where it will be offered free of charge.
At the YMCA, members can continue to sign up for the eight-week sessions, with a week off in between sessions. There is space available in the Monday/Wednesday class. The class size is limited to 25 students.
For more information, call 637-8600 or visits www.centralcoastymca.org.
