You At Your Best

by SuzANNe rHoDeS you AT your beST Socrates wrote, "It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable." At Washington Regional Center for Exercise in Fayetteville, men and women in their senior years are experiencing the beautiful benefits of exercise. "Fitness is important for everybody because it impacts every aspect of your life," said Isaac Cook, a fitness and mobility specialist at the center, which offers state- of-the-art exercise equipment, warm water and rehabilitation pools, personalized training, classes and special programs. "All the things you do throughout the day depend on your physical health and your ability to carry out those tasks. Obviously as you age, those tasks get a little more difficult as muscle mass starts to decline, cardiovascular health can start to decline, your neurological function can start to slow down. Exercise is a way to either slow down that process or reverse that process, depending on other factors involved," such as lifestyle, activity level in younger years and health issues. About 80 percent of the members at the facility are 60 plus, with some in their 90s. Cook said the seventh decade "is when you're really going to start to see that aging process begin to accelerate. Every decade after your 30s and 40s, you start to see a slow decline, but when you get in your 50s, that picks up a little faster and in your 60s, 70s and 80s, every decade that process speeds up more and more." Cook works with some four to eight clients each day and finds it rewarding to see people making strides. "You get feedback, like 'This is easier. I couldn't do this before I started coming here. I feel I can actually get up and walk around for 5 minutes. Before, I couldn't get up for more than 20 seconds before needing to sit down.'" With aging comes the loss of muscle mass, and this impacts one's ability to perform daily tasks. "We typically look at things as a kind of cycle. If you're sedentary, you're not very active, and that means you have a decline in muscle mass. A decline in muscle mass means that you're not going to be as strong and not able to carry out as many tasks, which makes you in turn more sedentary. It continues to perpetuate itself. That cycle continues to go a little bit faster and a little bit faster." The Center for Exercise offers a range of programs, classes and services designed to promote commitment to health and productivity. These include the following: • Seniors with qualifying Medicare supplemental carriers can join Silver Sneakers and have full access to the gym, the pool during open swim times and classes such as: • Muscular Strength and Range of Motion, Senior Chair Stretch and Senior Splash. • The Mobility Program is designed for those of all ages with permanent physical disabilities and "helps to bridge the gap of inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation and continuing daily physical activity," as explained in a brochure. Disabilities include cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, ALS, Parkinson's, neuropathy and others. • Cardiac Maintenance helps patients who've finished cardiac rehab and clients with other limitations who need supervision as they exercise. • Personal training for the gym or pool. • Aqua Fit, a class that combines speed work with high-intensity exercises. • AFAP (Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program), a range-of-motion class for adults with arthritis and other chronic pain issues. • Focus on Strength, a class that offers a personalized strength routine. • FITT, another strength-training class that builds all the major muscle groups and incorporates moderate cardio. • Yoga classes to improve flexibility, strength and posture, including chair yoga for more limited seniors. • PiYo, a blend of Pilates and yoga for balance and stability. • Zumba Gold dance classes. Besides Cook and some nine other fitness/mobility trainers, as well as an exercise physiologist on staff, interns from the University of Arkansas majoring in kinesiology and public health assist clients throughout the semester. But most of members coming through the door "do their own thing," Cook said. "We have weekly equipment demos that show you how to use the equipment. It's not for training, just to show those the different things you can adjust, such as weight and seat." The most popular equipment for cardiovascular is the treadmill. "For those who can't do it, we have recumbent equipment, either a stepper or a bike. The strength training equipment is for the core — chest press, leg press, abs." Cook emphasized that safety at the center is a priority, and equipment use varies with clients and their abilities. "We make sure we're matching what the person is capable of doing. We work with people on balance and stability. We help them get in and out of the pool. Just being there and making sure they feel comfortable and safe is important. They know we're going to be right there and that we're not going to ask them to do something they won't be comfortable with." For information about membership fees, hours of operation and other areas of inquiry, visit their website: wrcfe.com. Seniors are slowing down aging with exercise SATURdAY, nOvEmBER 30, 2019 | dEcEmBER - SEniOR HEAlTH nwAdg.cOm/YOUATYOURBEST | YOU AT YOUR BEST | 9

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