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10 LIVE IT UP! FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 2017 SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL T here are many options for fitness in Santa Cruz County, including ones specifically for seniors. If you're 65 or older, check out the free national program Sil- verSneakers. If you qualify—and about 13 million do, through their medical in- surance—you get complimentary access to a SilverSneakers network of 13,000 gyms across the country. is doesn't include all classes. Depending on the location, it enables participants to use basic equipment plus receive admission to group exercise classes geared towards "active older adults." Locally owned Toadal Fitness has offered SilverSneakers classes since 2012. Since many seniors are members of the gym, owner Christophe Bellito decided that incorporating the program would be beneficial to his customers. At Toadal, Silver Sneakers classes employ a range of exercises to improve muscle strength, flexibility, and overall fitness. Lora Gidley, CPT, started the Silver- Sneakers program at Toadal's Westside Santa Cruz location four years ago. She says it has been her passion to initiate and work with seniors in this program. In addition, she emphasizes, people of any age can take the classes. It might not be covered by insurance if they are un- der 65, but there are affordable options. Memberships are available through Medicare insurance programs and/or secondary supplements. At Gidley's classes, she likes to teach simple dance steps to tunes seniors love. "I play everything from Motown to show tunes, swing, they love Frank Sinatra," she says. "Plus funky stuff, e Beatles— you name it, I play it!" She makes sure that SilverSneakers is fun for attendees. Gidley uses a series of exercises for strength and endurance. Chairs are provided for support while standing or moving and for seated exercise. Small hand-held weights and bands are pro- vided to help seniors increase upper and lower body strength. Her goal is to help seniors remain independent and strong, and to work on balance, flexibility, and mobility. As a bonus, she says, members make friends, support one another and gain confidence. "I love to see them make progress while having fun and feeling more con- fident as they grow older," says Gidley. "I feel good if I can make a difference in their lives. Teaching these classes is the highlight of my day." Depending on seniors' fitness levels, Toadal recommends classes besides SilverSneakers. "For seniors who are still very active, other classes such as Pilates, yoga, Zumba, or spin will be a better choice," says Bellito. At Toadal, there are Pilates mat classes that are included in a gym mem- bership, plus Reformer classes available for additional fees. Sussi Rowntree cur- rently teaches the Reformer classes at the Live Oak branch. Rowntree has practiced Pilates for about 12 years and became an instructor six years ago. She started teaching at Toadal Fitness in July 2016. "In my personal journey, I knew aer taking my first four classes that I would do Pilates the rest of my life," says Rowntree. She realized Pilates would enable her to continue do- ing all the things she loved while staying out of pain. "But it was the older clients at the studio that really inspired me and helped me understand how much is possible with Pilates," adds Rowntree. "I saw one woman go from a walker to two canes, then to a single cane, then no cane and then within months she was hiking!" Rowntree also had an 85-year-old client who had experienced a series of bad falls. She regained her balance and was able to start walking her dogs every day like she used to. "Everywhere I looked I saw older people getting better instead of breaking down. When I was a student instructor we had a client in her 90's who couldn't get out of her chair anymore so she started doing Pilates and regained her independence. It's so inspiring." A few weeks ago, Rowntree worked with a senior client for the fourth time. At the end of that session she said she felt more fluid and integrated, and that she could feel the blood flow all over her body. Even aer just one session, she began to become aware of many of the smaller, less used muscles in her body. Rowntree highly recommends Pilates for older adults (as well as people of all ages!). Another Santa Cruz venue for Pilates is eraPilates. e studio specializes in geriatric exercise, osteoporosis and orthopedic rehabilitation. Sessions at the studio include private options, small- group apparatus classes (maximum of five students to one teacher), and group mat classes. rough a commu- nity program, they also offer low-cost wheRe to get fit befoRe summeR hits B y t a r a F a t e m i W a l k e r B i g s t o C k p h o t o . C o m

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