So you tell your friends about this great class you went to at the gym – Silver Sneakers® – and they scoff, secretly thinking that THEY are able to handle more than that! Perhaps nothing could be further from the truth – as the Silver Sneakers classes are NOT necessarily easy to perform.
What they ARE is a safe workout in safer environment for most people. With a chair as a prop, the exerciser can concentrate on performing the exercises correctly without fear of falling or the added stress and pressure on joints.
Many Silver Sneakers® class types use the chair for seated segments, but a large portion of the class is performed standing. In the Classic Workout, a minimum of 20 minutes is dedicated to aerobic exercise, using movement patterns designed to elevate the heart and breathing rates.
In the resistance training section, the participant may choose the standing position to increase the workout level. Resistance training and stretching in a seated position allow the participant to concentrate on maximum muscle contractions or stretches without getting down on the floor. Other classes, such as Circuit and Yoga Stretch, also have standing and seated portions. All classes are designed to help the participant maintain and gain muscular strength, normal range of joint motion, and balance without repetitive stress to the joints. If you are lucky enough to live near a facility that also has a pool, Sliver Sneakers also has a program called Splash! As an instructor of the Yoga Stretch class at Oxyfit gym in Macungie and Trexlertown, I have heard countless stories from participants about improved balance, easier breathing, and easier movement of shoulders, less pain in the neck, hips, knees, and ankles. People of all ages attend my class, as it can be as challenging as any standard yoga class in terms of balance and stretching. But it does not stress the wrists, shoulders, or knees. The poses are modified, yet allow the participant to stretch possibly even further than on the floor, without the headache of trying to figure out how to get up from the floor!
The Silver Sneakers® programs are designed by a company called “HealthWays”. They are so effective at increasing the health and well being of a person, that they have convinced health insurance companies to pay for the classes – and the insurance companies still save money. It is estimated that insurance companies save over $3000 per participant in the Silver Sneakers® programs even after paying for the participants’ class fees.
I invite you to check out a Silver Sneakers® class in your area (www.silversneakers.com/). Please check with your local gym or YMCA for their offerings of these or similar classes. I also invite your feedback after you’ve participated. You can leave a comment on my website: www.vibrantLifeTherapies.com under the Testimonials Tab. Now be seated!
About us
Vibrant Life Therapies, LLC, located in Trexlertown, PA, offers massage therapy, exercise therapy, and nutritional counseling. Donna Ondek, owner, is a licensed Massage Therapist and certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Counselor. Donna specializes in and Rehabilitative and Medical Massage, Lymphatic Drainage, Mastectomy and Oncology Massage. To learn more, contact Donna via phone or text at (610)703-1596, email donna@vibrantlifetherapies.com, or visit VibrantLifeTherapies.com. By combining your desire for and commitment to improved health and my knowledge of the body and passion for health, we can begin to help you experience a more Vibrant Life today! Call (610) 703-1596 today to schedule an appointment.