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By Laura Drinan
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The leftover snow lining Springdale Ave was brown with dirt as it began to melt. I carefully stepped over the puddles, making sure to not ruin my brilliant white running shoes, as headed for the entrance to the Caryl Community Center.
Hesitantly, I pulled on the door, thinking about all of those times in my middle school gym class where I’d embarrassed myself; the time I hung limply from the pull up bar, unable to do any at all; when the boys ran two miles in the time it took me to run one; how my upper arms burned as I slowly did two pushups, while my peers did dozens with ease.
I climbed the steps to room 215, where the Council on Aging’s “Strength and Stability” course was being taught. Certainly, I’m not nearing my golden years, but the seniors had challenged me to participate in the session, and while I was confident in my fitness now, the nagging voice in the back of my mind reminded me of those miserable middle school PE days.
My nerves settled, though, as I entered the large, bright space and met the seniors. They helped me gather all of the equipment (a yoga mat, a foam block, two one-pound weights, two two-pound weights, and four various resistance bands) from the storage closet and set up with a folding chair as they expressed how excited they were that I would be joining. I felt comforted, too, to know that two other newcomers were participating.
With one-pound hand weights, Dover seniors practice their balance as they stand on one foot. Photos by Laura Drinan
“Don’t worry about the speed, you go at your own pace,” she assured us, before modifying the exercise to make it more of a balance challenge.
In 45 minutes, we did squats, incorporated balance and strength with our hand weights, and did a partner activity to work our shoulders and waists with the resistance bands.
Seniors perform squats with their hand weights at the COA’s weekly strength and stability class. Photos by Laura Drinan
“Try to keep your arms moving, even if you cannot balance,” Andria reminded us. “But the goal is to try. We will not get better at something if we don’t try.”
I admit that I was a bit relieved to sit down when we did. But while the chairs offered assistance to those who needed more help with their balance, Andria also incorporated the chairs into the course.
Sitting on the edges of our chairs, Andria instructed us to kick one leg out, touch our heel to knee of our other leg, and kick the leg out again before setting it on the ground to work our thighs. Although this workout had me literally feeling the burn, I knew it was one that I could easily practice at home or incorporate into my own gym workout.
We took some time to stretch before returning our equipment to the storage closet, and I could feel myself filled with pep and energy.
It’s so easy to push a workout aside and save it for another day, but Andria and the seniors involved each week make it a class not to be missed.
