What can YMCA activities do for you, especially if you are a senior athlete? The answer is far more than you might ever imagine, especially using the example of my friend the "Zumba Cat." Dick, who is in his 70s told me that he noticed that he was having to use the handrail climbing stairs and he just didn't have the stability that he used to when he was younger. When that happens to a lot of people they just sit down and vegetate in front of the TV, but Dick did just the opposite.
Seeing how much fun the participants in Zumba seemed to be having, Dick decided to try that, at first modifying the moves so that he could handle them and then integrating more of the movement. At first he was the only guy in the classes, but soon other men joined as well. Dick got better and better each week, so much so in fact that the women there nicknamed him "the Zumba Cat."
For Dick, Zumba was a springboard that returned to him vitality and balance that he had feared lost. His balance improved so much that he was able to buy a new bicycle and return to a sport that he had dearly loved. He began swimming laps, doing yoga and the last time I saw him, Dick was working with Karen, the fitness trainer. That little extra weight he had around his waist is disappearing as fast as snow in April.
There are success stories like the Zumba Cat all over the YMCA. If you have a success story as well, just ask the staff for the "Old Dog" and we can share it with others.
Next: Faith, fun and fitness
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