Sweatin' to the 'oldies'
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February 17, 2000: 6:14 a.m. ET
In record numbers, older Americans are spending more dollars to work out
By Staff Writer Jennifer Karchmer
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Margie Roinas' fitness workout seems fairly typical: a few miles walking on the treadmill followed by a strength training routine for her biceps, quads and abs.
But at 69, Margie is old enough to be the grandmother of most of the other fitness goers donning spandex and jogging bras at her hometown club in Port Orchard, Wash.
And many older Americans are spending more money on gym memberships and fitness equipment -- and feeling good about it.
"Within one year, my health improved 80 percent in how I felt," she said. "Now I feel 39 [years old] at heart."
Longer, healthier lives
As Americans are living longer, they are fitting exercise into their daily routine. And seniors battling diabetes, heart condition, arthritis, asthma or osteoporosis are realizing the benefits of moderate exercise, too.
In a $10.6 billion fitness industry, seniors make up about 16% of the health club memberships, according to the fitness industry group International Health, Racquet and Sports Club Association (IHRSA). Exact sums spent by seniors on exercising are not readily available, since that data hasn't been collected, but the fastest growing group joining gyms is people aged 55 or older.
Between 1987 and 1998, the latest data available, the number of memberships for that group jumped by more than 200 percent.
Shining in the golden years
The fitness industry has responded to the enthusiasm among retirees by creating special classes for older Americans who may be less flexible, and just plain wary of clunky exercise equipment.
"In the 1980s, clubs were focused on the post-college professional scene," said Bill Howland, director of research at IHRSA. "Now there are companies that are wholly focused on serving the older client."
Fitness equipment maker NuStep, for example, markets a recumbent bike that was originally designed for use in cardiac rehabilitation centers.
It has become popular among seniors both in gyms and at home mostly because of the large, swivel seat, said Steve Sarns, sales and marketing director with NuStep. The user feels more secure since he or she can climb onto it easier than the traditional stationary bike seen in most gyms.
"The clubs are finally waking up to promote to the older population," Sarns said. "The health industry has been for the young and beautiful, but the boomer population is older and seniors are living longer healthier lives and they need to exercise."
So gyms are introducing specially-designed classes and facilities to meet the needs of seniors, including:
-- Seated aerobics classes that emphasize arm movements to increase heart rate for an effective workout;
-- Softer weights and plastic resistance balls for strength training instead of traditional iron weights;
-- Specially trained staff to meet the physical and emotional needs of seniors;
-- Aquatic classes which are less stressful on bones and joints; and
-- Locker rooms with single shower stalls and other amenities to offer more privacy.
A silver lining
When Margie, the senior from Washington State, was losing her balance and having difficulty picking up the smallest of her eight grandchildren, she turned to Silver Sneakers, a fitness group sponsored by Healthcare Dimensions Inc. It's a designed exercise program paid for by Medicare through certain health maintenance organizations.
Margie wasn't motivated to hop on the treadmill at home, and she yearned for interaction among other seniors who were exercising.
"From the time I walked in, the fitness center made us feel welcome," she said after working one-on-one with a personal trainer to strengthen her muscles and build stamina. "I've never felt that I've been out of place."
Steve Nelson, senior vice president of Healthcare Dimensions, said it's never too late to start exercising. "The results are more dramatic the older you are," he said.
Young at heart
And seniors don't seem to be too intimidated by the younger exercisers pumping iron. Generation X-savvy Crunch Fitness, for instance, has seen a 15 percent increase in membership of people 55 and older since 1997, said Dayna Crawford, a public relations director for the company.
"A lot of the older population is attracted to Crunch for the sense of youthfulness and the young, hip environment," she said.
In fact, that hip environment can be a draw for seniors looking to benefit from the social as well as the physical aspects of working out.
"We've had marriages of 75-year-olds meeting at the gym ... mothers and daughters working out who were both over 70," Nelson said.
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