After two weeks of no trainer, Kelly entered our lives. Kelly asked if we would be interested in stretching as well as strength training. Both Marge and I agreed that it would only enhance our training program since the virtual trainers offered all types of training and we chose our programs randomly.
Kelly began each session with a stretch, deep breathing and knee bends. We used machines and brought our mats with us each week. She arrived every on time Saturday mornings, sometimes looking like she just rolled out of bed. She was coming in from New York State and had other jobs.
We enjoyed her workouts and she provided us with a bit of Pilates and stretching, some yoga moves including a variation of the cobra that she called a superman move in which we lifted up and pulled our arms back. We have provided this move to our recent trainer and it is in our regular routines now.
Kelly was a very good addition to our repertoire and respected us, as women and as dedicated morning exercisers. She provided tips as we worked out, smiles when we did well and pointers to improve our form. Kelly stayed with us for eight weeks. We had no trainer for the remaining weeks in December.
Steve joined us in January. He refused to come in on a Saturday morning so our training moved to a Wednesday evening at 7, continuing our 7/7/7 regimen. We were very excited thinking that the first Steve was going to work us hard and there will be some major training as part of our program. We were very disappointed when our new Steve was a bit like Kevin and was afraid to work us hard. We asked to be pushed.
Steve ran us through a machine workout and made almost no impression on us either way. He did what he had to do, walked us to various machines and then we went home. His second night, the following Wednesday, Marge could not be there, so Steve worked with just me. It was much like to previous week, he walked me through a few machines, I lifted a few weights and the evening was over. The following Wednesday it snowed and Steve cancelled.
The last Wednesday in January, Marge had to cancel again, Steve and I did a workout, many machines, a few weights, nothing that stood out, then the following Wednesday it snowed. Again no session, no Steve and no Marge. Steve had "no car" the following Wednesday, and then there was no Steve. We found out on Monday, February 17 that Steve was not coming back and of course, that Wednesday we had no trainer. Marge said to me that she remembers nothing about Steve, I agreed, but she has even more reason to forget. She met him once.
hmmm, there seems to be a pattern here...
Kevin - 6 weeks
Kelly - 8 weeks
Steve - 3 weeks
Are we scaring them off?
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Friday, December 19, 2014
The training program (s) begin
The virtual training system is all but gone. Our small screen no longer works, the Zumba instructors are using the sound system to plug in their Iphones and music, and Marge and I are creating our own exercise programs. We do well because we have been working out for so long now.
Club 24 continues to offer that we try a free trainer for one class. We decided that the time has come to try again.
We scheduled Steve for a Wednesday evening mid-August 2013. Steve looks like a boot camp instructor. He sits us down in the small office and asks about our vital statistics, takes a guess at our body index, and says "Let's get to work." He adds that the exercises we do that evening will cause us to ache for three days and that is how we will know our training is working.
That line has stayed with me throughout the next year and a half and I don't think anyone has made us work that hard or made the muscles ache for three days - sometimes one day, and possibly two, but never three. Steve was true to his word and we both ached for three days.
The following Saturday morning, we met Kevin. Kevin was young and I truly believe that we intimidated him. He too brought us into the small office and said he would create a program that we can use when we are there on our own. He gave us weight training, some machine work and had us do push ups against the wall - I think he was afraid of hurting us and could not believe that we were probably stronger than he was. I know that each of us out-weighed him. He tried to work us hard and we learned a lot. Kevin was our trainer for five more weeks. We tried using the sheets he promised us, but they were not there. He finally gave us a few print outs and then we had no trainer. He took another job and we've heard nothing of him since then.
Club 24 continues to offer that we try a free trainer for one class. We decided that the time has come to try again.
We scheduled Steve for a Wednesday evening mid-August 2013. Steve looks like a boot camp instructor. He sits us down in the small office and asks about our vital statistics, takes a guess at our body index, and says "Let's get to work." He adds that the exercises we do that evening will cause us to ache for three days and that is how we will know our training is working.
That line has stayed with me throughout the next year and a half and I don't think anyone has made us work that hard or made the muscles ache for three days - sometimes one day, and possibly two, but never three. Steve was true to his word and we both ached for three days.
The following Saturday morning, we met Kevin. Kevin was young and I truly believe that we intimidated him. He too brought us into the small office and said he would create a program that we can use when we are there on our own. He gave us weight training, some machine work and had us do push ups against the wall - I think he was afraid of hurting us and could not believe that we were probably stronger than he was. I know that each of us out-weighed him. He tried to work us hard and we learned a lot. Kevin was our trainer for five more weeks. We tried using the sheets he promised us, but they were not there. He finally gave us a few print outs and then we had no trainer. He took another job and we've heard nothing of him since then.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Club 24 renovations
I received the following email:
Dear valued member
As many of you now know, we are making renovations in the Ridgefield location to improve your gym experience. The gym will look aesthetically better with new paint, crown molding, and other improvements to give the gym a facelift. Some of the renovations are also functional such as more space in the small free weight, and stretching area, and improved locker rooms, and showers. We are completely redoing the showers in both the mens and women's locker rooms starting 12/11, and 12/12. The showers will be out of service on those dates (this Thursday and Friday) and will be back in service this Saturday 12/13. We thank you in advance for your patience and understanding. We hope you are just as excited for the renovations as we are !
It's a gym! I'm sure they believe the renovations are warranted but they haven't been open that long. They are also changing all schedules so that all Club 24 gyms have the same classes at the same time. I understand the concept but it is very hard on members when you have adjusted your schedule to fit what was there.
Marge and I do the 7/7/7 schedule each week (7 pm Monday, 7 pm Wednesday and 7 am Saturday). We do not change unless we have meetings or family commitments so we went into a 6:30 Zumba class on Monday at 7 pm. We enjoyed the 30 minutes of dance and ended the evening with 15 minutes on the rowing machine. Good workout and sweating made it home at a decent hour.
This week we also had to change our trainer Christina to Tuesday at 7:30 pm because Marge had a meeting. We could have arrived at 7 for the newly scheduled Zumba class (to fit the new schedules). We arrived at 7:20 and promptly got on the rowers, listening to the music pounding in the next room. I, of course, adjusted my rhythm to go with the music, making the rowing a bit more exciting (sure it was...). As we were sitting there five additional people joined the class thinking it wold begin at 7:30, I guess another group will be doing a 30 minute Zumba class.
Christina came over to us and asked if we wanted to target any specific areas. We stuck with an all over workout, starting on the ropes paired with lunges, did some arms with weights and moved to the floor exercises including crunches with weights.
Christina the announced she got accepted to the Chiropractic Division at a university and has only two more weeks at Club 24. We will be getting a new trainer in the very near future.
Dear valued member
As many of you now know, we are making renovations in the Ridgefield location to improve your gym experience. The gym will look aesthetically better with new paint, crown molding, and other improvements to give the gym a facelift. Some of the renovations are also functional such as more space in the small free weight, and stretching area, and improved locker rooms, and showers. We are completely redoing the showers in both the mens and women's locker rooms starting 12/11, and 12/12. The showers will be out of service on those dates (this Thursday and Friday) and will be back in service this Saturday 12/13. We thank you in advance for your patience and understanding. We hope you are just as excited for the renovations as we are !
It's a gym! I'm sure they believe the renovations are warranted but they haven't been open that long. They are also changing all schedules so that all Club 24 gyms have the same classes at the same time. I understand the concept but it is very hard on members when you have adjusted your schedule to fit what was there.
Marge and I do the 7/7/7 schedule each week (7 pm Monday, 7 pm Wednesday and 7 am Saturday). We do not change unless we have meetings or family commitments so we went into a 6:30 Zumba class on Monday at 7 pm. We enjoyed the 30 minutes of dance and ended the evening with 15 minutes on the rowing machine. Good workout and sweating made it home at a decent hour.
This week we also had to change our trainer Christina to Tuesday at 7:30 pm because Marge had a meeting. We could have arrived at 7 for the newly scheduled Zumba class (to fit the new schedules). We arrived at 7:20 and promptly got on the rowers, listening to the music pounding in the next room. I, of course, adjusted my rhythm to go with the music, making the rowing a bit more exciting (sure it was...). As we were sitting there five additional people joined the class thinking it wold begin at 7:30, I guess another group will be doing a 30 minute Zumba class.
Christina came over to us and asked if we wanted to target any specific areas. We stuck with an all over workout, starting on the ropes paired with lunges, did some arms with weights and moved to the floor exercises including crunches with weights.
Christina the announced she got accepted to the Chiropractic Division at a university and has only two more weeks at Club 24. We will be getting a new trainer in the very near future.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Zumba! songs, music, and fun...
Zumba classes were scheduled for every Monday at 7 pm.
Since Marge and I were there anyway, we decided to try a class. We shook, we jiggled, we jumped and we had a ball, while we dripped with sweat. The class was filled with women of all ages and all levels of expertise so we felt comfortable and welcomed. Fran was our Zumba instructor and she did not seem to mind when we modified the step so we were not bouncing as much.
Since Marge and I were there anyway, we decided to try a class. We shook, we jiggled, we jumped and we had a ball, while we dripped with sweat. The class was filled with women of all ages and all levels of expertise so we felt comfortable and welcomed. Fran was our Zumba instructor and she did not seem to mind when we modified the step so we were not bouncing as much.
We both agreed that many of the steps were reminiscent of the Jane Fonda era, just called by other names. We were able to follow all instructors and went to a class at least once each week. Now we were doing zumba on Mondays, strength training and machine work on Wednesdays and Saturdays were for cardio, of course sticking with the bike and elliptical, and did I let you know that all machines have a small TV screen. Food Network, baseball and sometimes NCIS, the choice was mine.
We are on a roll now....
Friday, December 5, 2014
Down to two of us - fit and consistant
Marge and I continued our trek to the Brookfield Club 24 for over a year and a half, upping our rate to $20 per month so we can utilize all components offered at the gym, including our virtual trainers (available 24/7), listening to speakers, and they offered an additional class with a trainer. The trainer was helpful and provided regular exercises plus some tips for the machines, but a regular trainer costs extra.
Then, for us, disaster struck. Our virtual trainers were dying and the machines were not being fixed. We continued to exercise to the variety of trainers without the screen, listening to the voices of each model, and peeking at the three inch screen controlling the tape. We were able to utilize this system for another five months and kept asking at the desk if the virtual trainer module would be repaired. If someone was using the training room, we did the bike, often the elliptical and sometimes split our time between the two machines. We rarely used the treadmill because too much pounding on my hip created a dull ache and Marge has a bum knee.
Then, for us, disaster struck. Our virtual trainers were dying and the machines were not being fixed. We continued to exercise to the variety of trainers without the screen, listening to the voices of each model, and peeking at the three inch screen controlling the tape. We were able to utilize this system for another five months and kept asking at the desk if the virtual trainer module would be repaired. If someone was using the training room, we did the bike, often the elliptical and sometimes split our time between the two machines. We rarely used the treadmill because too much pounding on my hip created a dull ache and Marge has a bum knee.
We came in one night to find the room torn apart. They were renovating the gym, rearranging the machines to maximize the space and doing away with the virtual. After our workout we stopped at the front desk to discuss our options. Club 24 in Ridgefield still has the virtual module. The desk staff did not know if it was working or if the same trainers were available but our membership can be used at any Club 24 location so the next Wednesday evening we went to Ridgefield, mostly to compare the ride to the Club 24 location and timing to get there.
There is a two minute difference between locations and the trainers in the virtual module are the same. We continued our routines, now going to Ridgefield, staying with our chosen schedule: Monday at 7 pm, Wednesday at 7 pm and Saturday at 7 am. Some nights we rode the bike, some nights on the elliptical and Marge added the Arc to her workout. We always had one night of virtual each week, discussing the parts of the body to be worked on as we drove to Ridgefield and running into the room as we got there.
Zumba was added to the Club 24 schedule. The instructor would come in to set up just as we were leaving for the evening. Hmmm, a new workout, should we try it?
Fitness at any age
I joined a gym.
Club 24 opened in Brookfield so Marge, Cookie and I decided that the price was right and we were willing and able to work out, aches and pains and all.
Club 24 offered us a $10 per month, no penalty for quitting opportunity. We could go as often as we wanted and they were advertising a Virtual Trainer, a video component to fitness that we can access whenever we want (24/7).
They also gave us a personal training session, one on one, to walk us through anything we have forgotten over the years. Joe, our personal trainer for the evening, started us on the bike stating that we should always start our sessions with 10 - 15 minutes of cardio. We huffed and puffed through 15 minutes and he then put us through the circuit, each set of 8 - 12 exercises repeated three times.We each received individual training, focusing on strength and mobility. We were then on our own.
Our schedule is Monday at 7 pm, Wednesday at 7 pm and Saturday at 7 am. Easy to remember and consistency each week. The goal is to shame each other into always being able to work out. We do one day of cardio, either bike or elliptical, then the exercises we got from Joe, trying different machines and doing the basics, especially crunches and push ups. We became regulars I am proud to say and rarely missed a session.
Then we tried Karen, a virtual trainer, specializing in senior exercise. Karen allowed us to enter a room with just the three of us and a life size screen that came down as we turned on the program. She starts us with leg raises, arm swings, step touches and some stretches. We add small weights, available in all sizes at the gym, the exercise ball for a variety in push ups and crunches, and we all brought out mats to finish up with many floor exercises. Karen offered three different videos, an easy 30 minute workout, a 45 minute workout and a mostly sitting video that the three of us modified to create strenuous workout.
We tried all of the videos, adding yoga with Jeff, a fun workout with Nick, who had better legs than we do, and worked our way up to Jack with his pretty assistant Stephanie. Stephanie would provide the modifications and Jack would work out so hard that he left puddles on the floor and the mat. We are mostly able to follow and keep up with Jack, modifying his moves as needed, including jumping jacks with one foot always on the floor, and we were able to include weights in our crunches, my now favorite exercise.
From these virtual trainers, we are reminded to breath, watch our posture alignment, and learn many new moves to assist in our daily improvements. Lyssa gave us a warrior yoga move that smoothly had us lifting weights into a fluid lunge and turn. I continue to do this move at home, both with and without the weights.
Club 24 opened in Brookfield so Marge, Cookie and I decided that the price was right and we were willing and able to work out, aches and pains and all.
Club 24 offered us a $10 per month, no penalty for quitting opportunity. We could go as often as we wanted and they were advertising a Virtual Trainer, a video component to fitness that we can access whenever we want (24/7).
They also gave us a personal training session, one on one, to walk us through anything we have forgotten over the years. Joe, our personal trainer for the evening, started us on the bike stating that we should always start our sessions with 10 - 15 minutes of cardio. We huffed and puffed through 15 minutes and he then put us through the circuit, each set of 8 - 12 exercises repeated three times.We each received individual training, focusing on strength and mobility. We were then on our own.
Our schedule is Monday at 7 pm, Wednesday at 7 pm and Saturday at 7 am. Easy to remember and consistency each week. The goal is to shame each other into always being able to work out. We do one day of cardio, either bike or elliptical, then the exercises we got from Joe, trying different machines and doing the basics, especially crunches and push ups. We became regulars I am proud to say and rarely missed a session.
Then we tried Karen, a virtual trainer, specializing in senior exercise. Karen allowed us to enter a room with just the three of us and a life size screen that came down as we turned on the program. She starts us with leg raises, arm swings, step touches and some stretches. We add small weights, available in all sizes at the gym, the exercise ball for a variety in push ups and crunches, and we all brought out mats to finish up with many floor exercises. Karen offered three different videos, an easy 30 minute workout, a 45 minute workout and a mostly sitting video that the three of us modified to create strenuous workout.
We tried all of the videos, adding yoga with Jeff, a fun workout with Nick, who had better legs than we do, and worked our way up to Jack with his pretty assistant Stephanie. Stephanie would provide the modifications and Jack would work out so hard that he left puddles on the floor and the mat. We are mostly able to follow and keep up with Jack, modifying his moves as needed, including jumping jacks with one foot always on the floor, and we were able to include weights in our crunches, my now favorite exercise.
From these virtual trainers, we are reminded to breath, watch our posture alignment, and learn many new moves to assist in our daily improvements. Lyssa gave us a warrior yoga move that smoothly had us lifting weights into a fluid lunge and turn. I continue to do this move at home, both with and without the weights.
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