Bengaluru: Senior citizens take to fitness training with gusto
Health buffs in their sixties are doing weight training, yoga.
Bengaluru: Sixty-year-old Anita has no qualms about hitting ‘The OutFit Gym’ and working out just like any of the other younger fitness enthusiasts. And she is not alone.
“We have many fitness buffs in their fifties and sixties who do weight training or functional training which focus more on balance and stability. Many, just like Anitha, are now opening up to the idea of fitness training in a more secure environment,” says Devrath, owner of ‘OutFit Fitness Centre.’
You can't help but notice the energy buzzing at many such classes where the elderly go for training. The Bollywood Dance classes organised by Nivesaa, a dance studio, sees many enthusiastic participants from this age group.
“The elderly age group is definitely getting into the fitness regimen, however they usually opt for something easy paced like the Pilates Method or Yoga because knees are a problematic area for many. But we have a lot of older people who have joined our Bollywood dance class. A couple of them have joined the belly dance class too,” says Aastha Gulati, co-founder at Nivesaa Dance Studio.
Slow-paced morning and evening walks in parks are no longer the sole exercise of choice for this age group. They seek more than just self-confidence. Beyond motivating each other, there are many seniors who find peace and self-reliance through these classes. It’s a psychological thing, many trainers feel.
"They have this independent, driving force which motivates them to test their limits and to be more independent, as many are no longer living with their children," adds Devrath. “There is less inhibition, more choices and they feel safer in a group environment," adds Aastha.
With an eye on the trend, another city-based fitness centre, The Tribe-Fitness Club, has also introduced a special class which caters to people in their sixties and above.
"We have a class called Zumba Gold which primarily caters to people above 60 where we want them to burn some calories, exercise for heart health and do workouts which are not very intense. Interestingly, we have people above 55 and 60 years that join the same regular classes as the twenty-five-year-olds, but yes, the coaches are more aware and train them differently," says Shwetambari Shetty, co-founder, ‘The Tribe-Fitness Club, Zumba Fitness Master Trainer’.