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Despite the thrill of such a great accomplishment, perhaps the most inspiring moment of the weekend for Shannon was watching the seniors swim. In awe of the 80- and 90-year olds that participated, Shannon was amazed at their dedication and perseverance.
We know that will be you, Shannon . . keep up the great work – you’re making us proud!
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PRIMETIME STAFF KUDOS
Karien, Julie, Shannon . . .
Congratulations to PrimeTime staff member Karien Harwell on obtaining her personal training certification. Karien, one of our indoor cycling instructors, took and passed her ACE (American Council on Exercise) exam last month.
Congrats, Karien . . . way to go . . . we’ll be seeing more of you on the gym floor!
From Julie Nestler: “I am starting a ’21 Day’ new ‘fit you’ challenge group starting on May 23rd. I am looking for anyone who is interested in getting fit and healthy…you will begin seeing results in the first couple of days!
This ’21 Day’ challenge includes working out 30 minutes a day , an easy to follow meal plan, including the ‘healthiest’ meal of the day. You will take part in a support group where you and others will be helping one another every step of the way. And…I will coach you daily to make CERTAIN “your goals are achieved!”
Call or text me 843.452.7997 or email me julienestlerfitness@gmail.com to let me know if you are interested….”
Also newsworthy from the PrimeTime staff, Shannon Cagle recently competed in the National Masters Swim meet. Keep checking back for more on Shannon’s amazing comeback!
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| Staff members mingle with clients and members, old and new! |
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| Sandy Pusey helps Meredith cut and bend rebar. Now THAT’S a workout! |
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According to a study by the University of Utrecht, people that ride bikes live an average of six months longer than those that don’t ride bikes.
People For Bikes reports, “for every additional 75 minutes a week that you spend on a bike (that is, for every 11 minutes per day) you generally increase your lifespan by six months.”
It’s National Bike Month and people everywhere are taking advantage of the spring weather to explore the outdoors by bike. Want to know more? Check out https://nationalbikechallenge.org/ to challenge yourself, your friends, and your family to go by bike!
Just remember a few safety tips:
For more information on cycling safety, check out the Palmetto Cycling Coalition’s website athttp://pccsc.net/share-road/.
PrimeTimers Alice Botts and Cammie Camp walked to the old PrimeTime location three times a week for eleven years and hated to lose their outdoor warm-up. Not missing a beat, they have adapted by biking regularly and note that it takes about the same amount of time to get to the gym – it’s only a 15-minute bike ride! (According to the statistics above, the five months of biking to our new location 30 minutes three times a week gives them approximately 1800 minutes of biking . . . you do the math, but it’s surely added a few years to their lives!) They thoroughly enjoy the view and appreciate the short burst of effort as they cross the bridge. Cammie has even discovered the convenience of going the extra two minutes or so and biking to Publix or CVS, and says “now that I know how easy it is to bike to the store, I will do it all the time!”
PrimeTimer Maria Schaeffer has also discovered the fun of biking to the gym from her Isle of Palms home. She says “everyone should do it, it’s sooo beautiful!”
Many others have taken up biking to and from the gym. Why not give it a try in May to celebrate National Bike Month!? |
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Thursday, June 9: Habitat for Humanity PrimeTime Build
Awendaw, 8:30 – 12:30
Balance – Don’t Leave Home Without It!
Meredith Nelson, M.Ed.
PrimeTime Fitness, Inc.
Maintaining balance is critical for us as we age, as most seniors experience falls due to a loss of balance. Even a little tumble can result in broken bones, leading to a major disruption in life. What would have resulted in bruises and bumps in our earlier years can end in dramatic lifestyle changes in an older adult. Such falls often occur on uneven surfaces, slippery surfaces, and when getting out of bed in the middle of the night.
Younger adults usually have a much quicker reaction time and can often correct a loss of balance before a fall actually occurs. With aging, we naturally experience a loss of muscle mass and therefore a loss of strength, making it even more important to practice healthy habits including regular exercise. Many seniors can benefit from not only consistent strength-training and aerobic exercise, but also specific balance training. I work with older adults with a wide range of abilities – some seniors are very active, while others are quite frail. Because of this, I find that balance training is most effectively done either individually or in very small groups.
I often begin a workout with dynamic balance movements. Active, dynamic stretching; weight-shifting; gait practice – these are all effective ways to acclimate the body for the movements to come during the workout, and also help to “wake up” the neuromuscular pathways that signal the body to ease into motion. After a dynamic warm-up, we move into a strength training routine which differs for the individual based on their specific weaknesses. The strength training segment usually contains lower body exercises which may focus on the feet, ankles, and calves, as well as the large muscle groups of thighs and glutes. Core stability is a must, and we often include upper body strengthening exercises – either mixed in to provide for a built-in rest for the lower body, or as a separate component altogether.
Static stretching at the end is often enjoyed by our clients, and not only allows the client to enjoy the benefits of the stretches, but a period of mental relaxation as well.
Here is an example of one balance exercise, and how it may be modified as you progress:
Standing Balance
Holding onto a chair or sturdy rail if needed, balance on one foot for up to 10 seconds.
Progress to 15 seconds, then 20.
Easy? Try it with your eyes closed (be sure to stay near your chair)!
Mastered the Standing Balance exercise? Try this one:
Walking Heel-to-Toe
Place the heel of one foot six inches to one foot in front of the toes of the other foot.
Taking a step, move your back foot to the front, again placing the heel six inches to one foot in front of the toes of the other foot.
Repeat for up to 20 steps.
Easy? Try placing each heel so close that it touches, or almost touches, the toes of the other foot. Be sure to keep your gaze focused on a spot ahead of you.
Got this one down too? See if you can do the next one!
Balance Walk
With arms out to sides at shoulder height for balance, pick a spot ahead of you and focus on it.
Begin to walk in a straight line.
As you take a step, raise your back leg and pull it forward to balance, pausing for a second before placing that foot on the floor and taking the next step. Try to balance with your knee at hip level.
Repeat for up to 20 steps.
Easy? Try holding the balance position up to 5 seconds before placing each foot on the floor and taking the next step.
Meredith Nelson, M.Ed, is the owner of PrimeTime Fitness, Inc, in Mt. Pleasant. Certified through AFAA in Group Fitness, ACE as a Personal Trainer and Medical Exercise Specialist, and TPI as a golf fitness professional, Meredith has been bringing fitness to the East Cooper area for over twenty years. Now located just across the causeway at 1558 Ben Sawyer Boulevard, PrimeTime Fitness caters to the mature exerciser and offers personal and small group training, indoor cycling, yoga, golf fitness training, monthly gym membership, and more. Meredith can be reached with your fitness questions at 843-883-0101, or Meredith@primetimefit.net.
Now that the Cooper River Bridge Run has come and gone once again, many who “got over it” will put their running shoes away for another year. One goal down . . . check it off the bucket list . . . boast about it to friends. For some it’s a yearly ritual, something to register for, train for (or not) for a while, and show up on race day with 30,000+ other runners, then heavily celebrate the accomplishment afterwards at the after-party in Marion Square.
Others make the CRBR an “A” race – one of many that they complete each year, but the excitement and scale of this particular race give it top priority on the race calendar.
I myself have run for many reasons for over thirty years …. Camaraderie in group runs, to stay in shape, and for the mental escape. I enjoy the competition and the feeling of accomplishment that comes with racing. I have volunteered at races, which brings about an entirely different perspective as an observer and cheerleader. For several years I served on the board of the Charleston Running Club, providing direction and leadership for the club which promotes running in our community. And now I have taken on the task of volunteering as a “run buddy” for the Meeting Street Academy’s Run Club.
Accepting the responsibility as a “run buddy” requires that I step a little out of my comfort zone. I run at 7:40 a.m. at the school, located downtown. (For those of you who don’t know me, I prefer to stay on this side of the bridge, and although I’m always up at the crack of dawn, heading downtown at 7:40 a.m. is well off the radar screen!). When I go, I’m surrounded by kids. (Another little peek into my personal life – little people scare me.) And I have to run . . . verrrrry . . . slooooowwwwwlllllly. At least for me it’s slow, although if you ask the kids I’m running with, we’re running as fast as the wind!
As much as the whole MSA experience is a little out of my box, I love it. Running with the kids, seeing them get excited about running just one more block than last the time, and watching them head into the classroom with enthusiasm at the end of Run Club, ready for reading, writing, and ‘rithmatic, brings me a sense of satisfaction and joy.
On Saturday, April 16, the Meeting Street Academy Run Club will be making an appearance at the 6th Run for Adela 5K on Sullivan’s Island. I’ll be right there in the middle of them, running with one or two of the runners. For once, I won’t be stepping up to the front, hoping to get a spot in the lead. I won’t be timing my splits (more on that in the next issue) or warming up with high knees and strides. Instead, I’ll be encouraging the kids not to go out too fast, reminding them to tie their shoes, and sharing in the excitement of running what is possibly their first race. For many of the kids, participating in races is too costly for the family to consider a priority or a regular occurrence. But Lori LaFevre, MSA’s Run Club Coach, has made it possible for these youngsters to participate for free (with a paying adult). And with the generosity of the race organizers, the runners’ companions may register at a discounted price.
So, if the idea of running for your own health and wellness just doesn’t appeal to you, perhaps you could join me and consider running for the benefit of someone else. Another opportunity is with R U Running. The brainchild of island resident Skipper Condon, R U Running is a membership organization for runners that promotes awareness of the Disabilities Foundation of Charleston County. For a $20 annual fee, R U Running provides race discounts for signature races, a VIP tent at which you can store your gear, and a chance to win prizes at each signature race you attend.
Another organization, Racers for Pacers, exists to bring running to those who are unable to run. Racers for Pacers is dedicated to raising funds to provide running chairs for disabled individuals who cannot run on their own. Under the direction of Sean Glassberg, Racers for Pacers provides these individuals with the opportunity to “run” with an able-bodied runner, or pacer, on a regular basis at least once or twice per week and in local 5ks, 10ks or longer competitive runs throughout the Lowcountry. I personally have yet to actually run as a pacer, but PrimeTime Fitness has helped purchase a chair. I look forward to pushing a “runner” in the PrimeTime chair soon!
So whether you are running for yourself or someone else, don’t let the Cooper River Bridge Run make you a “one and done” for the year. Consider putting forth your efforts to help out someone less fortunate, and reap the rewards for yourself as an added bonus!
For more information about Meeting Street Academy, R U Running, and Racers for Pacers, check out the following sites:
http://www.meetingstreetacademy.com
Meredith Nelson, M.Ed, began her running career in college thirty years and thirty pounds ago, and is the owner of PrimeTime Fitness, Inc, in Mt. Pleasant. She still competes in 5K’s, 10K’s, ½- marathons, and stair races, and has completed six marathons. Next on Meredith’s bucket list is a 50K.
Certified through AFAA in Group Fitness, ACE as a Personal Trainer and Medical Exercise Specialist, and TPI as a Level 3 Golf Fitness Instructor, Meredith has been bringing fitness to the East Cooper area for over twenty years. Since 2000, PrimeTime Fitness has catered to the mature exerciser and offers personal and small group training, indoor cycling, yoga, golf fitness training, monthly gym membership, and more. Meredith can be reached with your fitness questions at 843-883-0101, or Meredith@primetimefit.net.
