SEATTLE (AP) 鈥� Bengie Santos was a dancer and choreographer for 30 years before reaching an age when most artists hang up their dancing shoes and take a seat in the audience. But she wasn鈥檛 ready to sit back and enjoy the show. So Santos began her third act as an exercise instructor.
Now 72 and in her 14th year teaching at the YMCA of Greater Seattle, Santos has an almost cult-like following of older adults 鈥� many in their 80s and 90s 鈥� who come to stretch, dance and lift weights multiple times a week.
From Doris Day singalongs to hip-hop routines and country line dances, the classes get people kicking, popping and spinning.
Some of Santos’ students say younger instructors 鈥� however great 鈥� don鈥檛 quite 鈥済et them鈥� in the same way.
And Y organizers and other experts say many older instructors can be role models, speaking their peers’ language in a way that makes exercise more fun.
Exercise can build social connections
Sharon Ruff, 81, was attracted to Santos鈥� classes by the eclectic mix of music, and loves the instructor鈥檚 energy and enthusiasm. Before she retired from her job as a teacher, she had never exercised regularly. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 really like it, because it wasn鈥檛 fun,鈥� she says.
Her friend Ann Kashiwa, 91, often stays for two hour-long classes in a row. She started taking Santos鈥� classes during the pandemic, and has stuck with them through treatment for pancreatic cancer.
鈥淪he is not only a fantastic teacher, but she gets people together,鈥� says Kashiwa, whose Y friendships have helped her through tough times.
Santos says inspiration flows both ways. Her students inspire her to keep going, she says, and 鈥淚鈥檓 hoping I inspire them to keep going.鈥�
What older instructors can offer
Exercise and being with people are crucial for healthy aging, so finding incentives to do that is important.
鈥淓verybody has to figure out what their barriers are鈥� and come up with strategies to make physical activity rewarding, says Daniel E. Lieberman, an evolutionary biologist at Harvard and author of several books, including 鈥淓xercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do is Healthy and Rewarding.鈥�
Finding someone to get you moving, whether an instructor or a friend, can help overcome that natural resistance.
鈥淧eople who stay active as they get older are important role models for everyone,鈥� Lieberman says.
Harry King, an 83-year-old personal trainer in Greenville, South Carolina, agrees that motivation to take that first step is tough for many people, and becomes even harder as their mobility weakens.
King had always been active 鈥� kayaking, hiking and playing basketball 鈥� but when he retired from his job as an insurance executive and business coach, he felt a pull toward a comfortable chair in front of the TV. But that got boring fast, so when he saw a Help Wanted sign at Planet Fitness, he applied and worked his way up to become a trainer.
Most of his clients are 50 or older.
鈥淚鈥檝e heard people say I set a good example and I try to,鈥� he says. 鈥淎t my age, if I can exercise, why can鈥檛 other people too?鈥�
Recruiting older instructors
The YMCA in Seattle is mindful of the value of having an older instructor leading a senior class.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 put an age limit on our applicants,鈥� says program executive Kerry Ashby, who started there as a younger instructor for the Active Older Adults program. The Y does recruit from within the older adult classes, and a lot of instructors are former participants.
鈥淲e know it鈥檚 more than just fitness for the majority of our active older adults,鈥� Ashby says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also the mental and emotional aspect.鈥�
Tom Kleinecke, 67, has been a member of the Y for 18 years and has sampled many different classes. Younger instructors, he says, tend to teach their classes, while Santos leads and inspires.
Kleinecke says his fitness and endurance have improved noticeably since he started taking three of Santos鈥� classes a week. Although he鈥檚 fit, he says, it鈥檚 challenging to keep up with her.
One of the classes includes a faster-paced dance class not designed for older students. At first, parts were tough to follow, he said, but before long, he knew all the steps, from mambo to moonwalk.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e worried about being out of sync and uncoordinated, don鈥檛 worry about it because nobody is paying attention to you,鈥� Kleinecke says. They鈥檙e all watching the instructor.
Now, he and his wife go out dancing on the weekends.
Looking forward to working out
Santos says she considers the ages and backgrounds of her students when choosing the exercise class soundtrack.
鈥淚 always tell other instructors it isn鈥檛 your class, it鈥檚 their class,鈥� she says.
She also teaches smaller classes in three senior living facilities. Those students range from 80 to 102.
鈥淭he caregivers wheel them out. I play their music. It triggers their memory,鈥� from Judy Garland to Louie Armstrong, Santos says. 鈥淲hen they see me they think they鈥檙e going to party.鈥�
Some even waltz in their chairs.
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