PLAINVIEW YMCA
Strengthening the Foundations of Community
Putting Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all since 1948.
Active Older Adults
The Y has fitness classes where older adults will be comfortable. They give participants an opportunity to stay physically active or, in some cases, to overcome their fear of exercise and begin being physically active. Y Active Older Adult Fitness programs accommodate a wide variety of interests and functional abilities of older adults. The classes include Senior Strength, Yoga, Swimming, and Water Aerobics. The Health Seeker room and ActivTrax program are excellent perks to your membership at the Y. The pool schedule is only a click away.
Senior Strength
Senior Strength classes are appropriate for individuals who are fit and active as well as those who are sedentary, intimidated, unfamiliar with exercise, entering post-rehabilitation programs, and/or those who enjoy a positive social environment.
Classes are centered around improving the physical and mental health of every participant, minimizing age-related physical degeneration, and improving all nine health and skill related fitness components: cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, body composition, flexibility, speed, power, agility, balance and coordination.
Water Aerobics
Water aerobics combines the benefits of an aerobic workout with the added benefits of water. Water serves three beneficial functions: the buoyancy reduces much of the stress on joints during exercise, the water’s warmth helps if joints are arthritic or muscle soreness occurs in exercise, and water provides a natural resistance to motion--a required component for most exercise programs. All aerobics classes are free and unlimited to YMCA members. Non-members may pay for a daily all-day pass to the YMCA.
Yoga
Yoga has been shown to help alleviate or reduce many health challenges, making it an increasingly popular exercise choice for our older adult population. The many benefits of Yoga have long been said to slow – or even slowly reverse – the aging process. It’s also a primary reason that Yoga, according to the 7th Annual IDEA Fitness Programs Report, has experienced the most growth of any fitness program over the past seven years.
Armed with knowledge of the medical conditions of their class participants and the ability to modify poses to accommodate each participant’s health circumstances, a well-informed Yoga instructor can benefit all of their class - particularly the senior participants - given the age-related health concerns that they face.
Benefits of yoga in older participants include better sleep, lower blood sugar, lower blood pressure, improvement of moods and anxiety, better breathing and lessened chronic pain.