Choose Wisely when Selecting a Seniors Fitness Trainer

By JK Watson with Jim Bartell

It wasn't long after Scott's 50th birthday celebration that both of us took a long look at our physical fitness situation. I'm not that old, of course, but we both decided it was time to get back into shape.

What was the motivation? Looking better? Feeling better? Having more energy to be able to do more each day? Side benefits, only.

Heck no! We just wanted to be able to keep up with our two young grandsons! We have to be ready for our first Disneyland "Mouse Marathon" adventure in just a couple years, you know.

So, did we do a lot of research into who would be the perfect fitness trainer for us, being that we are now middle-age-types approaching Senior-hood? Of course not! We called the only trainer we know and like - Darrell Lutz of Fremont, California.

We've known 28-year-old Darrell since he was a friend of our kids 14 years ago. Now he's a personal trainer of some growing renown and an assistant High School Track coach.

You can imagine that we both awoke on the designated starting day with more than a little trepidation. Does he know how to handle us "older" type folks? Will be treat us like 16-year-old football stars? Will we hand us dumbbells we can barely pick up?

Image our surprise and relief when he put us through an easy warm-up of stretching and light jogging before providing 3 pound weights. Yes, 3 pounds. That would equivalent to about six or seven Twinkies, I think.

Scott laughed at the size of the weights. "Are you kidding, Darrell! I used to be a heck of an athlete. I played on softball teams 3 nights a week. I did running and tennis. You name it, I used to do it. Give me some real manly-man dumbbells buddy."

Well, you can trust Scott and me on this observation. You will not believe the muscles you'll find that you didn't know you have when you lift 3 pounds 12 times without stopping, and then he made us do it 2 more times. You think it would be easy as pie after tossing around a 25-pound grandson with some regularity, but boy did we have another thing coming on that.

After that rude awakening, Darrell didn't waste any time in upping the workout level a bit. He had us do jumping jacks, lunges, jogging, medicine ball tossing and more weight training. He worked us hard, but he never gave us more than we could handle at the moment.

This is when we realized the importance of goal setting. We'd gone over our goals a few days earlier with Darrell. The trainer has to know what you want out of a training routine and then has to help you be somewhat realistic, too.

Scott, of course said he wanted some of those "six-pack abdominal muscles to replace the pony-keg" he was feeling around his belly. I'm not going to talk about age just yet, but I simply want to look "50 and fabulous (sooner than I'd care to think), not 50 and flabby." And, we added, "We want to have some fun, too."

Yes, laughter did become a regular part of our workout. And, the best part is, you never know what's going to trigger it. For instance, one day, Darrell "tossed" a medicine ball to each of us, had us lift them up over our heads and said, "Bring them down slowly."

What do you think us grandparents both shouted out simultaneously as the medicine balls passed in front of our eyes? "Peek-a-boo!" We both broke out into hysterical laughter. Luckily, we didn't drop the balls on our feet or on Darrell's. I guess we really are grandparents through and through.

As for results:

After a short time Scott was proud to say that he was up to working out with 12 pounds on the dumbbells. (Way to go, big boy!)

We soon discovered that it really is fun exercising together and sharing the joys of working out like grunting, sweating, cussing (sometimes at Darrell) laughing, breathing hard and laughing some more.

Third, and best of all, is always the arrival of Friday on our Monday-Wednesday-Friday workout schedule. Right after it's over, when we're feeling drained, but proud of ourselves and what we've accomplished, it hits us. "The weekend is ours. No workouting until Monday."

If you live in the area and would like to meet a great trainer, call us at 510/505-0223 and we'll put you in touch with Darrell. Even if you happen to be just visiting, we'll arrange for Darrell to help you out.

Does he understand folks around the age of 50 and over? Yep, he does, and certainly a lot better after working out (putting up with) the two of us.

Thanks, Darrell.