What is the one workout I dislike? The treadmill! Do you know who wants to be on a treadmill even…read moreless than I do? My mother. She does not like to sweat and has arthritis in her knee.
Are you ready to hear something? Last weekend, my mom and I had fun (FUN!) at the treadmill class at Clear Rock Fitness. I am still trying to wrap my mind around this.
I have a few theories:
1) The music was ROCKIN'! The "rock" part of their studio name manifests itself in the art on the wall inspired by rock musicians of the past several decades and the top-notch playlists that accompany each workout. The music accompanying each treadmill workout is carefully selected based on beats per minute, and coordinates perfectly with the desired walking speed. Sue Markovitch, owner and instructor, has assembled songs into themed playlists; today was all about strong females.
2) The spirit of these women! Sue hosted me at her studio and even let me include my mom, who I felt would be a better measure of the experience since she's just the kind of lady she created this opportunity for! She greeted us at the door with a warm smile and 6 more smiling faces from over on the treadmills turned to greet us excitedly. Not everyday do you go to a workout where everyone was so happy to be there and genuinely interested in meeting newcomers.
3) The structure of the workout. I think what I dislike about treadmill exercise is the steady repetition and the solitary nature of it all. Even with something to watch, I still struggle to get through a treadmill workout because it seems I am either walking and doubting whether I am working hard enough, or I am running and get so out of breath that I have to quit. This class guided me and engaged me enough to make it a satisfying workout.
Maybe I should back up a minute and tell you what exactly we were doing there. I got a little carried away raving about how much I actually enjoyed exercising on a treadmill. Clear Rock Fitness is a private studio in Westerville, OH offering individual and group exercise training for women over 40. Personal or small group personal training, yoga and pilates are available, as well as the treadmill class, which is what we were there for. Owner and personal trainer, Sue Markovitch, created Clear Rock to be a friendly environment for women in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond as well as those with chronic conditions. Most fitness centers are heavily marketed toward young, lean, fit individuals, and some people find that intimidating. It can feel like a barrier for a person approaching fitness for the first time, or a person with health concerns. If you're looking for a warm introduction to fitness or you have felt like other fitness programs don't accommodate well to your personal needs, Clear Rock will make you feel right at home.
Tread Class
Clear Rock Tread is a heart-rate guided walking program using treadmills. Participants may provide their own monitors or use one from the facility when trying the class. At our first visit, estimated heart rate zones are calculated based on age. After resting heart rate is taken, more precise numbers can be given. These zones are printed on laminated cards, which we can bring with us each to session and Velcro to the top of each treadmill display. As the class began, we will checked our heart rates as the instructor guided us to our starting zone. The beat of the music is the pace at which you walk, so it was up to us to adjust speed and incline to get our heart rates into the zones indicated. As the 45-minute class continued, the music changed and accordingly the desired heart rate zone changes to challenge cardio intervals, climbing up virtual hills, and recovering. All the while, Sue was dancing up and down the row of walkers, spreading joy, inspiring confidence, and making us laugh. I made the mistake of running a few songs, which I later learned is not allowed in class. (Someone told me not to run! Yes! I like her!) There will soon be a jog/walk class introduced, but if you come to the tread class and plan to walk, you do not need to worry that everyone else will be running. Sue is concerned that treadmill walkers feel overshadowed by runners, and this class celebrates and welcomes walkers.
I love everything about this place. As a Geriatric Certified Specialist, I care a great deal about wellness in the older adult. Even at 40, there are changes to the musculoskeletal and cardiorespiratory systems which need special attention for disease prevention. Believe me, because I've seen it all, it's much more enjoyable (and cheaper!) to fight off diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease, and all the rest than to deal later on with the side effects of being sedentary. We all need to find a way to move and feel good about ourselves, so take a chance, sign up for a class, be your healthiest self!