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| Splash photo by Sarah Robertson |
Members of the Body Fit class gather every Tuesday and Thursday morning at the Liberty Lake Athletic Club. Nancy Brubaker, pictured third from right in front row, leads the class.
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In the January Fountain: 'More than just a class'
12/29/2014 2:55:21 PM
Body Fit members bond through life's stages
By Sarah Robertson
Splash Contributor
It's 7:45 a.m. - no longer night but too dark to possibly be morning. Most people are rushing out the door to work or school. Perhaps the lucky ones are enjoying a cup of coffee with the morning paper.
But at the Liberty Lake Athletic Club, a dedicated group of ladies has their mats out and exercise balls and weights ready for a great workout.
This is no ordinary group. Most of the women are a bit gray, and there is one using a walker. It's the former "Fit After 50" class. Though it has been renamed "Body Fit" and open to all ages and genders for a while, the demographic has remained much the same.
It's obvious that it is a tight-knit group. Everyone chats before class begins. No one sits silently on her mat looking awkward like in some fitness classes.
"The reason is we all stick together. It's not just a class," long-time member Ginger Brooker said. "When somebody doesn't show up, we call."
Nancy Brubaker, an American Council on Exercise (A.C.E.) certified trainer, has been teaching the class for more than three years. She has special training to work with the elderly and also leads Cluster Fit sessions for seniors.
But Brubaker, 54, also is much more than an instructor-she is part of the group. When she shared that her husband had cancer and was expected to only live for months, the group banded together to support Brubaker.
"We all pitched in," said Molly Hilby, who has been attending the class for the past decade. "We've all been through something."
Even though Brubaker's husband has been in remission for three and a half years, the members of the class still ask about every doctor's appointment and ailment.
"They want to know everything that goes on," Brubaker said. "Because it's my passion, I open myself up to them and they open themselves up to me."
Most of the ladies have been through an illness, injury or death of a spouse. One member recalled how the class helped her laugh when her husband was very ill. Their unique bond also provides comfort and support as they step into the golden years.
After Linda Doyle retired two years ago, she had bad knees and a shoulder replacement. The class helped her get into shape and gave her a "great support network."
"Aging isn't easy. But when you have friends like this, it's fun!" Doyle said.
Cindy Jonz said the group functions like a family.
"We all help each other so much," she said. "You spend time around these people, and you feel better."
The class is all about functional fitness, Brubaker explained, and it includes Pilates, yoga, strength training, core exercises and stretching.
"It's a very good beginner class and all the equipment is provided," she said.
Julie Kienbaum said she appreciates the tailored workouts that allow participants to do exercises suited to their abilities. For example, one member with a walker attends regularly and does the same exercises modified to her ability.
"She is an inspiration to us all," Hilby said, "because she comes and works hard."
Brubaker said she loves to see people of all ages and abilities staying fit. While her position at Liberty Lake Athletic Club isn't specifically dedicated to seniors, she tends to work with older people-something she has enjoyed doing from a young age.
"Ever since I was a little girl, I worked with seniors," she said. "My mother took me to the senior homes, and we would take them out in their wheelchairs around the neighborhood… my mother taught me to care for older people."
The seniors Brubaker works with now are in much better shape, but she still enjoys their company and helping them stay active and healthy.
"Because I am older, people find me less intimidating," Brubaker said.
The ladies who take her class certainly don't find Brubaker intimidating. They have become a tight-knit group of friends. Brubaker even organizes a girls' night out once a month that is hosted by a different lady every month and includes a theme, games and food.
"It's more than just a class," Brubaker said, "it's a group of people that care about each other."
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IF YOU GO ...
Body Fit
7:45 to 8:30 a.m., Tuesday and Thursday
Liberty Lake Athletic Club
You don't have to be a member of the Liberty Lake Athletic Club to join the class; punch cards for classes can be purchased. All equipment is provided.
Cluster Fit is also offered exclusively for seniors. During four sessions a group of five seniors is shown how to use gym machines, weights and other equipment.
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