The Art of Movement

Working as a senior fitness instructor has really been eye opening. I never realized what it means to be sedentary and the price that it costs. I'm seeing all these seniors who aren't that much older than me who just can't move. They're overweight, and probably have never eaten anything healthy in their lives.

I used to tell my students... "move it or lose it" and I'm now really learning that lesson myself. It's really hard to move when you're in pain, tired and getting a bit depressed from being in pain and tired. Movement is what human beings were meant to do... not sit in front of a computer most of the day, then get in your car, go home and then sit in front of the tv set. Just looking around and seeing how many people have low back pain, and a variety of other "symptoms" tells you that something really needs to change. We've lost our connection to nature, and especially our own bodies. Dance is primitive, seductive, ceremonial, and joyful. What could be a better way to get in shape, not only physically, but also mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

There's all types of dance available... from partner dancing to ecstatic dance, belly dance, nia. The list goes on and on. The important thing is to move...

Fitness Instructor for Seniors

I LOVE it! I'm sore all over, but I'm loving it. I'm also getting to see really up close and personal just what the effects of a sedentary life really are. A lot of the people I'm working with have hardly ever moved very much in their lives. This makes for many of the illnesses most people are afflicted with: heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, etc. I feel like this is a real service I'm doing...helping people to move and to move CORRECTLY.

Proper form is of major importance. If you do an exercise 100 times, but the form isn't correct... yes, it's better than doing nothing... but it doesn't have all the benefits that it potentially can have.

So, get moving...