Walking isn’t enough: Don’t backslide during isolation

How to take control and get stronger and healthier during the CoVid 19 crisis

Take control and get stronger and healthier

We have been in isolation for months now and your original plan of going for a walk everyday isn’t going to work in the longer term. Were you stronger a month ago than you are today? Were you more balanced and stable because of the balance and strengthening exercises you used to do? Are you feeling unmotivated to get moving again because you have decided to “wait and see” until the crisis blows over? You need a new plan. Listen to Vintage Fitness client, Frankie (who is 74), describe how reluctant she was to try virtual training and how the experience has been for her.

It is time to change your mindset, take control and get back to the strength, flexibility and balance exercises that will improve your posture, balance, bone density, strength and energy levels.

Vintage Fitness is a personal training company that has been energizing the lives of our 50+ clients for over 15 years. We are a team of 10 personal trainers that ONLY train people over 50 and see clients not only improve their strength, balance, cardiovascular health and flexibility but transform their mindset from one of “I won’t be able to do the things I love as I age” to “what new challenge can I take on next year”? This is a time to choose to take control of your fitness and make your isolation a time to become stronger both physically and mentally.

We know that shifting to a new way to be coached by a 50+ personal trainer takes some getting used to. Many of our clients have shifted to virtual personal training using either their iPad or computer or via phone coaching and we have worked out the kinks together over the past month.

Here are some of the questions our clients have been asking:

1. What is virtual personal training?

Virtual personal training is simply personal training using technology to connect the trainer and the client.

2. Do I really get the value of an in person personal training session?

Over the past month in dozens of virtual training sessions with clients between 65-90 years old we are amazed at how well our trainers can deliver the right exercises to meet clients’ goals, ensure that the clients are doing the exercises with perfect form in real time and motivate clients to stick to their exercises. Is it the same as in person training? NO. Does it work? YES.

3. I am keeping up with my walking every day, isn’t that enough?

Amazing that you are keeping up with your walking! It is so important for your mental health and cardiovascular fitness. Health Canada’s exercise guidelines for people over 65 suggest:

Take part in at least 2.5 hours of moderate- to vigorous-intensity aerobic activity each week.
Spread out the activities into sessions of 10 minutes or more.
It is beneficial to add muscle and bone strengthening activities using major muscle groups at least twice a week. This will help your posture and balance. (Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines: 65+)

Working with a Vintage Fitness personal trainer will not only ensure you meet the minimum exercise guidelines but take your strength, balance and flexibility to a new level.

4. What if I am not “tech savvy”?

We have been working hard to overcome the barrier of technology for some seniors. We have come up with 3 solutions:

We have partnered with a Toronto based company that specializes in teaching technology to seniors. They teach you over the phone step by step to download zoom or use other video programs such as FaceTime and Skype.
We start with a free 30-minute session with your trainer to make sure you can both hear and see each other well
Don’t have a tablet or webcam? We will sort one for you and drop it to your doorstep. (with a few disinfectant wipes included)

5. Can I really get a good workout without access to my condo gym?

The quick answer to this is a resounding YES. At Vintage Fitness we have been training clients in their homes for years using their body weight and some small pieces of equipment such as exercise bands and hand weights. No equipment at your place? We will deliver an equipment pack to your doorstep.

6. I am hearing all about the invasion of privacy with all of the technology use during this crisis- how can I ensure my virtual personal training sessions are private?

This is an important question that the Vintage Fitness training team has considered deeply given that the majority of our clients are older adults. We have decided to use ZOOM as the software for virtual training and have researched what security settings Zoom has to ensure privacy. For each meeting we:

Turn on the waiting room feature to only admit you in
Use personal as opposed to public meeting ID’s for our sessions
Require a password to join each session
“Lock” the session on Zoom once it starts

7. I’m interested but want to try it first to experience for myself before committing to anything.

That makes perfect sense and I would expect the same. Vintage Fitness is offering a free virtual training session. Book a call with owner of Vintage Fitness, Erin Billowits to book your free session:https://calendly.com/erin-21/phone-consultation

8. What are virtual training sessions like? Any samples?

Have a peek at a few actual virtual personal training sessions:

Peter has a well set up home gym and wears a heart rate monitor but that is definitely not needed.
Frankie and John are training with Anthony in this clip.