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The Thursday morning ladies: exercise helps bond an inspiring group of women at Metro Fitness in Rochester, New York

American Fitness, Nov-Dec, 2001 by Mark Grevelding

The Thursday morning ladies provide the motivating stories I often share with my personal clients and anyone in need of inspiration. My point in telling these stories is to encourage those who feel it is too late to get in shape. When confronted with these skeptics, I respond with testimonials of the ladies in my Thursday morning step class--stories which prove it is never too late to turn back the hands of time.

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A sorority of sorts, they are a group of about 15 women between the ages of 50 and 76 who participate in classes almost every weekday morning. The ladies sweat together in class and convene afterwards at designated tables in the gym for coffee and, occasionally, a tasty treat baked by one of them. These ladies will probably never compete in a race or enter a bodybuilding competition. In fact, the mere thought would send them into fits of laughter. However, the individual battles they fight and win against arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis and other chronic diseases are certainly worthy of mention, if not medals.

It's important to note, none of these ladies were cut from the athlete mold. Instead, they discovered their inner-athlete after participating in an exercise program. This is an important distinction since many women refrain from exercise because they perceive themselves as non-athletic. Now, when confronted with one of these women in a consultation, I usually reward them with a Thursday tale: "You should see these ladies pump out push-ups," I boast, not fully disclosing the creative ways the ladies cheat on their push-ups or how some of them conveniently run to the drinking fountain the moment we assume push-up position. Yes, the mirror reveals all!

It's also important to note that most of the Thursday morning ladies did not begin exercising until they retired or their children left home. They are living proof that muscles and bones have no expiration date. Needless to say, there is nothing pleasurable about the ailments caused by muscle attrition or a lack of bone density. As evidenced by the Thursday morning ladies, these conditions can be remedied through strength training and cardiovascular fitness.

Recently, while talking with a potential client who just got discouraging results from a bone scan, I comforted her with a Thursday morning story. "She's 76 and has impeccable posture. She [didn't start] exercising until later in life, but now she goes to classes 6 days per week. If she slips on the ice, she gets up, curses and keeps going," I explained, hoping to provide a glimmer of hope for this woman. Clearly, the story is meant to impress, but the message sinks in. After all, most 76-year-old women do not walk away uninjured after a slip on ice.

As mentioned before, many of the ladies have health problems, but the exercise and endless support they receive from each other makes a significant difference. One of the women has fibromyalgia, which causes muscle pain and fatigue. My heart breaks when I see her sneak out of class, realizing she is a having a particularly bad day. However, she has learned to accept her limitations, as have many of the other women. What's important is the ladies don't give in to their limitations, they work around them.

One of the Thursday ladies is recovering from major surgery stemming from a stroke. This regal dame occupies a corner of the classroom, always decked out in flawless aerobic outfits. She has participated without a step since the surgery, but she glows in her corner nonetheless. Her story always comes to mind when counseling someone who is recovering from surgery or a chronic illness. I tell them how she marches in a corner with a big smile and a look of utter joy. "You'd think she just won the lottery," I explain. The look in their eyes reveals the truth. She did win the lottery. When faced with life-threatening surgery or illness, the return to health is the best jackpot of all.

Thursday morning stories are often humorous, funny anecdotes revealing, not only the ladies' improvements, but also my own growing pains as an instructor. Together, we've evolved through many changes in the aerobic industry. They managed to survive the increase in beats per minutes on my tapes, but were eternally grateful when I began pitching them down. They suffered through my Gin Miller Extreme Step phase and barely made it through my dark whistle-wearing months. I've taunted them with fly jacks, tic tocs, revolving doors' and helicopters. (Of course, I always offer modifications, which most of them have smartly chosen). They've been good sports and, for the most part, have respected my "No Gabbing in Class" rule.

Of course, the Thursday morning ladies don't always do what I tell them. I've begged them to pretend they are Madonna, pleading, "You guys! Please! It will be fun!" Naturally, I end up being the only one crawling on the floor singing "Like a Virgin." I was recently certified in kickboxing, so now I'm hitting them with commands such as, "Take him down, girls!" and "Hooowah! Everybody shout it. Go, `Hooowah!'" At first, they just stared at me. Now, I've at least gotten them to whisper a "hoo."

The Thursday morning ladies: exercise helps bond an inspiring group of women at Metro Fitness in Rochester, New York

American Fitness, Nov-Dec, 2001 by Mark Grevelding

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