Last fall, my septuagenarian father touched the hearts of countless people and became a bit of a social media sensation when he was stopped on the street and interviewed about his fitness routine for the popular @BodyByMark. When asked for “the one key” to a long, healthy life, his kicker was gold: “Get up when the bell rings.”
Ahead, I decided to tap a few seniors who offer serious fit-spiration.
Leading by example
Liz Fichtner, 65, will give New Yorkers of all ages a run for their money torching calories in her role as a Crunch group fitness manager and instructor. Her fave classes at the nationwide gym chain include Top Shelf A$$ (what it sounds like) and Deep, a restorative class that targets your fascia and muscles with myofascial release techniques, rolling and stretching.
The svelte trainer, who splits her time between the Bay Area and NYC (the Bowery location), credits fitness for being her “fountain of youth” — plus, Fitchner aspires to move through life “like driving without the emergency brake on,” she said. “The older I get, I realize, it’s all about balance — the yin and yang. I focus on a balance of yoga, strength training and cardio.”
Her weekly schedule involves walks, yoga, strength training, cardio, barre, yoga, and walking her dogs.
Hesitant to get started with anything? Remember: “You’re never too old to be what you were intended to be,” said Fichtner.
Fichtner appreciates and respects her role as an inspiration to others.
“It drives me, and it’s not an ego thing,” she said. “It makes me feel good for someone to say, ‘When I grow up, I want to be like you.’”
Going the distance
Donald A. Cassone, a tax accountant based in Westchester, has attended Life Time Harrison gym since 2014. In 1996, Cassone, who is 5’8”, was approximately 280 pounds. Worried about being overweight, he took up yoga and meditation, and his fitness journey unfolded.
Now, he’s tackled everything from Ironman long distance triathlons to regular group fitness classes at his home club.
“I turned 70 in June, and I hope to do the [70.3-mile Ironman] Eagleman in Maryland next year with my grandchildren waiting at the finish line,” he said.
Currently, Cassone takes Life Time’s Alpha (Olympic weight training-focused) classes three times a week.
He also plays pickleball and does the gym’s GTX (a mix of cardio and strength training) to focus on his aerobic capacity. To round it all out, he throws in indoor cycling.
Cassone is planning to do his first Spartan 10K in July.
“I need to set goals always,” he said. To prepare for the race, he’s worked with a personal trainer at Life Time for muscle building and consulted with a dietitian elsewhere. Additionally, Cassone trains with a fellow Alpha participant who has done these races.
In addition to making pals and improving his health, Cassone reports having a clearer mind as a result of working out regularly.
Juiced up
There’s a rule that you can’t write about senior fitness without singling out a pickleballer, right? Well, behold, Amy Sperling, a septuagenarian CityPickle aficionado residing in Gramercy. A retired concert manager for classical artists, Sperling started playing pickleball in May last year at CityPickle Wollman Rink.
“It improves your cardio health, your bone health, your flexibility,” said Sperling of the sport. Pickleball improves “my eye-hand coordination, and most importantly, my mental health,” she continued, noting that she’s free of distractions when she’s on the court. “I’m just making sure I’m having fun and getting the ball over the net.”
At a minimum, Sperling goes to CityPickle twice weekly. Beyond that, walking is essential. “I’m a native New Yorker, so I walk, and I walk quickly — 30 minutes a day.”
Sperling also does weight-bearing exercises at her local gym. “For my bones,” she said.
Sperling said that more energy is the most surprising advantage of regular exercise. “I have more energy now than I did 30 years ago, and I also have all my original knees and hips. So many friends my age have osteoarthritis and arthritis. I have none.”
Stretching the limits
Lynn Derricks, a fit 76-year-old, is a member at Pure Barre in Denville, NJ, where she does Pilates two to three times a week and has just reached the milestone of her 750th class.
“It was such an amazing memory to celebrate this huge accomplishment with all the friends that I have made here,” recalled Derricks. “I love this community of like-minded people.”
Pilates has plenty of perks. “I continue to have lots of energy and I am able to recover more quickly from any accidents,” said Derricks of her fitness commitment.
She also gives working out regularly major kudos with helping her remain mentally fit and agile. “I have exercised my whole life and I feel that it has helped me tremendously to age as beautifully and gracefully as I have,” she said.
Derricks asserted you can always make excuses to avoid breaking a sweat, but that you’re only hurting yourself. “Don’t get worried about how old you are or how much more time someone else has been doing the workout,” she said. “Just get started and you will find your community.”
