The free Be Fit program at Bethlehem United Methodist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee, is a mostly seated exercise program for seniors at the church and in the community. Focusing on strength, flexibility, endurance, and balance, the program currently has 24 participants.
Ranging in age from 59 to 87, participants drum on stability balls to music of all eras and follow exercise routines on videos. While participants have fun, chairs used during the program were problematic.
Initially, folding plastic chairs – with a contoured, sloped seat and contoured back – were used. Perfect for meetings, study groups, and other seated fellowship activities, the chairs were not suitable for seated exercise.
Exercises requiring lifting both feet off the floor were not practical. The slick surface and backward slope of the seat caused participants to slide around while trying to maintain posture and balance and the curved chair back made it difficult to sit up straight.
Recently, new chairs were purchased in part with funds from an ENCORE Ministry Foundation grant. After the first exercise session using the new chairs, participants expressed their delight.
Class member Jim Lavery said, “This chair is great! I don’t feel like I’m going to slide off it. I can raise both legs without sliding around.”
The new chairs have a slightly padded straight seat and a straight back, making them more stable. Exercises while seated on the edge of the old chairs were challenging, as participants tended to slide backward in the chair.
Karon Zimmerman, another class member, said, “I feel like my posture is a lot better in the new chair.”
Sliding around in the old chairs created a build-up of static electricity – evidenced by a slight shock when one touched the metal legs of the chair.
“I didn’t shock myself today!” said Be Fit participant Toni Batson.
Be Fit participants are grateful for the new chairs and appreciate ENCORE Ministry Foundation’s grant.
“It’s going to help get rid of our love handles!” said class member Valerie Lavery.
