inspiring members #3

So there are so many members that inspire me at the gym, I thought I would share the story of Gracia.

Gracia is Italian, her english is not perfect but she is a wonderful, kind hearted lady who, I think, wanted some excitement in her life.

Gracia is 78. She looks no older than 60. She has had an operation on her leg which means she has some trouble with her feet.

She is in the gym about 5 times a week. Walking on the treadmill (she has graduated from 1km per hour to about 3.5km per hour), getting onto the cross trainer and very occasionally on the recumbant bike.

Very early on she told me she wanted to work her arms. It is a good thing for older women to do light resistence work, as it can help prevent osteoporosis and keep them moving. So I showed her how to use the pin loaded weights machines and showed her how to set it to the lightest resistence. With a little trepidation (duty of care!) I also showed her how to use the rower.

Gracia LOVES the rower. She is on it for at least 10 minutes every time, I keep heading over to check she has it on the lowest setting and she keeps making it a harder setting for herself!

I keep checking that her weights are on the lowest resistance but she insists it is too light and increases the weight.

I have also had two personal trainers oversee what she is doing and green light that she is doing everything correctly for her ability and age.

She is amazing. She doesnt work to the level where her heart rate is increased very much, does long sets of very light weights for resistance work on various machines, and rows away very gently on the rower. She comes into the gym when it is quiet during the day and more recently coming in when it is busy and all the "young people" are in the gym. And she is getting known by members very well!

I think she joined because she was bored. I hope she is a member for a long time - she adds so much life and value to the gym by having her in there so many days a week!