Active Seniors Exercise Programs

Senior Center Walking Club 

Do you want to walk outdoors but don’t want to walk alone? Beginning Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 10:30 a.m., area seniors are invited to join the Senior Center Walking Club.  You can join at any time and it is free. You can make new friends and enjoy the lovely park.  Senior Center Walking Club participants will be walking through Columbian Park every Tuesday & Thursday at 10:30 a.m. as a group starting and finishing at the Senior Center at Jenks Rest. Senior Center staff and volunteers will be leading the walks.  Wear comfortable clothes and good walking shoes. Always check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program or if you are not a regular walker. AARP will donate walking pedometers for the first 30 people to join the club and walk.  On October 30^th all participants will be awarded a certificate of completion. Perfect attendees will receive a free meal from Subway.  Transportation to and from the Senior Center available by calling Care-A-Van at 449-1117 at least 48 business hours ahead.   A noon meal at the Senior Center is available Monday through Friday to those who call in a reservation at least a day in advance.  For more information or to sign up, please call the Senior Center front desk at 447-2311 ext. 200. 

Check out this link to Journal & Courier article about our first walk. http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008807030301

YMCA Exercise

YMCA Exercise is ongoing and meets from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Senior Center at Jenks Rest in Columbian Park. The class is open to area seniors. Participants can join anytime and each session is 6 weeks long with a week break in between.

The cost is $35.00 for 18 classes or $2.50 per class. Punch cards are available at the Senior Center so there is no charge if a class is missed. Participants are asked to sign up and pay for their classes in advance of the start of the class.

The class involves 30 minutes of low impact floor aerobics with a proper warm up and cool down for seniors.  Then the last 30 minutes involve muscle work with bands, weights, Swiss balls and Pilates rings.  Then they follow up with a senior oriented stretch.  They do not do the same workout every time and they switch equipment around. 

Due to small class size, participants get individualized attention not afforded by larger classes. We encourage a lot of laughing and friendship within the class as well.  It is a great socialization time for participants.  We also encourage a lot of functional fitness, meaning more stability to do everyday tasks and balance.

This valuable class can lower blood pressure and blood sugars, strengthen bones, lower risk of falling, strengthen heart and blood flow, lessen senility, reduce arthritis pain, improve stamina, sharpen mental awareness and provides a pleasant environment for mood enhancement.

You will need a doctors release form to participate in these classes. Seniors must sign a medical release and fitness evaluations are also available a few times a year.

Chair Exercise

Chair exercises involve doing stretching and movement while seated.  At the Senior Center, you are seated in front of a big screen TV with a video instructor Susan Halter M.D. from Lutheran Hospital in LaCross.  We do Level I "Swing into Shape" which our seniors enjoy.  There is no cost for these sessions which are held Tuesday and Thursdays from  11:00 - 11:30 a.m.  You don't have to sign up, just come on time and join in. Your donations are always welcome.

For more information, email Jackie Shipp, call 447-2311 or visit the Senior Center

Send mail to alison@tippecanoeseniors.org with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 08/05/08