Bianca Castro
Staying Fit at Any Age
By Bianca Castro	• Published July 9, 2019 • Updated on July 9, 2019 at 10:49 pm
Staying in shape isn't just for the young. It's for the young at heart too.
Whether it's you or your parents, so many baby boomers are hitting the gym, there's a demand in baby boomer personal trainers and the demand is fueling second careers for some.
As the women in a fitness class happening in a small Coppell gym will tell you, there's something about their 57-year-old personal trainer Lorraine Schray that is easy to connect with.
"I remember, one time in class, she mentioned having hot flashes. I was like, 'been there I understand!'" said Romy Jackson, a 55-year-old grandmother of two.
"She knows that I don't feel good all the time and she says, 'Denise, do it at your own pace,'" said Denise Johnson, 58-years-old.
Gywn Selby, 65-year-old double lung transplant recipient, also feels that finding a personal trainer in the same season of life is paramount.
"She really can understand what our needs are and I think that when they're younger, they see just their fitness!" said Selby.
According to fitness analysts at IHRSA, the number of gym members 55-years and older almost doubled from 2006 to 2016.
With that increase came new demand for trainers who understand joint issues, fall prevention and other needs of an aging body.
"We want to age and be able to move. We are young at heart!" said Lorraine Schray.
Schray said she's noticed the increase in, not just mature clients but people with stories like hers.
This is her second career after decades in the corporate world.
"I just ventured into the fitness industry, teaching classes, got myself certified," said Schray. "It's just something that we have to say, 'okay, this is a different chapter in my life and those 50 burpess aren't working for me anymore.' Neither do I want to do them and I'm okay with that."
It's a message she hears from others as more baby boomers are looking to live their best life possible as they redefine the phrase, 'you're only as old as you feel.'
The American Council on Exercise, which certifies thousands of personal trainers a year, reports the number of graduates over age 40 has doubled in recent years.
Bianca Castropersonal trainer