Keep it Moving! Fitness for older adults
What if I told you that, as an older adult health seeker, one of your best bets to consistently stay with an exercise program is a 27 year-old farmer’s son from Hector, Minnesota? Read on.
Deron Buboltz is an athlete in his own right, having participated in football, wrestling and track in high school and college. Always interested in improving his own performance and that of his teammates, it was a natural for him to study Sports Medicine in college.
After graduating from the University of Minnesota, Deron worked as a Wellness Director at a local hospital, where he spent three years working with people recovering from surgery and illness. It was this experience that showed him a path to creating a business.
“Working with so many people,” he says, “I realized quickly that there was a need for good exercise programs. Even the big companies often neglect the real principles of wellness, focusing only on results and short term fixes that are not going to do anybody any good. I knew I could take my knowledge and create something that would help people over the course of time to adopt the habits of being healthy. Knowing it can’t be done in just a few weeks, I knew it needed to be a long term approach to wellness.”
Deron spent considerable time designing a program specifically for older adults. He teamed up with with a college friend, building a web site around a simple idea: offer people easy, accessible exercise workouts they can do in the comfort of their own homes.
Calling their program “Grow Young Fitness,” the two began creating videos, with Deron demonstrating the routines and friend Jeff behind the camera. They film in a comfortable living room setting, and almost all the exercises are done from a seated position.
The business plan is ingenious; a beginner’s course, consisting of a complete set of workout videos, is offered at no cost. There are also bonus videos, focusing on arthritis, knees and more. After that, participants are invited to join what they call the Founder’s Program, which gives members access to dozens of workouts, ideas for healthy eating, special segments on sciatica, core strength, shoulders, and more.
The success of the program is in no small part due to Deron’s contagious enthusiasm and apple-pie charm. But it is built on a sound foundation. Each workout begins with a warm-up, moving after a few minutes into exercises appropriate for the target audience, and then ending with stretches and a cool-down period. Deron reminds his viewers to stay hydrated, including a mid-point break to get a sip of water (he gets one too). The sessions end with a short relaxation exercise featuring a clip of a tranquil scene at a lakefront or field as Deron’s voice leads his viewers in a brief deep breathing meditation session.
The response has been heartwarming for Deron and Jeff. Thousands of men and women have signed on, joining the two in a Facebook Live event every Monday evening — where Deron’s mom makes an occasional appearance. Members also connect with one another through the private Facebook community. Friendships have formed, with the members supporting each other, sharing ideas and especially cheering their success.
It should be mentioned that there is a section of the site for those members who are not as web-savvy, helping them to learn the very simple navigation methods or troubleshoot any problems that arise. Also, and maybe best of all, members are given several price options, allowing those on a low or fixed income to access the same program as everyone else at a lower cost.
How does he keep up the constant positive spirit? “The enthusiasm comes from helping so many people,” he answers. “Every day I wake up knowing I have made a difference in at least one person’s life — and maybe hundreds, or even thousands. That drive is what keeps the whole thing going! It is an exciting challenge for me. I think the positivity I am able to pass on to others is what keeps everyone on their toes with new and exciting releases. There is always something new in the works.”
The tag line, “Keep it moving!” with which he ends each video is endearingly heartfelt. The results his members report — better balance, more energy, weight loss — are real, and knowing that he really believes in what he is doing makes it a pleasure to return to the workouts again and again.
