Many options are available for those committed to getting fit.


LOWCOUNTRY


WORKING OUT IN THE


photo cour tesy of MUSC Magill Vision Center T


ODAY’S BABY BOOMERS have replaced the rocking chair with the Nautilus machine and whittlin’ on


the front porch with whittlin’ down the waistline. In fact, older men and women across America are


BY BILL FARLEY


working hard to become the healthi- est, most active generation in history.


stretches north of one out of every three gym members. If you’re a baby boomer yourself,


you might not find these figures surprising. Americans reaching retirement age and finding them- selves with fewer demands on their time are taking advantage of their freedom to focus on living long, healthy and active lives. Many fitness


clubs and gyms are acknowledging this influx of health- conscious boomers by tailoring special programs to their unique workout needs. These include walking, low-impact aerobics, wa- ter aerobics


According to the International


Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, membership in gyms and health clubs nationwide by men and women who have passed the age of 55 increased by an in- credible 314 percent from 1995 to 2005. Add in the slightly younger boomers between 45 and 55, and this group of active athletes


and chair aerobics, as well as dance exercise and specialized resistance training machines designed to place less stress on muscles and joints. All this is evident


throughout South Carolina’s Lowcountry, where health fa- cilities have proliferated. The nearly 100 separate clubs in


photo by Norman LoRusso EastCooperBui lders.com | ILoveMountPleasant .com | EastCooperReal tors.net


the Charleston area offer everything from traditional weight training and exercise classes to yoga, Pilates and the martial arts. Different as they are, they share a common thread: All are heavily populated with physically fit


“... at least 20 health clubs offer a wide range of


programs and activities ...”


baby boomers, many of whom train midday, when their younger col- leagues are in school or at work. Two hotbeds of baby boomer


fitness, 30 miles apart, have devel- oped in the Lowcountry. In the East


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