Today’s post-60 set is hanging tough and looking good, thanks to gyms, pools, hiking trails, and—who knew?—tango classes.

A group of seniors converges in the enormous hardwood-floor ballroom of the Emeryville Senior Center. They’re passing the time playing games of Connect Four at the long tables, or helping themselves to free pastries from the table at the side of the room. But these upbeat, chatty folks, ranging in age from 60 to 90, won’t be lounging for long. The truth is, they’re not here to relax; they’re here to tango.

Instructor Ivan Shvarts, 62, calls the class to order, and about two dozen students break away from the tables to form a circle around him. Shvarts is a small, lively man with a bushy silver mustache and a thick Russian accent. With his assistant, Sandra, he demonstrates today’s moves: a series of graceful twirls and dips. His students, gray though they may be, take to these dance steps instantly, ducking and lifting their partners with the energy of teens.

Marge Kan, a svelte Asian woman of 85, weaves between the dancers, clipboard in hand, looking for new attendees who haven’t yet added their names to the class email list. Kan has been studying tango with Shvarts since he began teaching at the center over a year ago. It’s not her only form of activity. Previously, she took ballroom dancing classes at the center, and she still participates in weekly chi gong and aerobics sessions.

“It’s good exercise,” she says. “At my age, if you don’t move, you lose it.”

That’s a sentiment that more and more older adults in the East Bay are coming to share. Students attend tango class for many reasons—for fun, for socializing, for the love of the dance—but one thing that they all get out of it is a good workout. Today’s seniors are more aware of the health benefits of regular exercise, but, more to the point, they’re unwilling to slow down and stop doing the things that they’ve enjoyed doing their entire lives.

“We’re living longer and working longer so we’re trying to stay active longer,” says Cindy Montero, manager of the Emeryville center. The center is the social hub for the city’s community of elders, where they can attend free Friday night events, take classes in Pilates, mah-jongg, or refresher driver safety, or participate in organized field trips to museums and fairs. It’s a place for people as young as 50 to stay involved, stay active, and defy sedentary stereotypes.

Seasoned stamina

Just in the past year, the center has seen an influx of “younger, more active seniors” who want to keep fit into their 70s and 80s, says Montero. Many are working far past the age that their parents retired, with lifestyles that require them to stay strong and mobile. Friday night, in particular, is a bustling time here, with the still-employed crowd streaming in to relax, unwind, and work out the kinks. And they’re not just interested in yoga and Pilates classes. Recently, the center purchased a Nintendo Wii, and folks are lining up to try their hand at virtual tennis and bowling.

“The baby boomers are setting the trend,” says Hailee Bland-Walsh, fitness director of the Berkeley YMCA. “They’re asking for a lot more, and they don’t see themselves as their parents did. At this age, their parents were getting ready to die. But they see this as a beginning, a time to take time as their own.”

There may be a temptation to slow down as we get older, but experts agree that old age is—perhaps surprisingly—the most important time to stay fit. “Some consider physical activity to be the great elixir,” says William Satariano, a professor of Epidemiology and Community Health at U.C. Berkeley who studies aging and exercise. “It’s associated with so many positive outcomes. People who exercise more have better moods and better physical and cognitive functions. It’s also associated with a reduced risk of some cancers, like colorectal cancer, and cardiovascular disease.”

That’s not all: A January 2009 study conducted at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory that followed approximately 31,000 runners for over seven years found that regular running reduced the risk of both cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Other studies have found lowered instances of diabetes in older men who maintained a vigorous exercise routine.

“There’s a bigger push now, with more and more residents exercising into an older age than in the past,” says Renee Sproles, program coordinator at St. Paul’s Towers, a retirement community in Oakland near Lake Merritt, who notes that more clients than ever before are now inquiring about exercise options. “A lot of those that weren’t exercising before have started. There’s more awareness of the benefits now, but there’s also a new generation of seniors. Their mentality is they can still do whatever they want to do even though they’re older. That’s not unique to here; we’ve seen it all over.”

Local workout

The East Bay offers plenty of choices for older adults looking to increase strength, lose weight, and stay active. The options run the gamut, from coach-led masters swimming workouts and workout sessions with personal trainers, to joint-sparing water aerobics and chair-based exercise classes. The 2009 National Senior Games held in San Francisco last summer, showcasing seasoned athletes whose specialties range from lawn bowling to triathalon, provided abundant evidence that our later decades need not be spent rocking on the porch.

But impressive examples like 95-year-old workout king Jack LaLanne (who opened his first health club in Oakland in 1936) notwithstanding, not everyone is able to stay in top physical form into their autumn years. And, in fact, many programs cater to less mobile seniors looking to get back on their feet after illness or surgery. Piedmont Gardens retirement community, for example, holds physical therapy sessions for residents looking to improve strength or balance. Program staff members often see people trying to recover from orthopedic injuries and common surgeries such as hip replacements, says rehabilitation director Ben Gerstein.

Older exercisers can also take advantage of special programs offered by area gyms and senior centers. Despite the name, local YMCAs and YWCAs don’t just cater to “young” people. The Berkeley YMCA, for example, offers senior strength training and aqua aerobics in a shallow heated pool, where the warm water helps soothe aches while protecting joints. Richmond’s Hilltop Family YMCA also provides aqua fitness classes, as well as yoga and tai chi for those with arthritis. A Y membership fee runs anywhere from $11 to $112 a month, depending on your age, and whether you purchase a single or a family membership.

Other programs are, in fact, geared to a more active crowd, those who want to stay in peak physical shape or keep fitting into their 501s. Various forms of dance are popular with vigorous types. The Berkeley Folk Dancing Society meets five days a week for beginning, intermediate, and advanced classes at Live Oak Park; an eight-week class costs $30. Senior centers in Oakland and Berkeley offer free ballroom dance classes in waltz and foxtrot.

“It’s great exercise and a great way to meet some wonderful people,” says Kan. “It’s also a way to stay looking good, and who doesn’t like to look good? If you don’t keep active, you get flabby.”

Ivan Shvarts’s tango philosophy—it’s an art that takes only a few lessons to learn but a lifetime to master—has made his class one of the most popular activities at the Emeryville Senior Center. He regularly leads classes of up to 50 people, twice the average class size at the center, and it’s one of the only dance classes that attracts as many men as women. (They like the excuse to press close to a lady, jokes Shvarts.)

“Everything they do is philosophy,” he says. “You must enjoy the moment of now; the next moment may never happen. You don’t have to look forward to mastery; every step has a melody and a joy. That’s why people are addicted to tango.” Shvarts’s tango tutoring is free for center members, $7 per class for others.

Shvarts points out that studies have linked dancing to a decrease in osteoporosis and dementia. Memorizing dance steps helps keep the mind sharp even as it tones the body. And there are positive emotional side effects, too.

“Tango does something to [the] brain,” he says. “In our culture, when you’re depressed—run to the psychiatrist, get on Prozac. But in tango, if you’re not happy, you can’t move. Some students began the classes very depressed and on medication, but the movement of tango has helped them to feel better.”

Interest is high enough that Shvarts is organizing a tango opera, with senior center students performing all the songs and dances.

Alma Vitanza, 79, a small woman with curly white hair, has been taking tango classes for six months. Now, she is starring in Shvarts’s opera, singing the narration, although she’s not much of a limelight seeker. Up until now, in fact, Vitanza, who was born in Honduras, has only sung for friends, but Shvarts has convinced her to share her talent—and her passion for tango—with an audience. “Tango is slow, like the moon, clouds across the sky,” she says. “It’s like poetry.”

Carry that weight

Dance isn’t the only way to stay active in your later years; Pilates, yoga, tai chi, and chi gong are popular low-impact exercise routines. And simply walking a few miles a day—an activity well-suited to our temperate climate—can have a noticeable impact on your health. Several local groups organize regular hikes in the many scenic regional and state parks ringing the East Bay. The Berkeley Hiking Club conducts hikes starting in downtown Berkeley, while the East Bay Casual Hiking Group takes more leisurely circuits through Lafayette and Mission Peak. The Sierra Club also offers senior hikes throughout northern California.

Ironically, many seniors avoid weight-bearing exercise like hiking, worrying that they are too fragile to take the strain. But while low-impact activities such as swimming and aqua aerobics certainly promote health, experts say they should be combined with weight-bearing activities like simple walking.

“As we age, we have to look out for our bodies,” says Megan Johnson, who owns a Curves fitness club franchise in San Lorenzo. The Curves chain caters exclusively to women, with a senior wellness program that includes free nutrition and weight management classes, and 30-minute circuit training. The workouts include weight-bearing exercise—which, Johnson says, “is important to prevent osteoporosis” (the debilitating and potentially risky decrease in bone mass that many post-menopausal women experience), yet are designed to be easy on joints, a bonus for those who suffer from ailments like fibromyalgia. Some forms of weight-bearing exercise, Johnson acknowledges, “can seem scary at first if you’ve only been doing aerobics, especially when you’re a little older.” But many women, she says, make a mistake by “mainly stick[ing] to cardiovascular routines—that won’t help increase bone density.”

Some would-be exercisers assume, mistakenly, that fitness classes are a luxury for the well-heeled, something out of an ordinary person’s financial reach. But while many gyms do charge annual membership fees, there are plenty of options for the senior on a budget. Some healthcare providers cover the cost of a Curves membership. At East Bay senior centers, many classes are free for members; non-members may be charged a nominal fee. East Bay hiking clubs get together to walk on park trails that are open to the public for free. And some churches and synagogues hold free exercise sessions for their congregations; for example, Berkeley’s Chinese Community Church conducts classes every Tuesday.

Working out may be intimidating at first, but the eventual results can be astounding.

“I’ve seen them come in walkers and canes,” says Jack Ball, 69, a fitness instructor at the Berkeley YMCA. “And I’ve seen them get out of their walkers and go without their canes. After you start working out, you’re able to move better, reach better, the whole way you live is better.”

For 33 years, Ball taught physical education at King Middle School in Berkeley. And after he retired, he continued to work out every day. “I love to exercise,” he says. For a while, he freelanced as a certified personal trainer, but it wasn’t for him—working around clients’ odd schedules was challenging, and he missed the feel of the classroom. Teaching at the Y, however, is a different story—it reminds him of gym class, and the group workouts and regular class schedules are comfortingly familiar. Ball’s commitment to keeping fit at nearly 70 is an inspiration for his students.

“He’s a triathlete, coach, cyclist, retired P.E. teacher,” says Bland-Walsh. “Half of the membership still calls him ‘Mr. Ball’ because they remember him from when he was their gym teacher.”

Ball believes that older people prefer a trainer closer to their own age. “I’ve had the same aches and pains that you have so I can understand,” he says. “It’s a lot different than working with junior high kids. The number one thing I’ve learned is: Don’t do jumping jacks, because of the pounding.” But, he says, mature exercisers are “also more open to trying new things than the kids were. Seniors will give anything a shot! And afterwards, they always say, ‘Thank you, Jack.’ Junior high kids never say that.”

Of course, older adults may simply be more appreciative because they—unlike young people in peak physical form—feel the positive effects of exercise more acutely. Not many teens know what it’s like to wake up feeling creaky and in need of a good stretch; their parents and grandparents are usually more clear on the concept. Still, Ball says, his students can be sticks-in-the-mud at first; they claim they’re too worn-out to move, or explain that they’re only in class because their doctor laid down the law. But the negative perspective doesn’t last long.

“What happens is that they come by and try it out for a little while,” says Ball. “And then they realize, ‘Hey, I’m starting to feel really good!’ My favorite thing to hear is, ‘[When] my grandkids start to run, now I can keep up with them!’ That’s something that could motivate anyone.”

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Mike Rosen-Molina is a frequent contributor to The Monthly. His work has also appeared in the East Bay Express, San Francisco Chronicle, and PBS Mediashift. He blogs at www.mikerosenmolina.com.

Fit as a Fiddle
Note: To go to the websites below, you can copy and paste them in your browser, or, in the digital edition, you can click on them directly.

24 Hour Fitness, 369 Sun Valley Mall, Concord, (925) 674-8412; www.24hourfitness.com. Visit website for all locations.
Absolute Center, 3658 Mt. Diablo Blvd., #101, Lafayette, (925) 299-9642; www.absolutecenter.net.
Alameda Athletic Club, 1226 Park St., Alameda, (510) 521-2001; alamedaathleticclub.com.
Albany YMCA, 921 Kains Ave., Albany, (510) 525-1130; www.baymca.org.
All in One Fitness, 1483 Solano Ave., Albany, (510) 524-1001; allinonefitnessinfo.com.
Berkeley Folk Dancing Society, 1301 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, (415) 412-2533; www.berkeleyfolkdancers.org.
Berkeley Hiking Club, P.O. Box 9762, Berkeley, (510) 548-0129; www.berkeleyhikingclub.pair.com.
Berkeley YMCA, 2001 Allston Way, Berkeley, (510) 848-9622; www.baymca.org.
Chinese Community Church, 2117 Acton St., Berkeley, (510) 548-5259; www.bccc-ucc.org.
Club One at City Center, 1200 Clay St., Oakland, (510) 895-1010; www.clubone.com. Visit website for all locations.
Curves, 1537 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, (510) 666-0904; www.curves.com. Visit website for all locations.
Downtown Oakland YMCA, 2350 Broadway, Oakland, (510) 451-9622; oakland.ymcaeastbay.org.
East Bay Casual Hiking Group, (925) 272-4321; hiking.bondon.com.
Emeryville Senior Center, 4321 Salem St., Emeryville, (510) 596-3730; www.ci.emeryville.ca.us.
Harbor Bay Club, 200 Packet Landing Road, Alameda, (510) 521-5414; www.harborbayclub.com.
Hilltop Family YMCA, 4300 Lakeside Drive, Richmond, (510) 222-9622; hilltop.ymcaeastbay.org.
Mariner Square Athletic Club, 2227 Mariner Square Loop, Alameda, (510) 523-8011; www.marinersq.com.
North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Ave., Berkeley, (510) 981-5190; www.ci.berkeley.ca.us.
Oakland Senior Centers; www.oaklandhumanservices.org/contact/
locations/seniorcenters.htm.
Oakwood Athletic Club, 4000 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette, (925) 283-4000; www.oakwoodathleticclub.com.
Open House Senior Center, 6500 Stockton Ave., El Cerrito, (510) 559-7677; www.el-cerrito.org/recreation/senior_center.html.
Sierra Club Seniors, 1500 West El Camino, Suite #13, Sacramento, (916) 557-1100 ext.119; motherlode.sierraclub.org/seniors/index.htm.