One of the benefits of getting old is the “fun” things you get for free. As a retiree on Medicare you get to attend the Silver Sneakers exercise classes at the YMCA as part of your health benefits as a means to keep health and wellness a priority. There are various classes and instructors to fit schedule and degree of difficulty to which you want to attain.

My first attempt was telling. I assumed I was too young and fit to attend with all these “old” people. Some are in their eighties for Pete’s sake! So I settled in and chose the much heavier hand weights since I will show them how it’s done! Turns out these folk really know how to do this stuff! My class instructor was just an old lady I thought. It turns out she is retired military and used to be a drill instructor- holy crap. I was cramping in 10 minutes – how do these geriatrics do this for 45 minutes? I didn’t know my body could squat like that. (Actually it can’t) I haven’t done some of these exercises since soccer camp in college! How do they keep those weights moving without putting them down? I need to change my hand weights please (I heard a ninety year old in the back yell “wuss”). What? You want me to jog while holding my weights and keeping count? Oh wait!? I have to put the ball around my waist and alternate through my legs while jogging?

One redeeming aspect of this class besides it being good for me is that it is done to some really cool music. It makes the time pass better and the pain less noticeable. Besides, exercising to oldies has its reward. Most in the classes know all the words of the Motown sets, the Four Seasons, Beatles, Righteous Bros, Michael Jackson etc. One old dude and I find ourselves singing along with no fear of embarrassment.

It reminds me of my college days when my good friend Jeff and I would quite often double date which usually required dinner somewhere cheap. Jeff and I would sometimes spontaneously break out into a duo of the Righteous Bros hit we grew up with, You’ve Lost That Lovin Feeling! The problem was Jeff and I had a bit of ham in us so we would stand up in our booth, stand on the seats and most likely even got up on a table once belting out the song in front of our dates and the whole restaurant. The diners usually just smiled (it was a simpler time) – they had probably seen this act before – besides he was the handsome dude who could really sing, but I held my own. I was more Robin to his Batman. By now our dates just took it in stride and rolled their eyes – they had seen this stuff before and all was well, in fact Jeff would eventually marry his date. So that was in ’68 / ’69 and now I am 68 and Jeff is 69. Life moves way too fast.

So now at every Silver Sneakers class when I do attend, I look forward to not only moving my ass for a change, but singing along to a lot of memories. Music has a way of putting us into space and time moments like nothing else can. I’m sure someday our grandchildren will break out into smiles or groans when they are 50 and suddenly hear a chorus of “Let It Go” from Frozen or “You’re Welcome” from Moana pop up on a music device unexpectedly. Right now I just have to figure out if I can pull out of this squat without hurting more than just my pride. And don’t get me started about the deep water aerobics class – I’ve seen mermaids cry!