Offbeat Fitness Strategies for Winter

Keep active this season for more spring in your step come March

When the greens are covered with snow, June Zimmerman of Phillipsburg, N.J., takes her golf game inside to the Lehigh County Senior Center in Allentown, where there's a virtual golf simulator.

As the holiday bustle slows down and all you want is a good book and a cup of tea, it’s easy to neglect staying fit. Luckily, just 15 minutes of gentle exercise twice a day will make a big difference in an older adult’s health, says physical therapist Giselle Monosa-Hefele of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. Unsure how to do it during these cold winter months? Here are some fun, unique ways to keep moving and meet new people.

Go golfing in the snow—Keep your golf game up in inclement weather with virtual golf. Play alone or with a foursome at your choice of 26 video “courses.” Lehigh County Senior Center

Heat up the winter with salsa moves—Learn this Latin-inspired dance that gets your heart pumping for a true aerobic workout. Lehigh County Senior Center

Splish-splash the season away—Try the Top of the Hill co-ed swim class for those age 55-plus. It’s a moderate aqua workout including stretching, aerobic exercise and muscle toning. Allentown YMCA/YWCA

Be a child again—At the Senior Sport Outreach program you’ll rediscover bean bags, shuffleboard, badminton and wacky relays that’ll have you moving and laughing. Bethlehem Township Community Center

Let the music move you—Dance your way to a healthier you and make new friends with either ballroom or Latin-and-swing dance classes. Hanover Township Community Center

Tone up with table tennis—It may not be strenuous, but ping pong gets you on your feet, swinging your arms and away from TV. Lehigh County Senior Center

Sample ‘em all—Vary your routine with the Young at Heart program, offering a different class Monday through Friday including low-impact aerobics, balance and yoga. Hanover Township Community Center

Want to Know More about Lehigh and Northampton County locations that offer fun fitness activities? Click here. For ideas on how to get yourself moving, click on the link in the column on the right side of this page.

Simple Exercises to Do You Good
It’s easy to work these exercises into your day—you can even do them while listening to music or watching TV.

The ‘Balance Rock’—Using a chair back for support, gently rise on your toes and rock back on your heels 10 times, twice a day. “This strengthens your ankles,” says physical therapist Giselle Monosa-Hefele, “which aids balance and helps you stay upright if you’re jostled.”

Seated Push-up—Lift your buttocks off the chair seat by pushing on the arm rests with your hands and also using your leg muscles. This exercise strengthens arms and legs and makes it easier to get out of your favorite chair. Repeat 10 times, twice a day.

Shoulders Back!—“Proper posture helps keep you from falling,” Monosa-Hefele says. Pull your arms back, pinching your shoulder blades together. Hold for five seconds and relax. Repeat 10-15 times, twice a day.

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