Fit Over 50: Fitness coach is making exercise accessible across the nation

RALEIGH, N.C. — Whether or not you step into Jenny McClendon’s health class in individual or just about, you will be greeted with encouragement and music that can preserve you shifting. 

Whereas McClendon’s class, Match Over 50, is focused for ladies ages 65 and up, everyone seems to be welcome. 

McClendon is a bodily therapist that started educating cardio train lessons at age 17. 

“I simply fell in love with figuring out and educating lessons and developed into extra of a love for serving to others,” McClendon stated. 

In 2008, she started educating Match Over 50 at her church in Raleigh. 

“We incorporate issues to enhance their stability, issues to enhance their bone power, their muscular power, issues which can be secure and applicable,” stated McClendon. 

Her in-person lessons got here to a quick halt when the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered companies throughout the nation. However her members had been nonetheless desperate to exercise. 

In March 2020, McClendon grew to become a family title for seniors throughout the nation when she started posting her health movies on-line. 

“The subsequent factor I knew, it simply acquired hundreds of thousands of views, so it simply was actually thrilling to achieve out to folks from everywhere in the world, and from there, it simply progressed into type of a full time job and membership group and a method that we’re all connecting,” McClendon stated. 

Each Tuesday, McClendon hosts a live-chat and dwell class on her YouTube channel, Jenny Match Begin, the place her members can do dwell exercises together with her from anyplace within the nation. She additionally posts movies that individuals can entry at anytime of the day without spending a dime. 

“The thought is we’re doing the identical kind of issues that they did once they had been youthful, however we simply have a special emphasis,” McClendon stated. 

The Facilities For Illness Management and Prevention suggest folks ages 65 and as much as train a minimum of half-hour day by day to assist enhance their high quality of dwell and proceed to dwell independently. 

“It is nice for inexperienced persons, however it’s actually nice for seniors and I believe they really feel actually secure with me,” stated McClendon. 

Lisa Giles has been taking McClendon’s lessons since she began educating in 2008. Giles was recognized with osteoporosis, a situation that weakens bones and may trigger them to simply fracture. 

“A number of years in the past, I had a name one night from my doctor and he was very excited as a result of I had a bone density take a look at and it confirmed enchancment over my earlier take a look at and that is very uncommon with osteoporosis,” Giles stated. 

Giles says her osteoporosis was lowered to a analysis of osteopina, a much less extreme type of the situation. 

“It is a main a part of my life. Currently I’ve just about stayed steady and I actually credit score to the truth that I’ve continued to work out with Jenny to construct the muscle and the bone density,” Giles stated. 

McClendon began working with seniors whereas she was in faculty. 

“There’s one thing very inspiring about them and motivating. You understand, they are saying that about me, that I inspire them, however to me it is the precise reverse,” McClendon stated. 

In October, McClendon held a health retreat for her members in Italy. She might be holding a health Jamboree this April in Wilmington.