The Better Than Nothing Club
The past couple of years I’ve lucked into this “never thought this would happen to me” position of teaching weightlifting to seniors at my local community center twice a week.
Really, I’m a glorified DJ/cheerleader. I get to “hold space” for them while they move through the various weight machines at set time intervals when a whistle sounds and I yell, “Rotate!”
Even with the whistle and me yelling my students don’t always rotate when it’s time. Maybe they don’t hear so well, or maybe it took them a while to get settled on the machine so the interval seems too short, or maybe they’re just wanting a higher-touch experience — either the person behind them or me to nudge them along gently or not so gently to the next machine and have some chat.
By no means are these people frail. Some of them are lifting serious weight. Some of them are pushing through major health issues and life issues. I regularly remind them (and myself) that we are the better than nothing club. Coming to class is the win. Anything we do is better than lying in bed eating nacho chips. They seem to like this perspective. Maybe they’re humoring me.
Sometimes my actual mother comes to class and if she’s holding up the flow from machine to machine I’ll just say, “move it along, Mom!” The class rises to her defense with boos and “hey’s!!!” — as if I’m a substitute teacher getting spitballed by a gang of 80-something hooligans. My mother really is one of the gabby-er students in a room full of gabbers and schmoozers. She knows I’m kidding, kind of. But also, let’s keep it moving, Mom.
In my class talking is allowed, sitting on the machines in contemplation is allowed, singing along to the doo wop hits is allowed, and marching, stretching, or just standing beside a machine or doing “toe yoga” is allowed.
My seniors give me thank you’s and compliments and seem willing to listen to almost anything I want to talk about for as long as I want to talk about it — Can they hear me? Maybe not. Does it matter? Clearly not.
When I grow up I want to be like my students. They show up, consistently, do whatever they are willing and able to do, and seem to feel pretty good about it most of the time. They’re kind to each other, they take turns, they welcome newbies, and they know how to have a good time. I’m gonna keep going.
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