There are many wonderful fitness instructors in Woodbury. Meet six, all over the age of 60, who inspire their students to move and have fun through a variety of classes, including tai chi, boot camp and hot yoga.
Debbie Heacox, 62
Teaches strictly strength, triple cardio and high intensity interval training at Woodbury Life Time Fitness.
How did you get your start?
I played high school basketball, volleyball, track and golf; volleyball, basketball, track and field, softball and cross country in college, and I was also a cheerleader. Since then, I’ve participated in marathons and triathlons, golf and hockey leagues, broomball and have taught fitness classes for 38 years.
What do you enjoy the most?
Meeting new people and watching others achieve their fitness goals. I love being a part of their fitness journey and have made many wonderful friends.
Words of advice for someone just starting out?
Find an exercise that you love to do. Make exercise a routine—until it becomes a habit.
Go-to moves
Various forms of squats and burpees.
Soundtrack
I listen to all kinds of music while working out. I especially like music with a strong, loud beat.
Snack
After workouts, I love a handful of peanuts and chocolate milk.
Day-off indulgences
I love to sleep in, read, watch movies, go out to lunch or take the dog for a long walk.
Mantra
Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.
Merilee Inman, 69
Teaches boot camp, body bump, cardio kickboxing, tabata, family fitness and active older adult classes (forever well cardio, forever well strength, silver sneakers) at the Woodbury Y.
How did you get your start?
I’ve always been active; I started taking fitness classes 40 years ago. In my 50s I started tap dancing, took flamenco this past year and ballet on/off most of my life.
What do you enjoy most?
Helping to create a feeling of community in my classes. Seeing people actually enjoy moving/exercising and telling me, “I never knew working out could be fun!”
Words of advice for someone just starting out?
Go easy on yourself and expect to get sore. Give yourself permission to put yourself on your “to do” list; it’s a gift to your family, as well as to yourself.
Go-to moves
Pushups and squats (and all the myriad of variations for them).
Soundtrack
The Four Tops, Temptations, O’Jays, Pointer Sisters, Donna Summer, Fleetwood Mac, Bon Jovi, Prince, Michael Jackson, Rolling Stones, Village People.
Snack
Pizza, peanut butter toast, toasted bagel with cream cheese or melted cheese, scrambled eggs, Boom Chicka sweet
and salty kettle corn, Milky Ways.
Day-off indulgences
Spending time in my robe and slippers, reading the newspaper on my deck, savoring home-brewed coffee with jam on toasted bakery bread.
Mantra
No act of kindness is ever wasted. (Aesop)
Ken Schweiger, 69
Teaches hot yoga and hot power fusion at Woodbury Corepower Yoga.
How did you get your start?
I began teaching eight years ago. I finished my corporate career and needed to stay active; lower back pain from playing competitive golf got me started on yoga as a solution. Pain-free now!
What do you enjoy most?
The people I get to teach from all ages and backgrounds, and seeing their progress over time.
Words of advice for someone just starting out?
Do the best you can, keep proper alignment, sit down and take a break if needed and most of all, have fun.
Go-to moves
Hot yoga is a complete body workout and de-stressor which provides many benefits to your body, is wonderful for maintaining good balance and is very muscle and joint friendly. Being older, the heat greatly aids flexibility.
Soundtrack
I prefer either silence or non-vocal soundtracks. I want people to be conscious and aware of their movements.
Snack
A good fruit smoothie. I also like sea salt and vinegar chips, but not too often.
Day-off indulgences
You’ll find me on the golf course or riding my bike.
Mantra
You’re never too old, never too bad, never too late and never too sick to start from the scratch once again. (Bikram)
Nancy Olker, 68
Teaches pilates mat, pilates ARC, barre, cardio pilates and trigger point at Energy Pilates Fitness and Yoga in Woodbury.
How did you get your start?
My fitness background comes from the dance community; I was artistic director and co-owner of Downtown Dance Center in Lowertown St. Paul until 1986. Over the years I have taught ballet, jazz, modern dance, preschool movement, lots of different aerobics formats and pilates.
What do you enjoy most?
I love our students and being part of their fitness journey. To see them get stronger, more flexible and just have fun moving is awesome.
Words of advice for someone just starting out?
Just start. We are fortunate at Energy Pilates as we have lots of different types of movement classes, and we offer modifications in every class if a student needs help to make the exercise more successful.
Go-to moves
Pilates—having a strong core helps support your back, particularly your lower back, which is so important as we age.
Soundtrack
Lots of diverse types of music, from George Benson to Gloria Estefan to Imagine Dragons to Lindsey Stirling to Ola Gjeilo. And of course you can never have too much Journey.
Snack
Sweet and spicy almonds and Red Mountain Spa’s recipe for multigrain nutrition bars.
Day-off indulgences
I love to bike and/or hike. I’m also a watercolor artist so painting is a must for me.
Mantra
Momentum is not a muscle group. If it was easy, we’d call it football.
Paul Ryberg, 74
Teaches tai chi at the Woodbury Y.
How did you get your start?
I started doing tai chi after being diagnosed with heart failure. I can’t do high-stress exercises, but tai chi is like dancing—I can do this. Teaching others helps me better understand tai chi and, as the instructor, I have to go to class.
What do you enjoy most?
Students are the greatest part of the experience; they are positive, cheerful, friendly and they support each other.
Words of advice for someone just starting out?
Don’t expect perfection right away. You’ll be fine.
Go-to moves
Cloud hands and qigong hand exercises.
Soundtrack
Gentle meditation music.
Snack
Brownies, or whatever my students have brought to enjoy after class.
Day-off Indulgences
A walk, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, an art fair, Dunn Brothers Coffee.
Mantra
When my students say “I can move now,” “I don’t hurt so much,” “My blood pressure is down,” “This helps by PTSD”—that’s my inspiration.
Tatjana Zemcuznikov, 68
Teaches yoga – a way of life at UpLift Guided Fitness for Women in Woodbury.
How did you get your start?
My father was a medical doctor; people brought their woes and expected him to “fix” them. I vowed to do all I could to help people . . . take control/change their health. I studied hatha yoga, medical chi gong, tai chi, meditation, energy medicine (feng shui, charka system, healing touch).
What do you enjoy most?
Helping people 1) regain range of motion, fullness of breath and proper posture that we lose as we age and as gravity takes its toll, 2) connect to their inner wisdom and 3) remember the innate healing power that resides within each of us.
Words of advice for someone just starting out?
If you don’t take the time to be well today, you’ll have to take the time to be ill tomorrow.
Go-to moves
Yoga moves that open/lubricate joints, twists/bends for the spine, keeping up with my dog on walks.
Soundtrack
My breath, Bach, Beethoven, the Beatles, Kobialka, just plain silence.
Snack
Raw organic nuts; any fresh, seasonal, local organic fruits or veggies.
Day-off indulgences
Reading, hiking, biking, walking, kayaking or just hanging out in nature.
Mantra
Any day your feet hit the ground is a good day.
