Silver Sneakers is a fitness program via medicare designed to help older adults participate for free in local gyms, classes, and even some online video workouts. It's a great deal and provides incentives to take care of your health in an exercise setting. However, there's some things to consider with your Silver sneaker's program:
1: Silver Sneakers is not going to customize a fitness program for you.
Got bad balance? Got any orthopedic issues? Unsure as to what to do in the gym? Silver Sneakers isn't designed to personally train or coach you to success. Yes, they may offer some in-person classes and the instructor might be able to give you a pointer or two, but those classes are generic and may not be the best fit for your goals or current fitness level.
2: Silver Sneakers isn't an appropriate comparison to a personal trainer.
A personal trainer works with you as an individual to identify your goals, challenges, strengths, weaknesses, aches, and pains in a fitness program. Silver Sneakers just gives you "access" to a $30 a month gym membership for Free. Again, it's a nice incentive but when we're talking about your balance, strength, stamina, and overall physical ability to enjoy life, but it's not going to give you any customization or address any of your personal concerns in a hollistic, continuing basis.
3: A Quality Personal Trainer is an investment in your health.
Your health should be seen as an investment, not just an expense. When you work with a personal trainer, you're not only getting effective workouts designed specifically for you, but you're getting the accountability and the challenge you need to prepare for the life you want to live in the next 5-10 years.
If you're willing to make the investment, a personal trainer is worth it compared to the "freebie" of Silver Sneakers. Here at Inner Strength Fitness, our professionals are "more than just personal trainers," we are specialists who know how to help you, the age 50+ individual accomplish your goals and do so in a safe, boutique, professional environment.
