Eight years ago, Charlie Hughes’ granddaughter bragged about completing several pushups in her middle school physical education class. This led to her challenging the 69-year-old to a push-up competition. However, Hughes was shocked when he couldn’t complete one.
“I was on top of my weight and I knew I needed to do something,” Hughes said. “I just wanted to get my physical strength back because there is no excuse for not having strength.”
In 2012, Charlie retired from working in social services at Liberty Hospital. Two years later, he learned that the hospital’s sports medicine clinic was offering fitness classes for adults. He summoned the courage to go one day, then another. Soon he started attending class three times a week.
“I was nervous the first time I attended a class at Liberty Sports Medicine Hospital; the group did a 10-minute warm-up, and I thought that was the program,” Hughes laughed.
Although Hughes underwent meniscus repair in both knees, the pain returned in one case which led to the doctor recommending a knee replacement. After attending adult fitness classes, Hughes found that the exercise helped him and the pain disappeared, so a knee replacement was no longer necessary.
Over time, Hughes lost 15 pounds and gained muscle mass. Now at 77, he says he can do things he wasn’t able to do at 18 or 25.
Hughes says that being part of an adult fitness class is motivating, and that other participants encourage him to keep attending. He credits coach Taylor Earl with helping him build core strength and said the small group setting allows participants to feel like they have a personal trainer.
“Not only does Coach Earl provide a lot of positive stimulation, he monitors everyone involved in the class and provides corrections so we can learn to do the exercises safely,” Hughes said.
“There is absolutely no pressure. Everyone comes with their own level of fitness, and the coaches start working with them there. It feels unbelievably great to get a little better each time, and it motivates me to keep coming back.”
A few years ago during spring break in San Antonio, Texas, Hughes and his granddaughter were walking along the river at night in the dark when he got off the pier and lost his balance. With good core strength, he recovered and regained his balance. Hughes believes that without her he would have likely fallen and broken his hip.
Today, his granddaughter is studying second grade and she works out regularly.
“She might still have been able to hit me with push-ups,” he laughed. “But I’m in better shape now than I was before, and that feels great.”
Liberty Hospital Sports Medicine offers many fitness classes for adults over 18 as well as functional fitness classes for seniors or adults who may not be physically able to participate in a traditional exercise class. To learn more about the classes, call 407-2315 or visit www.libertyhospital.org. Clay County residents over 60 can get a discount for any adult fitness class.
