Easy Does It!
By Amy Bertrand
POST-DISPATCH HEALTH & FITNESS EDITOR
01/09/2006

Most fitness videos target either the avid exerciser or someone wanting to try something new. Few, if any, actually target older adults. But here's one that does, and it does it successfully.

St. Louis trainer Craig Marcacci developed the workout in "Easy Does It!" with the help of geriatrics experts. It's designed for those 75 and up; Marcacci says his students include people as old as 98.

The workout is a no-impact strength and flexibility training workout. There is no aerobic component here; instead, Marcacci makes it his goal to help seniors regain strength and maintain a full range of motion.

"Any impact is too much impact," says Marcacci, who leads a group of 20 or so students through the workout in the video. The idea is to eliminate the risk of injury by avoiding impact or quick movements, which may cause older adults to miss a step or strain muscles.

The video begins with a four-minute stretch. Marcacci follows that with about five minutes of standing exercises such as hamstring curls and calf raises.

For the next portion you sit in a chair (his students use basic folding chairs) and use dumbbells (1, 2 or 3 pounds) to work the upper body. After about 12 minutes in the chair, you are back up for some more standing exercises.

Marcacci finishes the workout, which lasts slightly more than 30 minutes, with more stretching.

Marcacci is a good instructor. He's obviously very knowledgeable, and he seems to care for his students. He's not condescending and yet he doesn't talk to his quiet group as if they are a bunch of jocks.