Aging well includes your ability to move with confidence, maintain independence, and avoid injuries and pain. At the center of your body’s ability to do all these things, quite literally, is your core.

“Your core is so much more than just ‘abs,’” says Kelly Hegarty, CPT, Dynamic Personal Trainer at Life Time in St. Paul, Minn., with more than 20 years of experience. “The core forms the foundation for nearly every movement we make, and encompasses the muscles of the spine, pelvis, hip joints, and abdomen. These muscles work together to stabilize the trunk, maintain posture, and transfer force between the upper and lower body during just about any movement.

“As we age, core strength becomes even more important as weakness in these muscles can lead to poor posture, back pain, difficulty moving, and increased fall risk,” she adds. “A strong core helps keep the body upright, resilient, and functional. Most importantly, a strong, stable core allows you to safely enjoy the activities you love — like gardening, traveling, or playing with grandchildren — while reducing the fear of falls or injuries.”

To help you keep this entire muscle group strong, Hegarty created the following core-training workout that you can add to your exercise rotation.

“Older adults can benefit from two to four sessions per week of focused core training, in addition to general exercise like walking and strength training,” she says. “These sessions can be short and integrated into your regular workouts — just 10 minutes of targeted core work can make a huge difference.”

1. Glute Bridge

“Although this move primarily focuses on the glutes, strengthening these muscles supports pelvic alignment while also engaging your lower back and abdominals to stabilize your trunk,” Hegarty explains.

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet hip width apart on the floor.
• Press through your heels to lift your hips until your shoulders, hips, and knees form a straight line.
• Squeeze your glutes as you lift, then lower slowly.
• Throughout the movement, draw your belly button in and keep your spine in a neutral position (don’t arch to achieve a higher bridge).
• Repeat for 12 to 20 reps.

Note: To progress, hold a dumbbell or kettlebell at the hip with your hands or try a single-leg variation.

2. Bird-Dog

“This exercise is great for cross-body stability — it builds strength in the lower back while engaging your abs and glutes,” says Hegarty. “It also allows you to work on balance and body control in a safe, low-impact position.”

• Start on all fours in a quadruped position with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
• Extend one arm forward as you send the opposite leg back (for example, bring your right arm forward and left leg back). Keep your hips level and core tight as you avoid arching your back.
• Hold briefly, then switch sides (bring your left arm forward as you bring your right leg back) while keeping your spine neutral and moving your pelvis as little as possible.
• Repeat for 8 to 12 reps on each side.

3. Incline Plank

“This exercise helps build deep abdominal strength while also engaging your shoulders, glutes, and back for full-body stability,” says Hegarty. “Plus, it supports spinal alignment and posture.”

• Stand and face a knee-height bench, box, or chair.
• Place your hands on the edge of the surface, about shoulder width apart. Keeping your shoulders directly over your wrists and arms straight, walk your feet back until you form a straight line from your head to your shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles.
• Keep your lower back flat, engage your core, and pull your shoulders away from your ears.
• Hold this position for one set of 20 seconds to one minute, making sure not to pike or sink your hips.

Note: As you get stronger, you can slowly lower the inclined surface until you reach the floor to do a traditional plank with proper form.

4. Side Plank

“This move targets the obliques, which stabilize the spine and hips and are often neglected in traditional core work,” Hegarty says. “Strengthening these muscles helps build a solid foundation for daily activities like bending, twisting, and carrying.”

• Lie on one side with your forearm on the floor directly under your shoulder and feet stacked on top of each other.
• Keep your bottom knee down as you lift your hips off the floor so your body forms a straight line.
• Hold for one set of 20 seconds to one minute, keeping your core tight, belly button drawn in, and hips lifted.

Note: To make this more challenging, lift your bottom knee off the ground and hold both legs in a straight line. To make it even more challenging, raise your top foot three inches as you hold your plank.

5. Pallof Press

“The Palloff press is a powerful anti-rotation exercise, meaning it teaches the core to resist twisting and builds functional stability for everyday carrying, pushing, lifting,” Hegarty says.

• Anchor a resistance band (or a D handle if using a cable machine) at shoulder height and stand with your left shoulder pointed toward the anchor point and feet at least shoulder width apart.
• Grasp the band with both hands at chest level and step far enough from the anchor point to create light tension on the band.
• Brace your core and then press the band straight away from your chest until your arms are fully extended. With control, return the band to your chest.
• Repeat for 12 to 20 reps.
• Turn your body so your right side is facing the anchor point and repeat for 12 to 20 reps.

6. Dead Bug

“This exercise strengthens the transversus abdominis and engages and builds endurance in your deep spinal stabilizer muscles,” says Hegarty. “It’s great for motor control and overall coordination.”

• Lie on your back and extend your arms and legs into the air: Your arms will be straight over your chest; your knees will be bent at about 90 degrees.
• Keep your head on the floor with your neck in a neutral position.
• Engage your core, drawing your ribs down and pressing your lower back into the floor. Extend one leg to straighten it while dropping the opposite-side arm overhead. Reverse and repeat on the opposite side.
• Actively flex your feet throughout the movement. Do not lower your heels all the way to the floor. Extend and lower your legs only as far as possible without arching your lower back.
• Alternate sides, drawing your knee in only to hip level, not all the way to your chest.
• Repeat for 8 to 12 reps on each side.

Note: To make this more challenging, start with your knees a few inches farther from your chest. To make it less challenging, bring your knees closer to your chest and/or reduce the range of motion of your arms and legs.

As we age, we naturally lose muscle and some bone density, both of which are critical for avoiding injury and keeping our bodies strong and functioning well. Most of us are aware of the power of resistance training as a protective measure — but how about the added advantage of taking your strength efforts to a vibration plate?

“Regular activity and strength training is critical for living a long, healthy life,” says Jeromy Darling, Dynamic Personal Trainer at Life Time Highland Park in St. Paul, Minn. “To combat and overcome many of the health challenges that come with age-related bone and muscle loss, I highly recommend including training on a vibration plate as part of a healthy-aging routine.”

A vibration plate is a vibrating platform that moves in three directions: up and down, side to side, and front to back. The harmonic vibrations move between 25 to 50 times per second, resulting in corresponding muscle activation.

“Interestingly, astronauts who spend any time in zero-gravity space face a similar problem as aging bodies with shrinking muscles and bones,” Darling explains. “This is why NASA, in the early 90s, implemented regular whole-body vibration (WBV) therapy for all its astronauts to help repair and restore their muscles and bones. The results were so stunning that colleges began using the technology to enhance recovery and performance for their athletes.”

Why Perform Vibration Plate Exercises?

Exercising on a vibration plate can engage more muscle fibers than performing the same workout on a stable surface, according to Darling. The vibrating surface forces your body to fight against regular gravity and vibrations, causing this increased activation — along with other benefits. “These vibrations can also enhance circulation, support muscle recovery, [and greater calorie burn].”

How Often Should I Do Vibration Plate Exercises?

Darling recommends using the vibration plate every day, if you can, noting that using it for 10 to 15 minutes is a good starting point. “Consistent use can yield tremendous results for weight loss, muscle gain, and recovery,” he shares. “It can also benefit our proprioception — the body’s ability to sense its own position — which enables us to be aware of our movements and actions and maintain better balance and coordination.”

If you’re not able to use the vibration plate daily, Darling says that even using it two to three times per week can be helpful.

8 Vibration Plate Exercises

Here, Darling demonstrates eight moves you can add to your routine using the Power Plate (vibration plate).

For those who are new to this piece of equipment, start on a low setting — think, level one or two, or vibration level 30 to 35 low. Remember to keep your joints in an active position throughout the exercise.

1. Bicep Curls

• Turn on the Power Plate machine to desired setting.
• Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
• Hold one dumbbell in each hand with arms at your sides and palms facing forward.
• Keeping your upper arms stable and tight to your torso, bend your elbows and raise the weights to your shoulders.
• Reverse the movement with control to lower the weights.
• Repeat for three sets of 10 reps with 30 seconds of rest between each set.

2. Shoulder Press

• Turn on the Power Plate machine to desired setting.
• Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Hold the dumbbells near your shoulders with your palms forward.
• Press both dumbbells straight overhead while keeping your feet grounded. Activate your abdominal muscles to maintain neutral posture and lower-spine stability.
• Reverse the movement with control.
• Repeat for three sets of 10 reps with 30 seconds of rest between each set.

3. Squats

• Turn on the Power Plate machine to desired setting.
• Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your knees and lower into a squat position.
• Stand back up, squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement.
• Repeat for three sets of 10 reps with 30 seconds of rest between each set.

4. Calf Raises

• Turn on the Power Plate machine to desired setting.
• Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
• Shift your weight to the balls of your feet, lifting your heels off the surface. Rise up onto your tiptoes, going as high as possible.
• Lower back down to the starting position.
• Continue to move straight up and down without letting your body sway.
• Repeat for three sets of 10 reps with 30 seconds of rest between each set.

5. Toe Taps

• Turn on the Power Plate machine to desired setting.
• Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
• Extend your right leg behind you as you bend your left leg just enough to touch your right hand to your left foot.
• Return to the standing position.
• Complete for 10 reps total, then repeat on the left side.
• Repeat for three sets on each side, with 30 seconds of rest between each set.

6. Single-Leg Half Squat

• Turn on the Power Plate machine to desired setting.
• Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
• Holding onto the bar of the Power Plate with your right hand for balance, extend your right leg behind you, bearing your weight on your left foot to lower into a half-squat.
• Return to standing position, keeping your back leg bent until you reach the top.
• Complete 10 reps total, then repeat on the left side.
• Repeat for three sets on each side, with 30 seconds of rest between each set.

7. Plank

• Turn on the Power Plate machine to desired setting.
• Place your palms and forearms flat on the platform with your legs extended behind you and back flat in a plank position.
• Hold for three sets of 30 seconds with 15 seconds reset between each set.

8. Pushups

• Turn on the Power Plate machine to desired setting.
• Place your palms flat on the platform with your legs extended behind you in a high-plank position.
• Slowly lower down into a pushup position until your chest almost touches the Power Plate platform.
• Slowly raise back up into a high-plank position.
• Repeat for three sets of 10 reps with 30 seconds of rest between each set.

I’ll never forget the time my husband decided he was going to move like a kid again. He had taken our two boys to a kid’s birthday party at an inflatable obstacle course and, without thinking twice, ­proceeded to join in and attempt a jump from one giant bouncy ball to another.

I was not at the party, but I soon learned the outcome of his exuberance: I received a call informing me he was in the ER with a fractured and dislocated shoulder.

As enticing as those oversize red balls looked, there’s a reason my ­husband was the only parent playing at the party. For many adults, running, jumping, or swinging with abandon is not only intimidating but also risky. Our ­mature bodies typically lack the stamina, mobility, and strength-to-bodyweight ratio of their childhood counterparts. That can make the prospect of revisiting ­“children’s ­activities” — sprinting, climbing, jumping rope, crossing monkey bars, and more — feel daunting. As a result, the well-intentioned advice to “just move like a kid” ­becomes easy to ignore.

Yet playful movement can be incredibly beneficial for adults. Even my husband — now fully recovered — is still a believer. Play has been shown to relieve stress, boost creativity and productivity, and strengthen relationships. Physical play can encourage you to move more and have fun while doing so.

“Playful physical activity ends up meeting more than just your body’s need for movement — it can bring you joy,” says biomechanist Katy Bowman, MS, founder of Nutritious Movement and coauthor of I Know I Should Exercise, But … : 44 Reasons We Don’t Move and How to Get Over Them (read an excerpt for Bowman’s book here). “Play is ­often associated with not being aware of how much time has passed, so playful physical activity can be easier to stick with, helping you stay physically active overall. You’re likely to do it for longer and more often.

“Playfulness is also positive, so it can be a mood booster, and that positive state of mind can linger beyond the bout of movement.”

Play is a fundamental part of ­being human, says Stuart Brown, MD, founder of the National Institute for Play. “Play is embedded in the subcortical area of brains in the instinctive survival areas. It is a part of our survival.”

Yet just because an activity has a playful reputation doesn’t necessarily mean you’re playing while doing it, explains Brown. Two people can be throwing a ball while only one is actually playing. To play requires you to  be fully engaged and unaware of the passage of time. “I think we all know when we’ve been playing,” he notes. “It’s really a state of being.”

Brown recommends pursuing ­activities that intrinsically move you toward a playful state. If you love nature, you might feel more playful while climbing a tree than while jumping rope in a gym. If tumbling was once your jam, you might feel especially playful reviving your cartwheel.

“You can usually find the kind of core joyfulness that is intrinsic to who you are,” he notes. “Finding that and putting that into your workouts — or playouts — is central to allowing play to infiltrate your being.”

Brown suggests gradually leaning into the discomfort of a movement that seems scary or doesn’t come easily to you. “Managing mild fear, in accord with realistic risk for you, is a way of improving your play life.”

Ryan Hurst, head coach and program director for GMB Fitness, agrees, noting that challenging our fears and embracing some risk can pay real dividends.

“The goal is physical autonomy — to really have freedom in your body to do things in a way that serves you,” he explains. “This is where play happens. The better you move, the better everything becomes.”

Swinging, jumping, climbing, and cartwheeling might feel different now from when you were a kid, but they can still bring you joy as an adult — and enhance your fitness. The following tips can help you safely rediscover what play means for you.

HOPSCOTCH

Playing hopscotch can offer incredible benefits by steadily improving your capacity for high-impact movements, says Mark Schneider, a Minneapolis-based strength coach and founder of The Retreat Strength Gym. Because the game offers some structure, it can also be a great way to encourage playful movement with a sense of direction and purpose.

“Structured games like hopscotch encourage focused attention on the task at hand while still allowing the body to solve problems in its own way,” Schneider explains. “There’s no emphasis on perfect form — just a simple set of constraints to guide exploration.”

HOW TO DO IT:

• Draw a hopscotch grid on the ground with chalk or scratch it into some dirt. Or, if you are doing this indoors, imagine the hopscotch grid on the floor in front of you.
• Begin hopping through the grid. If you’re using a drawn grid, land inside of each solo square on one foot and land on both feet simultaneously in the side-by-side squares. (If using an imaginary grid, alternate landing on either one or two feet with each hop forward as if you were jumping into squares.) Once you get to the end, turn around and hop back.
• Increase the challenge by tossing a flat stone or other object in one square, skipping that square as you hop. Skip a different square each round. Or try hopping through all the squares with one leg only — or hop backward through your grid. Feel free to practice solo or play with friends.

TROUBLESHOOTING:

If you struggle with balance, start small. “At its core, if you can walk, you can ‘scotch,” says Schneider. “The hopping component can be introduced over time, but the essence of the game — movement along a path with rhythm and coordination — can be accomplished through simple stepping.”

Imagine a line on the ground. Begin with your feet straddling the line, then step forward with one foot landing on the line. Follow this by stepping into a straddle position again, then step forward with the other foot on the line. Repeat this pattern: Step, straddle, step, straddle. From there, you can try increasing the speed of your steps. As your speed progresses, the movement will naturally evolve into a light hop.

JUMPING ROPE

“Jump rope offers a full-body workout that’s portable, low cost, and incredibly efficient. It improves cardiovascular health, balance, coordination, and endurance,” says jump-rope instructor Steve ­Harris, founder of JumpBeatFit. “Beyond the physical benefits, it’s a creative and joyful way to connect with others and rediscover a sense of play.”

For adults, the biggest challenges may include managing impact and coordinating jumps with the timing of the rope.

SPRINTING

As a kid, you didn’t have to learn to sprint — you just did it, whether chasing down a soccer ball or before sliding into second base. But no adult wants to pull a hammie trying to be a hero.

If you’re out of practice, go easy on yourself. Sprinting can be as low-key as playing Red Light, Green Light with your kids, says Kim Alexander, a strength coach and yoga instructor who specializes in natural/primal movement. Once you get more comfortable with picking up the pace, you can gradually challenge yourself with more speedwork.

MONKEY BARS

For an adult, navigating the monkey bars can be challenging — not just because you’re bigger than your kid self but also ­because you’ve likely ­accumulated some movement baggage over the years. “To start it as an adult typically takes more than just doing it, especially if years of shoulder, neck, and arm tension have created patterns of wear on your ligaments and left you with some major muscle atrophy,” says Bowman.

If it’s been years since you’ve swung across a jungle gym, she adds, start with hanging progressions and gradually work toward monkey-bar mastery.

HOW TO DO IT:

• Start by gripping the first bar with your leading hand. Use momentum to begin swinging your body forward.
• As the opposite side of your body swings forward, reach that arm to the next bar.
• Gently swing your body backward, then use the momen­tum from your backswing to generate your next swing forward. Continue alternat­ing arms.

TROUBLESHOOTING:

Most people aren’t going to be able to traverse the monkey bars without building up strength and endurance. Bowman recommends the following progressions.

• Practice hanging from a bar with both feet on the ground, using your legs as much or as little as you need them. Try to hang without letting your shoulder blades pop up toward your ears.
• Once you can hang without support and with active shoulder blades, practice a two-handed swing, continuing to keep your shoulder blades down.
• Practice “shuffling” across a bar or the sides of the monkey bars, shifting your weight from one hand to the other as you move sideways.
• When you can hang from a single hand for a moment, try doing the monkey bars hand over hand, taking one rung at a time. Start by hanging with both hands. Then reach one hand to the next rung, and bring up the other one beside it. Take turns with your reaching arm.

BACKWARD SHOULDER ROLL

Whether you’re doing spinal rocks, over-the-shoulder “ninja” rolls, or somersaults straight out of a gymnastics class, rolling backward and forward can strengthen your core and improve your spatial awareness. “One benefit is the incredible amount of proprioception you develop when upside down and rotating,” Alexander says.

Yet rolling can feel intimidating if you haven’t done it in a while. Alexander recommends starting with the backward shoulder roll.

HOW TO DO IT:

• Start in a crouched seated position on a slightly cushioned surface, such as a gymnastics mat.
• Engage your core by drawing your abdominal muscles toward your spine as you roll backward, bringing your legs back and over your left shoulder. Place your right hand on the ground next to your head to help support your roll.
• Touch your feet to the ground as you continue to roll over.

TROUBLESHOOTING:

The most challenging aspect of rolling is keeping your body in a tucked position throughout the movement, says Alexander. To practice, start in a seated position, hold the front of your shins, round your back, and tuck your chin. Hold this position for up to 30 seconds while keeping your core engaged. Then try the same thing while lying on your back, holding the backs of your thighs and bringing your forehead to your knees. Once you can do this, practice bringing your legs over one shoulder and then lowering them back to the ground with control.

CARTWHEEL

Whereas your 6-year-old niece might make cartwheeling look easy, the act of holding your body up with your hands as you turn yourself upside down and return to your feet might be a trial. Not only do adults have more body to move, but they also tend to be less flexible.

Add to this the fear of getting hurt, and it’s easy to give up on cartwheels altogether. But if you start with the most basic cartwheel progression and gradually build it up, you can improve strength and mobility while also overcoming your fears, says Hurst.

HOW TO DO IT:

• Imagine a line that points in the direction you wish to cartwheel. Start by placing your front, or lead, foot on that line, pointing toward the other end of the line.
• Reach your lead hand up in the air, point your palm in the same direction as your lead foot, and reach your opposite hand out to your side.
• Reaching with your lead hand and hinging at your hips, place your lead hand on the line, followed by your opposite hand, as you kick your legs over one at a time. Try to keep your legs as straight as possible, and lock out your arms. Land with your feet on the other side of where you placed your hands, and return to a tall standing position.

TROUBLESHOOTING:

If it’s been years since you attempted a cartwheel, start by squatting low to the ground and placing your hands, one at a time, on the floor at one side of your body. Push into your arms and lock them out as you kick your feet over to the other side of your hands. Don’t worry about keeping your legs straight or bringing them up too high.

Gradually practice bringing your butt higher off the ground and eventually straightening your legs. Side-bending stretches, wrist-conditioning exercises, and hip-mobility work can all improve your range of ­motion.

This article originally appeared as “Child’s Play for Adults” in the July/August 2025 issue of Experience Life. Illustrations by: Kveta.

Navigate to The Pelvic-Floor Routine

Despite being only in his 30s, Joe Piana felt like an old man. A lifelong athlete, Piana began experiencing persistent bladder-control issues following an injury to his spine. His doctors were stumped.

“I was up a creek without a paddle,” Piana says in a testimonial video for his care provider (Piana is a pseudonym used to protect his privacy). “Nobody could find a solution other than medication just to slow down my bladder. … It kind of felt like they were just throwing darts at a wall.”

Soon, his incontinence was affecting every aspect of his life, including work, athletics, and relationships. Piana noted that it was depressing, especially because he is a relatively young male.

Eventually, he found his way to Mamak Shakib, DC, a chiropractor and physical rehabilitation specialist trained in pelvic floor therapy who focuses on postural neurology and developmental movement. Shakib discovered that the instability in Piana’s lower back had led to dysfunction in his pelvic floor, and that the root of his incontinence lay in these rarely considered muscles.

“For the longest time, they were saying that pelvic-floor issues are female issues,” says Shakib. “And if the problem is in men, it’s in older men.” Both assumptions, she argues, “are far from the truth.”

The pelvic floor — also known as the pelvic diaphragm — is the muscular sheet most commonly associated with the female reproductive system. But it has also been identified as the seat of many urological, reproductive, and orthopedic issues in men, including erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, prostatitis, and lower-back pain.

Once Shakib got to the root of Piana’s symptoms, she introduced him to a series of developmental movement exercises designed to strengthen and relax the muscles inside the pelvis, including the pelvic floor, and to refine its ability to function harmoniously with the rest of his pelvis.

“I started feeling relief almost instantly,” says Piana, who adds that he was finally able to restore the life he had before the injury.

 

A Common Problem

Men experiencing problems like Piana’s may be surprised — and relieved — to learn that an array of treatments is available to help them.

A man’s pelvic floor supports his reproductive organs and is intrinsically linked to sexuality and identity (here’s a quick overview of the bones and muscles that make up the pelvic floor); we often place a lot of value on our sexual function and ability to control elimination of urine and stool. So, troubles with the pelvic floor can be a source of profound embarrassment and frustration — far more so than problems with, say, the knees or hips.

In many respects, though, the pelvic floor is just another set of muscles. Like the biceps or quads, these muscles can weaken with underuse and tire with overuse.

On the other hand, they can grow stronger, more coordinated, and more supple with training and targeted exercises, leading to improved sexual function, better elimination, reduced pain, and improved posture. Even better, many treatment approaches are neither invasive nor painful.

“The old strategy used to be not to talk about it — to suffer in silence,” says Minnesota-based physical therapist Alyssa George, PT, DPT, OCS, a specialist in orthopedic and pelvic conditions. “But that’s changing. There are more male pelvic-floor physical therapists — and more men willing to come to a PT for their pelvic-floor problems as well.”

 

Pelvic-Floor Anatomy

Part of what makes training the pelvic-floor muscles difficult is that you can’t see them. Like your respiratory muscles, the pelvic diaphragm is internal. So even if you could pretzel your head around to see the underside of your pelvis, you couldn’t observe the small set of muscles — no bigger than a tea saucer — in action.

Feeling them at work is a different story. These are the muscles you contract when you need to stop the flow of urine mid-pee or prevent it when you have a strong urge. Still not clear? Think, lift your testes or squeeze your anus. Bingo — you’ve just activated your pelvic floor.

Several muscles are involved in this simple action. If you could view a model of the pelvis from above, you would see a large opening through its center. The pelvic floor spans this opening like a sheet, fanning out from the tailbone and attaching to the pubic bone in the front and the hip bones along the sides.

“At rest, the pelvic floor forms a kind of hammock structure, hanging downward slightly at its center,” says Adam Gvili, PT, DPT, a New York City–based physical therapist specializing in men’s health and pelvic-floor dysfunction. Contract the muscles, he says, and the hammock pulls taut, like a trampoline.

Like the bottom of a box, these muscles keep the contents of your lower torso — the bladder and intestines, plus the prostate in men and the vagina and uterus in women — in place. They also act as a valve for the urethra and anus, restricting the flow of urine and feces when the muscles contract and allowing their passage when they release.

“The pelvic floor pretty much does all things bladder, bowel, and sexual function,” says Gvili. When your sexual organs function well, and when elimination is smooth, regular, and painless, you have, in part, your pelvic floor to thank for it.

Small and subtle though they are, the muscles of the pelvic floor also play an important role in movement of all kinds, says George.

“How we generate strength from our core has a lot to do with what our pelvic floor is doing,” she explains. If you think of the core as a cylindrical barrel, the pelvic floor provides the base; … the abdominals, obliques, and lower back form the sides; and the respiratory diaphragm — the large, dome-shaped muscle under your rib cage that helps you breathe — provides the top.

All these muscles connect via fascia — an elastic connective tissue made of collagen — so when your core (which encompasses more than just the front of your trunk) works well and is balanced on all sides, the pelvic floor moves subtly in sync with the array of muscles that influence its performance. It contracts whenever you sneeze or perform a heavy lift and relaxes when you’re at rest.

“When you breathe in, your lungs push the abdominal diaphragm downward toward the pelvis,” says Shakib. “That intra-abdominal pressure relaxes the muscles inside the pelvis.” As you breathe out, the opposite action occurs, and the muscles inside the pelvis uniformly contract to initiate the process — a wavelike pattern Shakib calls biological breathing.

“Breathing correctly is a huge player in solving most pelvic-floor dysfunction issues,” Shakib notes.

Like any muscle, the pelvic diaphragm doesn’t just turn on and off. Rather, it contracts and relaxes, to varying degrees, like a light on a dimmer switch.

Max out on the deadlift, for example, and your pelvic floor contracts fully, along with the rest of your core muscles, to support your spine. Take an easy hike, and the pelvic floor contracts gently and relaxes, rising and falling slightly with each step.

Like breathing, these muscular actions are almost entirely unconscious, and we want them to be able to respond appropriately to whatever we’re doing. For that, says George, “we don’t want the muscles to be too tight and we don’t want them to be too weak.”

 

Causes and Symptoms of Pelvic-Floor Dysfunction

As muscles go, the pelvic floor is uncommonly glitchy. Though this area contains and surrounds some of our most sensitive organs, it can nevertheless become desensitized over time, leading to conditions known as hypertonicity (excessive contraction of muscles) and hypotonicity (excessive relaxation of muscles). Either condition, which can arise from several causes, can cause dysfunction.

 

Undertraining or Overtraining

Poor fitness can result in pelvic-floor dysfunction (PFD), says George. The glutes weaken due to a lack of exercise and the nearby pelvic floor follows suit.

A lack of coordination in the lower-body musculature, sometimes caused by injury or excessive sitting, is another common culprit. “Your pelvis is the foundation of the structure above,” Shakib explains. “Each body part needs to know how to dance with the rest of the body.” When this stability is in jeopardy, the muscles inside the pelvis pick up the slack.

Ironically, PFD can also arise due to an excessive focus on a central tenet of fitness: bracing the core. “Some people develop pelvic-floor issues because they have learned that a tight core prevents back pain, so they overuse that strategy and lose the ability to fully relax,” George notes.

In trying to resolve one problem by always engaging their abs — even when they’re not lifting something heavy — they can bring about another, she explains.

Additionally, some exercises are notorious for taxing the pelvic floor, especially if those muscles are already weakened, George adds. For instance, running can challenge the pelvic-floor muscles due to the impact of each stride; a suboptimal posture and breathing pattern or weakness in the nearby glutes can further exacerbate these effects.

Similarly, lifting very heavy weights — say, performing deadlifts at weights approaching your max — can also put high load on the pelvic floor and challenge those muscles; again, issues with form, breathing, and preexisting weakness can all contribute to strain.

That’s not to say people should avoid bracing their core, running, doing heavy deadlifts, or performing any other exercise, notes Gvili. By and large, engaging in physical activity and building full-body strength is good for the pelvic floor — and for your overall health. Correct form, proper breathing mechanics, and early intervention as issues crop up can help you get the most out of your workouts without sacrificing fitness gains.

 

Surgery

The pelvic floor can also be impacted by surgery. An enlarged prostate may compress the urethra and block the flow of urine for weeks or months at a time, explains George, effectively kinking the urinal “hose” and taking over the valve-like function usually served by the pelvic floor, making it difficult to urinate. If the prostate is then surgically removed, the pelvic floor may have forgotten how to close off the flow of urine, like an arm or a leg that atrophies after being immobilized in a cast.

 

Stress and Trauma

Finally, pelvic-floor issues can be psychological in origin. Along with tension in the jaw and shoulders, pelvic-floor clenching can arise as a habitual response to stress. “The pelvic floor is connected to the autonomic nervous system, which also regulates digestion, breathing, heart rate, and sexual arousal,” says George.

Stress and anxiety can increase activity of the vagus nerve and result in increased muscle tension in the pelvic floor. Tension in one area can exacerbate tension in the others.

Sexual abuse, emotional trauma, and early socialization around toilet training and sexuality can lead us to associate the pelvic region with shame — a way to cope with this may be through dissociation, which results effectively in blunting the sensations that arise in the pelvic area.

Chronic pelvic-floor muscle tension can cause difficulty with relaxing anal sphincters, contributing to constipation; it can cause poor coordination of certain muscles, resulting in premature ejaculation; and it can prevent adequate blood flow to the penis during sexual activity, resulting in erectile dysfunction or impotence.

Orgasms — which are characterized by an involuntary release and contraction of the pelvic-floor muscles — may be less intense and pleasurable. Dysfunction can affect sperm motility, which can make it more difficult to conceive and can be mistaken for infertility.

What You Can Do

Fortunately, solving these problems may not require surgery, medication, or even long-term therapy.

The first line of defense is your doctor. Bacterial and viral infections can cause pelvic-floor issues, as can chronic conditions like type 1 and type 2 diabetes and heart disease — so don’t ignore symptoms if they crop up.

Gvili notes that very few cases of pelvic-floor dysfunction are bacterial. “But get checked out by a urologist or a gastroenterologist just to make sure that there’s nothing more sinister going on.”

Once you’ve secured a clean bill of health, seek out a pelvic-floor specialist. “Male pelvic-floor health has really only become a specialty in the last 10 to 15 years,” he notes. So, you might need to shop around to find a practitioner who specializes in the male pelvic floor. That can take some effort, but the relief, and the freedom from the perceived stigma of PFD, can be well worth it.

Pelvic-floor physical therapy is often educational and collaborative, with the patient playing a proactive role in healing. “[It] doesn’t matter whether you’re going for your knee or your shoulder or your pelvic floor, going to a physical therapist is a learning experience,” he says.

The sessions usually consist of a blend of exercises, neuromuscular reeducation, biofeedback, and manual therapy designed to bring new awareness and sensitivity to areas the patient has been unable to feel — sometimes for years.

Sessions may also include instruction in Kegels — repeated contractions of the pelvic-floor muscles — as well as sessions on the Emsella, a soft chair that stimulates your pelvic floor (while you’re fully clothed) to contract painlessly hundreds of times per minute.

Other treatments can involve a probe or finger inserted anally for clear feedback on the location and degree of any tension — a practice that should be performed with respect and skill. “We always work within the person’s comfort zone,” says Gvili.

Ultimately, the intention of all these treatments is to restore a sense of integration of the pelvic floor into the functioning of the entire body. “What we do is try to teach a person what it feels like for the brain and body to work together,” he says. “Usually, they feel better pretty quickly.”

Gvili notes that regular physical activity is an important component of long-term pelvic-floor care. Targeted exercises can build body awareness and coordination of the pelvic floor with the rest of the body, improve breathing patterns, and they can build balanced strength in weakened muscles around the pelvis, hips, and abdomen.

Physical therapists, like Gvili, also work with patients to address form issues or weaknesses in activities that might contribute to pelvic-floor pain, incontinence, or related concerns. This includes fine-tuning high-impact movements or exercises that require intense intra-abdominal pressure, such as deadlifting, squatting, cycling, jumping, and running, to name a few.

The bottom line: Male pelvic-floor dysfunction is eminently treatable. “Just because you have PFD doesn’t mean you’re broken,” Gvili says. “Sometimes, that’s the most important thing men need to hear.”

The Pelvic-Floor Routine

If you’re experiencing pelvic-floor issues, try the following routine designed by chiropractor Mamak Shakib, DC, who focuses on stabilizing the pelvis when treating patients with pelvic-floor dysfunction.

These moves progressively build stability in different parts of your body. Shakib notes that performing each move with optimal form and maintaining awareness of the pelvic floor is more important than the number of repetitions or the duration of each exercise.

Neutral Spine

Focus throughout the movement on proper mechanics and execution.*

Toe Tap

Focus throughout the movement on proper mechanics and execution.*

Side Roll-Up

Focus throughout the movement on proper mechanics and execution.*

Seated Hip Mobility

Focus throughout the movement on proper mechanics and execution.*

Rocking Bear

Focus throughout the movement on proper mechanics and execution.*

Spider

Focus throughout the movement on proper mechanics and execution.*

*Performing each move with optimal form and maintaining awareness of the pelvic floor is more important than the number of repetitions or the duration of each exercise.

Walking, standing, climbing stairs, getting up from a chair, maintaining balance — our glutes are essential for many aspects of our everyday mobility. Yet this powerhouse muscle group is often overlooked when it comes to healthy aging, despite being crucial for staying active and independent well into our later years.

“The glutes allow you to bend over, lift your legs, push against the ground, sit comfortably, walk, and so much more,” says Rosalind ‘Roz’ Frydberg, ARORA lead group fitness instructor and coach and healthy-aging expert for Life Time. “Our glutes are a key component of our full-body kinetic chain. Like any chain, a weak link compromises the entire system. So, when the glutes are weakened, it may lead to muscle imbalance and injury.”

To help you keep this muscle group strong, we asked Frydberg to create and demonstrate a glute warm-up and workout that you can add to your exercise rotation.

Warm-Up

1. Kickback With Body Bar

“Warming up before a glute workout is especially important for those who spend a lot of time sitting during the day,” says Frydberg. “If you sit for prolonged periods without using these muscles, it can take more effort to activate them prior to a workout.”

• Start with your feet hip width apart. Shift your weight onto your left leg, using a body bar for balance. Bend your right leg so your shin is parallel to the floor and your knee is at a 90-degree angle.
• Repeatedly pulse your right leg out behind you, taking enough time to squeeze your right glute before bringing your leg back to center each time.
• Switch sides and repeat.
• Complete three sets of 15 reps on each leg.

2. Glute Bridge

“Glute bridges wake up the glutes,” says Frydberg. “Doing these before heavier glute exercises can recruit the right muscles and give you a moment for your brain to make the connection — it’s like telling your body, ‘We’re working glutes today!’”

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. From this position, engage your core, press your back into the floor, and begin squeezing your glutes.
• Keepthe glutes engaged and weight distributed evenly across both feet as you press your hips up. Extend your hips fully so your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
• Holdthis position for one breath, continuing to squeeze your glutes.
• Keep squeezing your glutes as you slowly reverse the movement — don’t collapse to the floor — to return to the starting position.
• Repeat for three sets of 20 reps.

Optional: Add tempo. Count for three seconds on the way up, hold for one second at the top, and count to one on the way down. Perform it in reverse on the next set: One count on the way up, hold for one at the top, and count to three on the way down.

3. Hip Rocker

“The hip rocker is another move to warm up and engage the muscle groups in your lower body, especially if you’re feeling stiff,” says Frydberg.

• Stand with your feet hip width apart.
• Hinge forward at your hips, holding onto and leaning into a body bar for balance.
• Shift your weight onto your toes, feeling a stretch in the back of your legs.
• Hold for a second before shifting your weight back into your heels.
• Repeat for three to four sets of 15 reps. The goal is to gain more mobility and hip flexion with each set.

Workout

4. Lateral Band Walk

“This is one of the best exercises for firing up the glute muscles on the side of your hips,” says Frydberg. “These muscles play a huge role in your stability, balance, and lower-body alignment.”

• Place a handled resistance band under your feet and grip the handles up near your waist. Start with your feet wide and with a slight bend in your knees.
• Step one foot to the side, followed by your other foot, as you move sideways. Try not to lift your foot too far off the ground. Feel your hip abductors pulling away from the adductor.
• Repeat for five total steps before repeating on the other side.
• Start with four sets and add more as you feel stronger.

5. Abductor Machine

“The abductor machine targets the outer glutes,” Frydberg explains. “These muscles play a big role in hip mobility and stability.”

• Adjust the seat so your knees are at a 90-degree angle when seated. Sit with your back flat against the back pad, feet flat on the footrests, and grip the side handles for support. Set the machine at a weight that is challenging for you.
• Slowly push your knees outward against the pads until you feel a strong squeeze in your outer glutes.
• Put the mind to the muscle to engage the glutes — do not use your knees to push the pads
• Pause briefly at the widest point before slowly returning to the starting position.
• Repeat for three sets of 15 to 20 reps.

6. Leg Press Machine

“The leg press machine targets the glutes and quads,” says Frydberg. “Strong glutes and quads lead to more support in your pelvis and lower spine, which can reduce the risk of lower back pain or injury.”

• Adjust the seat so your knees are at a 90-degree angle when seated. Sit with your back flat against the back pad. Place your feet about hip to shoulder width apart in the center of the platform. Set the machine at a weight that is challenging for you.
• Keeping your core engaged and feet flat, press the weight away from you, keeping your knees tracking with your toes. Fully extend your knees but be careful not to lock them out completely.
• Pause briefly, then slowly reverse the movement to lower the weight with control. Keep your feet flat and your lower back in contact with the seat.
• Repeat for three to four sets of 20 reps.

7. Leg Extension Machine

“Although the glutes are not the primary movers in this exercise, they play a supporting role,” says Frydberg. “This is a great machine to include in your lower-body workouts to improve power and stability in your legs.”

• Adjust the backrest so your knees line up with the machine’s pivot point (the rotating axis). Set the shin pad just above your ankles so it’s resting comfortably on your lower shins. Set the machine at a weight that is challenging for you.
• Extend your legs by pushing the pad upward, squeezing your glutes and using your quads.
• Squeeze your quads at the top when your legs are almost straight (be careful that you don’t lock your knees).
• Lower slowly and with control to the starting position.
• Repeat for four sets of 20 reps.

See Angela’s Top 3 Takeaways

As I bring my hands to my heart center, I take a long, deep breath and look at everyone who chose to join my class. I exhale and bow my head forward as a gesture of gratitude for each person in attendance.

It’s the summer of 2010. I’m teaching one of my first yoga classes — sharing space, breath, and energy with the wonderful people in the room — when it suddenly hits me how much yoga hasn’t just changed my body; it’s changed my life. Through yoga, I’ve built muscle, yes, but I’ve also forged a stronger connection with myself, the people I love, and a wider community.

It has taken a lot to get here.

A Desire for Control

When my career in human resources began, it accelerated quickly. By 2002, I was traveling a lot, often sharing devastating news that changed people’s lives. Holding on to information, such as who was getting let go or who wouldn’t receive a bonus, was often mentally and emotionally taxing. It was also something I couldn’t control.

What I believed I could control in my life was food. I loved having unequivocal authority over what I ate, when I ate, and how much I ate. I spent many hours brainstorming the most satisfying or indulgent meal that would give me comfort, satiation, and satisfaction.

I also had my eating buddies. These were people I met up with to gorge on food at restaurants or in my home. We would order a smorgasbord of nine or 10 things and devour it all, even if it took us three hours. Even if we were already full.

It was an odd contradiction. At the time, I thought I had control over food, but it’s now clear that food had control over me.

I thought I had control over food, but it’s now clear that food had control over me.

After one of these sessions, in 2003, one of my eating buddies mentioned that she was considering gastric bypass surgery. She decided not to attend the presurgery consultation and asked me to fill in and report back. She eventually determined she wasn’t interested, but I certainly was.

Around that time, I’d noticed that my lifestyle choices were affecting my toddler son and 8-year-old daughter. It wasn’t just that they were learning from my bad habits; my daughter was also “working” for me, grabbing bottles, toys, or diapers so I wouldn’t have to move from my favorite spot on the couch.

I thought about how I’d like to take them to the beach and be more involved in their fun, rather than relax in one spot. I wanted us to live life to the fullest — jump in the ocean, play catch, and things like that. If I wanted to participate with my kids, I had to lead a healthier life.

The surgery would help me create a better relationship with food and encourage more movement and activity. In addition to weight loss, gastric bypass surgery has been associated with reduced food cravings and food noise — intrusive thoughts about food. I was confident this would all help me kick-start a healthier lifestyle.

No Sweat … Yet!

I had surgery on April 7, 2004. Gastric bypass surgery is generally safe, but it’s a major procedure. It takes weeks to months before you can reintroduce certain foods and fully engage in higher levels of activity.

After the procedure, my stomach could only hold a small amount of anything. I started with liquids, slowly working up to small portions of healthy food. As I introduced foods back into my diet, I documented how things made me feel: Protein shakes made with water or warmed into a soup, finely ground beef, and raw tomatoes were great. Chicken, anything creamy, and cooked tomatoes (at first), were not.

I was rigorous about making sure I had enough water, protein, and other nutrients in my diet, and I didn’t experience too many cravings — though I longed for Fritos from time to time. But after my surgery, I enjoyed treats only on special occasions and in moderation.

I had a tremendous amount of support from my family, friends, and coworkers who kept me on track and accountable. I would get my Fritos, but I limited myself to eight per day if I had them, and then the little bag was stapled shut and returned to my colleague’s locked desk drawer.

Over time, I found that the food noise had quieted, and I was feeling more present in my life. I had more energy each day. So, the next change was embracing movement. I was ready to get active, but I didn’t want to sweat, and I didn’t want to exercise outside. It sounds a bit dramatic, but who wants to get all sticky and stinky and wash their hair twice a day?

When I saw an ad for a free yoga class, it seemed perfect. At the class, I was certain I looked like a jerky marionette puppet, trying to follow along as the teacher guided us from one beautiful shape to another. Afterward, she smiled at me and said, “You did really well, but you might want to try our beginners’ class.”

I did just that, and I noticed that I felt more relaxed, connected, and peaceful after practicing yoga. I also didn’t sweat — yet.

Then, just like my career, my passion for yoga took off. I practiced nearly every day. I had found a space that welcomed me in all facets and forms, and I was stronger and more present — not just in the studio but in my relationships as well. I even started embracing the sweat when it came because I believed it meant I was doing something right.

While my husband was at the gym, my son would often join me in class, sleeping with an eye mask until it was time for the “fun” poses, like standing on your head. My daughter took belly dance classes offered at the studio. The family dynamic that I’d dreamed of was coming to fruition.

Changing Poses

In early 2010, I left my job to take a six-month yoga teacher training course. I intended to return to work after completing the course, but before I graduated, I was offered a teaching opportunity at the first studio I practiced in. I committed to my passion and was teaching my own classes by July. My lifestyle had changed; working a high-pressure corporate job no longer aligned with the healing I wanted to bring to the world.

That August, I went to a yoga audition at Life Time. I was one of the least experienced people there, but I laid it all on the line. My story and teaching skills resonated with the group — and that’s where the next chapter began.

So many amazing things have happened since I was hired at Life Time. In addition to doing work I love, I’ve become codirector of Life Time’s BIPOC Network and part of the Inclusion Core Council. It means a lot to know that I’m helping ensure the company and its programming are as inclusive as possible. Outside of Life Time, I’ve taught yoga at facilities across the country, led classes for iconic brands, like Under Armour, and given lectures at universities and yoga companies.

Today, I’m 51, feeling better than ever, and enjoying my years of glitter. Without food noise occupying most of my brain space, I’ve been able to participate more fully in my life and relationships. I’ve embraced my new nickname, GrAngela, as I focus on being an amazing grandma. And the best part is that the important things remain constant, like my quirkiness, belly laughs, and love for my family.

My yoga and gastric bypass surgery journey has taken my life in a beautiful direction that allows me to share my love of movement and my story. Moving forward, I expect to continue creating spaces where people from all walks of life feel welcome, seen, and empowered. Spaces where they know they’ll receive support, advocacy, and healing.

And these days, when I go to the beach with my family, you’d better believe I’m playing with the kids and getting in the water!

Angela’s Top 3 Takeaways

1. Keep up with your screenings. People can be healthy at every size, but it’s important to keep on top of your health. Before surgery, I had never really explored my challenges with weight, and I’m grateful there were no bigger health issues going on — like diabetes or heart failure.
2. Create your own lifestyle. You get to decide what your healthy lifestyle looks like. Explore what type of movement brings you joy and don’t worry about what anyone else is doing. Put achievable boundaries around treats. Maybe you only indulge in cake when it’s an actual birthday, or you limit drinking to special occasions.
3. Get ready for forever. Living in a new, healthier way has no end point. You will face challenges along the way, be it with eating, your mindset, or your motivation, but the key is that you wake up the next day and try to be better.

See Elise and Tom’s Top 3 Takeaways

One morning in May 2020, Elise Laedtke woke up feeling confused, slurring her words, and struggling to walk. This was bizarre for an otherwise healthy 59-year-old woman, but especially for Elise, who had been a competitive athlete all her life.

Elise and her husband, Tom, went straight to the hospital, where the medical evaluation and CT scan revealed Elise had suffered a stroke during the night.

Tom, an endocrinologist, was shocked. Given Elise’s age and health, it hadn’t occurred to him that her symptoms could be the result of a stroke. “We thought it was other causes,” he says. She didn’t have any risk factors for stroke, which include high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.

Elise spent the following week in the hospital and another week in rehab. After subsequent testing and medical workups, her team of doctors discovered that she had a congenital anomaly — a hole in her heart that had allowed a blood clot to travel from her lower abdomen to her brain. Six months after the stroke, she under­went surgery to close the hole and reduce the risk of future strokes.

After months of physical, occupational, and speech therapy, Elise was able to walk again, even drive, but her speech and strength lagged behind. She couldn’t participate in life the way she once did, which affected how she felt mentally and emotionally.

That is, until her former tennis coach put a pickleball paddle in her hand.

Always an Athlete

Elise had long enjoyed sports. Her father was an All-American swimmer and guided three children to successful swimming careers; Elise was a Division I swimmer in college.

After graduating in 1984, she moved back to her hometown of Rochester, Minn., where she became an elementary school teacher and taught swimming lessons on the side.

Meanwhile, Tom had been a lifelong tennis enthusiast, and they started playing together in the early years of their marriage. Elise had played some tennis as a child and picked it up easily; the sport became a part of her life, as much for the social interaction as for the love of the game.

After moving to Edina, Minn., Elise and Tom joined Northwest Athletic Club in 1998, before it became Life Time. In time, Elise was competing in league play twice a week, coached by tennis pro Rajan Keswani. “Elise’s routine had been tennis, tennis, tennis, tennis,” Tom says.

The couple maintained an active lifestyle off the court and regularly walked, biked, and golfed together.

Before the stroke, Elise was free of physical complaints. In retrospect, both she and Tom are convinced her good health and active lifestyle — along with her drive and determination — ultimately spurred her recovery.

Quality Coaching

In spring 2021, after Elise recovered from heart surgery, she was hopeful about reclaiming her fitness routine.

Strokes often result in long-term complications, including muscle weakness and the language disorder aphasia. Although Elise felt encouraged by the progress she was making with walking and driving, her strength remained limited and she still had trouble speaking.

She and Tom started branching out, incorporating some of the activities that had been part of Elise’s life for years. “We were searching for what Elise could do to have fun,” Tom remembers.

She started walking their dogs, Frankie and Stella. At the pool, she found that her swimming stroke was as good as ever. She and Tom rented a tandem bicycle, and they rode around nearby lakes with ease. She practiced her golf swing.

All of that brought her joy, but she still missed her tennis game.

Tom began taking her to the tennis court and dropping balls for her to hit. “It was nice to be back on the court, but she couldn’t play like she used to,” he says. Her weak grip strength made holding a racket difficult, and she couldn’t manage the coordination required to swing the racket or quickly move around the court.

“It was kind of depressing,” Tom says. “We felt good that she tried, but Elise didn’t feel like she was getting much better at tennis.”

Tom could see how hard this was for Elise: She wasn’t accustomed to being a mediocre player, and improvement seemed unlikely. It was hard to accept that she’d lost the game she loved as well as the social network she’d developed while playing competitively.

One day that spring, Keswani, who had coached Elise on her tennis game for more than a decade, saw her on the court and suggested she come to the first pickleball mixer he was hosting. Pickleball was so new at Life Time that there wasn’t yet dedicated space for it: Keswani used masking tape to create a pickleball layout on a tennis court.

“Why don’t you try it?” Keswani suggested. He thought a racket sport with a smaller court and a smaller, lighter paddle might provide the accommodations Elise needed. He was right.

Elise and Tom showed up to that first mixer, along with about a dozen other Life Time members who were all learning too. Elise took to pickleball right away — and the more she played, the more she smiled.

“She was bubbly again,” Tom says about the way playing pickleball brought out her personality. “When she plays pickleball, I can see the Elise I married.”

More Than a Sport

Elise has attended a weekly drill class and twice-weekly pickleball mixers ever since. She and Tom are grateful for the variety of Life Time’s pickleball offerings. Tom shares that her successful adoption of the sport has improved her fitness and eased some of the frustration she experienced in the wake of her stroke. Participating in the mixers helps her running ability, overall fitness, and math (thanks to the nuanced scoring system).

Pickleball has also introduced her to a new group of friends who are understanding, supportive, and encouraging. “When she goes to Life Time and does these pickleball mixers, she has a big smile on her face,” Tom notes. “She sees people she knows, and more importantly, they know her and they’re very kind to her.”

As her cognitive processing improves, her teammates provide visual cues to help her keep score.

“We’re blown away at her incredible progress,” says Keswani. “Over the last three years, she has blossomed into a very good pickleball player. She listens, plays hard, never wants to stop, hydrates, then throws in an adorable dance when she wins a point.”

Elise continues with speech therapy twice a week, which has helped her increase her vocabulary and communication. “Her pickleball friends laugh because she has a few famous phrases, such as ‘Close, but no cigar,’ when the ball lands out of bounds,” Tom says.

And she still practices her tennis game, which has gradually improved. Occasionally, she’ll play doubles in a tennis mixer. She says she still likes tennis, but pickleball is now Elise’s sport of choice.

Elise and Tom’s Top Takeaways

1. Focus on recovery with physical activities and speech therapy. Elise is diligent and puts in a lot of practice.
2. Stay open to adjustments and accommodations. Elise may not play tennis like she used to, but she’s grateful for her new sport and for organized pickleball mixers.
3. Surround yourself with empathetic and supportive friends. Stroke recovery is a long, slow process, and the support of family and friends is priceless!

This article originally appeared as “A New Game” in the March/April 2025 issue of Experience Life.

On-demand fitness classes offer the freedom to stay active on your own terms, whether you’re traveling, short on time, or simply prefer to exercise in your own space. Each week in the Life Time app, you’ll find new classes — led by some of Life Time’s top instructors — that are aimed at helping you build strength, elevate your cardio, recover, and more.

“Our classes range in both area of focus and time, with options spanning from 10 to 45 minutes, so you can decide what your body needs on a given day,” says Jayme Zylstra, executive producer of digital programming, as well as a fitness instructor for Life Time. “You can stack shorter classes together or choose a warm-up or cool-down video to do before or after your workout. There’s really something for everyone, and you can take your favorite classes with you wherever you go.”

For inspiration to get started, we asked Zylstra to suggest a few classes that are good for people at all fitness levels to try.

1. MAXOUT Upper Body With Mary

Category: Strength
Length: 30 minutes
Equipment needed: Medium and heavy dumbbells

Organized in challenging blocks of exercise, this class is designed to strengthen your core, back, chest, shoulders, biceps, and triceps.

Take the class in the app: “Strength Classes”

5. ARORA Strength With Jayme

Category: Active aging
Length: 15 minutes
Equipment needed: Chair

This class combines functional training and neuroplasticity drills to improve strength and cognitive health. The exercises are performed from a chair.

Take the class in the app: “Cardio Classes”