If your idea of a senior fitness class is a bunch of little old ladies in leotards, leg warmers, and cardigan sweaters, holding their baby pink two-pound weights while they sit in a chair doing arm curls to Frankie Avalon, or Richard Simmons leading a group of plump housewives through a set of simplified dance routines to 1960’s classics, you are so 1988.
Which is the year Simmons’ “Sweatin to the Oldies” came out on VHS. The Active Aging class at Challenge Fitness on the campus of the Pride Center is rocking to a mixture of the latest club hits and classic disco as a group of men and women ranging in age from their late 50s to early 90s go through a strenuous routine that consists of five minutes of warm-ups, 15 minutes of cardio, 15 minutes of upper body strength training, 15 minutes of lower body strength training, five minutes of balance exercises and then five minutes of cool down. By the end of the hour, everyone, including the instructor, is sweating.
The group is large, during high season there can be 60-70 members attending each session, and it is a tight-knit group. The friendships made are close and of long duration. I speak from experience. I started attending the class when I was a snowbird more than 12 years ago. I joke that I now pay for gym classes, while I did everything I could in high school to avoid them. Many of my closest friends are those that I’ve met in this class. We go on trips together and spend Christmas Eve together. And, as with any group here in Fort Lauderdale, we’ve had our share of losses, members who’ve passed on, but those who are unable to work out are still included in social functions.
Stephen Solos and his partner Michael are regular attendees. “Michael and I have more than 12 years of loyalty to John's class. I was never a workout person, starving to stay trim! John changed that with discipline, and joy in exercising. We had many laughs during class and faced many sorrows in losing some of our classmates. One class member challenged himself by doing the class in heels!”
One of the reasons this group has been so strong and stable is because of the man who has been leading the classes for 15 years, John Hamwey. In 2009, the YMCA was running an exercise class in The Pride Center, when it was located on Andrews Ave. That summer, Hamwey, who had retired to Florida two years earlier, was at a party and spoke with a woman named Ellie who ran the class. He joined the class, along with his friend Bob Gunning, in August. Later that fall, the YMCA announced it was going to open additional sites in Broward and Miami-Dade counties and was seeking instructors. In Nov. 2009, Hamway and Bob took part in a four-day certification program that included CPR/AED. They returned to the class led by Ellie. A short while later, The Pride Center announced it was moving to its current location on Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors, and Ellie announced she was leaving as instructor. Bob took over the class and Hamwey functioned as his assistant. The duo promoted the class at The Pride Center’s “Coffee and Conversation” sessions to recruit participants. They were remarkably successful and started to draw a larger crowd. The class grew so large, it was decided to start a second group in 2010 with Hamwey as the instructor. It is ironic that Hamwey, who was not into exercise in his younger days, had become the leader for hundreds in South Florida (and beyond). Part of the reason he decided to teach the class was to overcome his innate shyness. Something must have clicked for this former graphic artist, born and raised in the Boston area, for within one year, his class grew to 50 participants. In January 2011, he started another group. At that point, Hamwey was teaching six classes a week.
In 2018, Bob retired from teaching classes, and the YMCA sent another instructor to cover his class. Hamwey continued his classes. Then COVID hit, and everything shut down in March 2020. With the help of his daughter, Hamwey started a Zoom Class in July 2020. He sent emails to all class participants and ended up with 65 participants from all parts of the U.S., as well as other countries, logging on to classes three days per week. He taught the classes from his condo until July 2021. At that point, the YMCA made the decision to cancel the satellite classes, and The Pride Center notified the class that it could no longer use its space. Hamwey approached Challenge Fitness owners Amy Gol and Jorge Delgado, and they happily took the class in. The class participants pay a nominal membership fee to Challenge Fitness (the equivalent of about $2 a class) and the gym pays the instructor Dennis Winsted, who joined the class in 2016, in another building on The Pride Center campus said, “It has been rewarding to both my health and social life, in equal measure. Well worth the 23-minute drive from Hollywood 3 times per week.”
Winsted brought a small digital noisemaker to class and would set it off during part of the cool-down exercises. It quickly became one of the many “bits” that the class does. Such as yelling “Nine” loudly when counting off exercise repetitions. All things that make the workout feel like fun. Winsted also credits the management of Challenge Fitness for making the seniors feel so welcomed, “Amy made the transition of the class to Challenge Fitness easy. And the monthly tuition is reasonable.”
Alan Miller, who serves as Hamwey’s assistant and sometimes fill-in, said, “I was fortunate enough to become his backup when he needed to be out of town or was ill. Over the years we’ve had various gatherings both at local restaurants, and private homes. Our group really likes each other. Nobody knows all the work John does behind the scenes to make the class fun. He tracks all the attendees and provides communication as needed. He has forged a good relationship with Amy, who owns Challenge Fitness.”
After 15+ years of leading up to 300+ hours of exercise classes a year, Hamwey is finally taking some time for himself. He is entering semi-retirement. Larry Gruber and Adi de Souza will be taking over the class. Adi, who has been a professional in the fitness industry for several years and teaches the Wednesday class, says, “It is by far the best group I have ever had.”
Hamwey will fill in as an instructor as needed and will continue to take classes, because, as he says, “I will become a participant in the class. I know this program works! I know we need to do it!” But for now, the 82-year-old (who could easily pass for 20 years younger) plans to spend some time traveling.
