online edition - PRO Sports Club

personal trainingMember StoriesAge?By Raheena CharaniaWhat’sThat?!can’t say enough nice things about Penelope. When we go into the club, shehas lots of energy and after her workout session with Penelope, she’s wipedfor the rest of the day. So I know she’s doing her job.”Betty Hiller(Personal Trainer: Penelope Thompson)When Betty Hiller turned 91 years old, she celebrated her birthday by goingdown an exhilarating Ziptrek at Whistler. Ziptrek has been described as aheart-surging experience akin to “flying as you glide along steel ziplinessuspended high above the breathtaking white-water river.” Not exactly anactivity for the faint of heart. But then again, Hiller is an exceptional 91-yearold. She has climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, hiked to Machu Pichu, hiked in Nepal,and traveled throughout the world, mostly after turning 50 years old. Hergranddaughter, Laura Steel, with whom Hiller lives, credits her strength to heractive lifestyle. “She goes everywhere we go, much more than most peopleher age ever would,” says Steel.Having been through the 20/20 Lifestyles Program herself, Steel knew thebenefits of having a personal trainer and wanted to share that with hergrandmother in order to maintain her strength. “The physical therapy theyoffer for people her age is for people who are old,” says Steel. “They do a goodjob for someone who’s bedridden or who has little strength, but Grandmawasn’t gaining anything from their exercises. They didn’t make her tired orbuild her muscles. So I decided that one of the trainers would know how to goa step further. They go for the maximum effect and build your strength insteadof just trying to maintain it or do the minimum.”Hiller began training with PRO personal trainer, Penelope Thompson twicea week. “I think the training is really helping as far as keeping her ability tofunction on her own and physically get around,” says Steel. “I credit a largepart of her being able to do the Ziptrek to Penelope working with her. SheHiller has osteoporosis and an atrial fibrillation, which she’s had since shewas a young adult. She also suffered a stroke eight years ago, but otherwiseshe’s very healthy. “We’ve been blessed to still have her around,” says Steel.“Many people would have died years ago from the atrial fibrillation, but part ofGrandma’s success is because she has been so active.”photo: Chuckarelei Studio(Amy Strande: Black uniform, far left)Amy Strande(Personal Trainer: Dirk Huebner)Amy Strande plays football. Not just flag football. Rough, contact, full-tacklefootball that requires helmets, pads, uniforms, the whole nine yards.“My love for football began when I was growing up,” says Strande, who playsdefensive cornerback for the Seattle Majestics, the only Washington team in26 PRO PULSE SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2006