A new fall prevention/chair fitness class begins 9-10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1, at Lakeview United Methodist Church, 10298 W. Thunderbird Blvd. The instructor, Dr. Lydia A. Woods, is a retired college professor who taught students in the areas of kinesiology and sports studies for 38 years.

When a new instructor was needed for the fitness class, Woods hesitated to volunteer. Seven years later, she is glad that she stepped-up.

“This was a totally different experience than teaching college students,” she said. “There is a great need for education in the area of fall prevention and fitness among older adults and I felt that I could make a difference in my community.”

Woods added some changes to the class as students take and record their heart rates after each segment of exercise. Within the 60-minute class students do warm-up stretching exercises, sitting exercises using bands and weights and standing exercises using the chair for balance if needed, as they perform fall prevention and flexibility exercises. Finally, there is the cool-down, seated in a chair and including a stress ball and breathing techniques.

The class meets 9-10 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Lakeview Fellowship Hall; a $3 donation is requested. From January 2017 to the present, more than 200 have participated in the Lakeview class.

The purpose of the Lakeview UMC fall prevention/chair fitness class is to serve the community by helping older adults to strengthen their bodies and prevent some of the needless deaths that occur in our community. This class also serves as a rehab for those who have fallen and need support in their recovery. Everyone is welcome. Start at any time.