There’s no such thing as a typical day for Samantha Casmey, Manager of Adult Health and Fitness programs at the YMCA of Greater Toronto. That was especially true on March 14, 2020 when COVID-19 shut down in-person classes and the organization had to pivot to a virtual offering.

Casmey has been working for the YMCA of Greater Toronto since 1994 in a variety of roles. Pre-pandemic, she would train the trainers, oversee quality of the programs and establish new ventures with partner organizations. In that respect, not much has changed about her job. But over the past year, the way these programs are being offered has dramatically shifted.

Going virtual — No time to wait

The programming at the YMCA has always been about helping people connect. For seniors who had an existing relationship with the YMCA, they would come in on a regular basis to socialize with friends while improving their mental and physical health.

The Bright Spot was created as a central, digital hub for older adults to deliver the fitness and meetups to which they had become accustomed. And the journey from program conception to a live website and programming happened in less than a month.

“Virtual had to become a reality,” says Casmey. “There are so many benefits though. Especially for older adults who have mobility issues, transportation problems or a tough time physically getting to the building.”

Launching new programs

The Bright Spot launched with 15 programs that ranged from fitness classes and workshops to book clubs and travel talks. A handful were extensions of ones already offered at the YMCA, while others were new to the mix.

“Some classes have grown to a few dozen people and others were cut after a few weeks,” says Casmey. “It was a bit of trial and error but overall it’s gone really well. We just want to make sure we’re targeting a variety of interests.”

Navigating the right technology

The YMCA has always wanted to use technology as a way to connect older adults. Naturally, COVID-19 accelerated those plans. That’s where Zoom came in. The platform delivered a lot of flexibility that allowed for larger gatherings or alternative programming not normally available in the facility.

“Before COVID, people didn’t have a lot of experience with these tools,” says Casmey. “All of that has changed. I think it’s great that we have participants teaching one another how to use the technology now. We’ve really come a long way.”

Resilient connection

With self-isolation and stay-at-home orders, the pandemic can bring feelings of isolation. That’s why The Bright Spot has been so important. Classes act almost like support groups, where virtual strangers can share their struggles. People often comment that they learn more about people that they take classes with online than they did with casual, in-person conversations.

Moving forward, programming like this doesn’t have plans on slowing down — even after COVID-19 does. The classes delivered and lessons learned will continue to facilitate meaningful conversations that allow older adults to connect with each other, with or without the Internet.

Want to spark a conversation or improve your fitness? Check out the YMCA of Greater Toronto’s programming for a full list of ways you can connect with older adults.

Sam Casmey has an honours BSc in kinesiology from the University of Waterloo and is a YMCA Canada Trainer Educator. She’s currently the YMCA of Greater Toronto’s Manager of Health & Fitness Adult Programs. In the 20 years she’s been working at the Y, Sam’s taught thousands of fitness classes and trained hundreds of volunteers to teach classes including Arriba, MuscleFit, Bootcamp, and many more. She’s currently spending her time on Sudoku, cryptic crosswords, and books on habits and behaviour change.

Morning-after aches can be a good thing — they’re often proof you got a good workout the day before. Still, they can be pretty uncomfortable, especially if you tried a brand-new exercise for the first time, or upped your reps. Here are four ways to alleviate that day-after soreness, so you can feel ready for one of our online classes again tomorrow:

1. Take a warm bath with Epsom salts
You can pick up a box of these inexpensive tension alleviators at your local pharmacy or supermarket. Add 1–2 cups to your evening bath while the water is still running, then soak the achy joint in question (or your whole body) for at least 15 minutes. The warm water will improve blood flow to your sore spots, helping loosen them up. This is our favourite option because it’s pain-free and ultra-relaxing.

2. Try a self-massage and grab some tools for hard-to-reach areas like your back
Just like a warm bath, a light massage will facilitate circulation throughout your body. That means more oxygen and nutrients are coming to the aid of your sore muscles, helping to repair them. Self-massage can be especially effective since you know exactly where you’re aching. Start gentle and gradually begin rubbing your muscles more deeply as they relax. Try adding a tennis ball into the mix for hard-to-reach spots. If your back is feeling sore, place the tennis ball on the muscle you’d like to target and lean against a wall with the ball placed between you and the wall. Find the sore spot with the ball and pause there, applying gentle pressure as you breathe and allow a release to happen. Be careful not to roll the ball over any bony areas or joints; that means you should avoid your spine completely.

3. Walk it off
Take a slow, gentle walk around the block. This isn’t your cardio time, so don’t make it a power walk that could tighten you up even more. Instead, stroll slowly while you focus on your breathing to enhance your circulation and help your muscles get the oxygen they need to recover. You can also pair up with a neighbor or friend for a physical distance walk; some light conversation guarantees that you’ll keep breathing, and will distract you from your aches.

4. Apply heat (not ice!)
In case you haven’t noticed, warm baths, massages, and long walks all have one thing in common: they promote blood flow through your aching muscles, helping them to repair themselves after the tough workout that broke them down. Ice, on the other hand, merely numbs your pain while actually hindering that healing Namely, ice constricts your blood vessels, preventing oxygen and nutrients from getting to achy muscles, and can actually make you more stiff. Try using a heating pad instead.

One important note: if your soreness lasts longer than a few days, consult your doc, physiotherapist, or personal trainer to confirm you haven’t injured yourself. Muscle soreness is a completely normal part of working out and getting stronger, but injuries are not. You can tell if something more serious is going on if you’re feeling sharper, intense pain, and if it gets worse instead of better over the next several days. Healthy and normal soreness will also be muscular, whereas an injury might involve joint pain.

Remember, it’s okay to take a day off — in fact, if you strength train every day, you’ll actually stunt your own progress. Instead, use your days in between workouts to try a bath, massage, or walk that will leave your muscles feeling repaired and ready to go when it’s time for your next session.

Here at The YMCA of Greater Toronto, we respect and admire the expert advice provided by our partners at The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. That’s why we’re excited to bring you even more great reading material written by their team! In this next piece, Heart and Stroke experts outline important considerations for anyone who has had a stroke and is thinking about at-home exercise.

Exercise is a good way to maintain your health through recovery, rehabilitation, and the rest of your life. It helps keep you fit and healthy — physically and mentally — to reduce the chance of another stroke and to improve your quality of life. During coronavirus self-isolation, there are also plenty of ways for you to get active from home.

But stroke is a complex condition that can impact your ability to exercise safely. People living with stroke have different needs. Some want to pursue a more traditional rehab program under the supervision of trained physiotherapists, but barriers like insurance coverage or transportation may keep them from doing so. Others prefer programs in their community or at home.

The good news is that more fitness providers are being trained to deliver exercise programs that are suitable for people recovering from a stroke. Other programs are being developed and evaluated to enable stroke survivors to exercise independently, at home or in community groups. Be sure to talk to your healthcare providers about programs in your community and get their guidance around the best options for your unique needs. Here are some of the basics to consider as you make your recovery plan.

Keys to success with exercise after stroke

1. Talk to your stroke team about whether or not you are ready to exercise before starting any program.
Why? Only your stroke team knows if it is safe for you to participate in an exercise program.

2. Work with a stroke physiotherapist and other team members to choose the right program for you.
Why? Assessing your personal goals, medical condition, and ability means that you will be matched to a program that is safe and effective for you.

3. Be re-assessed periodically by your fitness provider.
Why? Regular assessments will ensure that you are doing your exercises properly — for both safety and effectiveness. An expert can also guide you in adjusting the level of challenge to help you progress toward your goals.

4. Exercise is hard work, but keep at it, and progress will come.
Why? Many tasks are repetitive — even boring at times — and take a lot of effort, but there is lots of research to show that exercise benefits people who have had a stroke.

5. Exercise with others.
Why? Research shows that exercising with others keeps it more interesting and helps your motivation.

6. Stay motivated. What works best to keep you motivated? Do you have a favourite type of exercise? Do you like to listen to music while you work out? Try setting weekly goals and reward yourself when you reach them!
Why? Knowing what motivates you to exercise will help you keep at it for the long-term.

7. Stop the exercise if things start to feel wrong in your body or you have difficulty breathing. If you don’t feel better after a few minutes, stop and check in with your doctor or stroke team member as soon as possible.
Why? Exercise shouldn’t make you feel unwell.

8. Talk to your physiotherapist about hip protectors. If you do fall, check in with your doctor or stroke team member.
Why? Stroke can cause poor balance and you may have osteoporosis. Both are risks for hip fracture.

9. If your exercises are painful, stop! Work with a physiotherapist or a trained fitness provider to modify the exercise so that you are in a pain-free range.
Why? Only do exercises that are within your abilities. The benefits of exercise outweigh the risk of injury as long as they are done safely.

Finding a program that’s right for you

Now that you know some of the ground rules, what kind of exercise should you be doing?

Broadly, there are four main types of exercise. Talk with your healthcare team to find out which combination is right for you.

1. Endurance (aerobic)
Improves your heart and lung fitness, reduces fatigue, and increases your energy to be active throughout your day.

2. Strength
Increases your muscle strength so it is easier to do everyday things like climb stairs, get up from a chair, and carry groceries.

3. Balance
Makes it easier to move about in your home and in the community, and reduces your risk of falls.

4. Stretching
Keeps your muscles relaxed and your joints mobile so that you can get dressed and reach for objects more easily.

We know it’s harder than usual right now to explore community-based exercise programs or to work directly with a physiotherapist. Virtual exercise classes that you can do from home are often a good alternative. As you discuss your options with your team, consider the many fitness options our YMCA provides free of charge every day right here on The Bright Spot.

Thanks to our partners at the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada for their expert advice. Look out for more relevant information on our site, or visit theirs for more details.

As the physical distancing days continue, and we have all but settled into our new normal, it may start to feel like that initial jolt of adrenaline-induced productivity and positivity is starting to wane. Remember when everyone was making homemade bread, and learning how to grow their own food? Plus, the countless DYI home projects that many of us embarked on? Well, those days are now behind us and some people are reporting a lack of productivity and feelings of complacency. Not to worry, we have a team of pros who are used to inspiring their clients to get back on track and tackle even the loftiest of goals. Sherry Perez, Manager of Program Development for the YMCA of Greater Toronto, has tips for staying motivated and beating boredom, stress, and fear. Here are her inspiring words of wisdom.

If you’ve taken a class with me on Facebook live lately, you know I’m a pretty positive, motivated person! It comes with the territory: a big part of my job as a group fitness instructor and personal trainer is to help people push themselves, achieve their goals, and set their sights even higher next time.

Or at least, that was a big part of my job before a pandemic shut the world down and turned our collective future into a big question mark.

*Gulp.*

We all know we’re in the midst of a crisis, and we’re all coping with it differently. I love seeing some of my friends and family thrive from the comfort of their home offices, overjoyed they’re now spending an extra hour or two a day playing with their kids instead of sitting in rush hour traffic.

But if you’re reading this, you’re probably not feeling ultra-productive and you need some inspiration. If you are feeling unmotivated (and maybe even a little guilty about it), the last thing you need right now is to read a long list of things you “should” be doing. So instead, I thought I’d share some of the things I’m doing right now to try to cope with my stress, boost my mood, and brighten my days a little. I hope some of these will work for you too!

1. Reimagining my personal goals so they’re super-small and easy.

The last thing we need right now is the disappointment of “failure.” Instead of pledging to run a marathon, my goals these days are more like, “I’m going to walk around the block today.” Setting these small goals I know I can tackle means I get to enjoy the positive feeling of achievement over and over. It also makes me hungry for more: it feels good to be able to say “I did it!” and that good feeling gets me excited to set another little goal for myself.

2. Sleeping. A lot.

No, you do not lack discipline if all of this ends and you haven’t learned a new skill, finished a novel, or done whatever else we may be told to accomplish in the middle of a pandemic. In my mind, I would count it as a resounding success if some of us caught up on even a little sleep while we’re spending so much time at home.

3. Moving every morning.

No, I will not be doing 6:00 am bootcamp daily! All I mean is that I’m going to do my best to be vertical for at least a few minutes at the start of every day. For me, moving clears my mind gives me a little energy boost, and helps me feel good about the day ahead. You can try one of The Bright Spot’s live group fitness classes, or watch a pre-recorded one on our Youtube channel.

4. Remembering to nourish my body.
There’s something calming and reassuring about planning what you’re going to eat, and when. Prepping at least some of my meals and snacks the night before makes my day feel so much less overwhelming; it’s one less thing I have to think about while I’m in the middle of trying to work and simultaneously supervise my kids’ online learning.

5. Seizing my good days to tackle new adventures.

Some days, you will feel motivated and productive! I’m planning to put them to good use by trying something new I’ve always been interested in but never had time to explore. Something fun I keep telling people to try right now is my Arriba class: this is your chance to really let loose and dance like no one’s watching…because they’re actually not 😉

6. Being extra kind and forgiving to myself.

Most importantly, not every day is going to be a good day. When you’re feeling off and nothing’s helping to shake that funk, you’ve got to dig down deep and find the strength to do the toughest thing on this list: be okay with it. Personally, I like to brew a cup of hot tea, grab a seat in the sun, and remind myself that it’s perfectly acceptable not to be motivated today — that I am allowed to feel down, or stressed, or scared, or just plain off when there is a literal crisis unfolding around me. Simply telling yourself that your feelings are normal, and acknowledging that you are doing your very best, can really help you feel a little more calm and in control.

As the Manager of Program Development for the YMCA of Greater Toronto, Sherry builds and advances our group fitness programs and coaches our staff and volunteer instructors to deliver the very best classes they can. She also works with YMCAs across Canada to bring our latest and greatest group fitness classes to more people in more communities. Sherry has been a personal trainer and group fitness instructor for over 20 years, has a diploma in Fitness & Lifestyle Management from George Brown College and an honours degree in Business, and is a YMCA Canada Training Educator. She is the proud mother of two children who occasionally make guest appearances in the live classes she’s teaching for free right now on our Facebook channel!

We rely on good balance a lot in our day-to-day lives. It helps us walk with ease, climb stairs without stumbling, sit down and stand up, and even dance to our favourite tunes. It isn’t until we start to lose this faculty that we realize how much we need it. So we asked Sam Casmey, Manager of Adult Health & Fitness Programs here at the YMCA of Greater Toronto, to share her advice for building balance while you’re at home right now.

Why is your balance changing?

Our bodies change as we age and over time, you might have seen your balance decline. These issues can arise for older adults for a variety of reasons, such as decreases in the quality of your vision, inner ear problems, or changes to your sense of touch and proprioception (the ability to sense where your body is in space).

Understandingly, these physical changes might change your approach to exercise — but they shouldn’t spell the end of a fun, active lifestyle! In fact, studies suggest that regular, appropriate exercise can slow the physiological decline of balance, and in some cases, make you feel even more stable than you were before.

How can you work on improving it?

The trick to maintaining or improving your balance and mobility is to take it one step at a time. When you’re doing any given exercise or activity, try to see if you can find stability. Once you feel comfortable, it’s time to challenge yourself! While you’re doing that exercise or activity, try removing a stabilizing factor to see how your mind and body respond. For example, if you were exercising while holding onto a chair or countertop for stability, try taking your hand away for a second. See how it feels to do the same movement without holding on.

Try these exercises at home

1. Standing on one leg

Set yourself up near a wall, so you can rest your hand on it for support if you need to. Start on both feet, then start to lift one leg off the floor. Notice how your balance is impacted here. Do you feel comfortable? Maybe you can move that lifted leg in space to make this exercise even more challenging! How does that feel?

Repeat the same exercise on the other side, lifting the opposite leg off the floor. Once you’ve mastered that, you can start taking your hands away from the wall.

2. Standing on a firm pillow

Another way to challenge yourself is to stand on an unstable surface. Do the exact same exercise I explained above, but try standing on a firm pillow. Notice how it feels to stand on an uneven, moving surface. If it’s easy for you, try taking one hand away from the wall. Go slowly and focus your attention on staying balanced on your prop. Continue challenging yourself by removing the other hand.

When you’re doing either of these exercises, don’t forget to keep breathing evenly and steadily. Most importantly, have fun with it!

Work on your balance with one of our fitness instructors

We’re offering free low-impact exercise classes you can join from the comfort of your home. Join us on YouTube for your choice of live or pre-recorded fitness classes like Soothing Yoga, Bodyfit Chair, Bodyfit Gentle, Chair Yoga, and Arriba.

Sam Casmey has an honours BSc in kinesiology from the University of Waterloo and is a YMCA Canada Trainer Educator. She’s currently the YMCA of Greater Toronto’s Manager of Health & Fitness Adult Programs. In the 20 years she’s been working at the Y, Sam’s taught thousands of fitness classes and trained hundreds of volunteers to teach classes including Arriba, MuscleFit, Bootcamp, and many more. She’s currently spending her time on Sudoku, cryptic crosswords, and books on habits and behaviour change.

Regular exercise that gets your blood pumping is important for people of all ages, but older adults in particular have a lot to gain. Cardio can strengthen your heart and lungs, boost your energy, and even reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. To help you tap into these benefits, we asked Sam Casmey, Manager of Adult Health & Fitness Programs here at the YMCA of Greater Toronto, for some tips to safely get your heart rate up at home.

Moderate exercise for just 30 minutes a day makes a big difference for your health. And by “moderate exercise,” I don’t mean you need to take a wild bootcamp class! I mean moving your body in any way that feels good to you. You’ll get pretty much the same benefits whether you get your daily half-hour of movement in all at once, or break it up in a few short sessions. For instance, you could try three 10-minute bouts of exercise, spread over a whole day. So, there’s no need to push beyond your limits in one sitting!

Try these cardio activities at home

The important thing with both of these activities is just to move your body, get your heart pumping, and stay pain-free. If you do start feeling any pain, go back to the basics — whatever sort of movement you were doing that wasn’t painful.

1. Put on your favourite song, and start moving! Just like with the balance exercises I shared in another article, you can start simple and take it up a notch when you’re ready.

2. Start sitting down, with your arms extended in front of you, or out to the sides. Start moving them in small circles. Once that feels comfortable, challenge yourself by making your circles a little bigger. If that feels good, add your legs. You can stay sitting, or stand up and continue moving your arms and legs.

It doesn’t really matter what movements you’re doing, as long as you’re warming up your body and feeling good. Remember that every day is going to feel different. Your energy, balance, and range of motion will fluctuate. Don’t get discouraged — it’s totally normal! Instead, check in with yourself, get a feel for where your body’s at today, and do what feels right.

Get moving with one of our free online classes

Cardio is especially fun when you do it with other people and good music! This might seem like a bit of a challenge while we practice physical distancing, but don’t worry: we’ve got you covered. Our low-impact online classes will get your heart rate up, all from the comfort of your home. Join us on YouTube for your choice of live or pre-recorded fitness classes like Soothing Yoga, Bodyfit Chair, Bodyfit Gentle, Chair Yoga, and Arriba.

Sam Casmey has an honours BSc in kinesiology from the University of Waterloo and is a YMCA Canada Trainer Educator. She’s currently the YMCA of Greater Toronto’s Manager of Health & Fitness Adult Programs. In the 20 years she’s been working at the Y, Sam’s taught thousands of fitness classes and trained hundreds of volunteers to teach classes including Arriba, MuscleFit, Bootcamp, and many more. She’s currently spending her time on Sudoku, cryptic crosswords, and books on habits and behaviour change.