Local Men Offer Fitness Classes for Seniors at Libertyville Masonic Lodge

The late-summer heat may have resulted in just a few students showing up at Bernie Klos and John Keller's Senior Fitness Class Wednesday at the Libertyville Masonic Lodge, but that didn't stop the two men from working toward their mission.

Keller and Klos aim to teach seniors about three fundamental fitness elements: stretching, strength training and balance. 

"Someone once said, 'Use it or lose it.' We really think that's true," said Klos, a Buffalo Grove resident. "We want older adults to be as active and independent as possible. It's seniors teaching seniors. We can relate to people and they can relate to us."

Keller, who lives in Gurnee, said he started the senior fitness program about seven years ago.

"When I retired, I started doing exercise. But I never found anything that was right for the over-55 crowd," said Keller. "The (program) I developed is one of the better ones."

He gained certification to teach senior fitness classes and started offering the classes at places like the Grayslake, Waukegan and Vernon Hills YMCA facilities. The Grayslake and Waukegan facilities have since closed, and the Vernon Hills Park District bought the Vernon Hills YMCA, which was also set to close.

Between those three facilities, Keller averaged about 25 seniors in his classes.

Though he and Klos still teach the classes at the Vernon Hills Park District, they also recently teamed up to offer the classes at the Libertyville Masonic Lodge. The classes started about two months ago and average eight to 10 people per class.

Participants are first guided through a half hour of stretching, Keller said. They then perform some light-to-moderate muscle strength exercises with items like resistance bands and dumbbells. The final portion of the one-hour class focuses on balance. 

"We want people to get a well-rounded workout," said Klos. 

"We don't try to compete with the larger clubs," said Keller. "Ours is a real low-impact program. We try to fill a niche."

Classes are held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at the Libertyville Masonic Lodge, 356 Brainerd Ave. The cost is just $3 per session. Contact Keller and Klos at 4seniorfitness@gmail.com for more information.