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"I’m actually quite evangelical
about fitness," she says. "I’ve seen what it’s done for me, and I think that anyone over 55 who doesn't exercise is asking for trouble. I don't have to bullshit about its benefits." Levitt considers herself a cheerlead-
er above all and advocates using music and positive reinforcement to pump up older clients. Most of the exercises she performs mimic everyday motions and stimulate the atrophied muscles that seniors use on a daily basis. Training sessions usually occur in clients' homes; many are overweight exercise novices who are too embarrassed to join a gym. She also leads bi-weekly se- niors’ fitness classes at a local commu- nity centre. Levitt teams up with two indus-
Edna Levitt
Years in the industry: four
Qualifications: Certified
Personal Trainers Network (CPTN) personal trainer
Company: 50+ fitness Toronto, Ont. www.50plus-fitness.ca
Recommended resources:
Active Living Coalition for Older Adults (www.alcoa.ca);
International Council on Active Aging (www.icaa.cc)
become a certified personal trainer. Levitt took up the challenge, achieved her certification and started her busi- ness soon afterward.
An atypical history and resume
Levitt admits that many other train-
ers depend mostly on impressive edu- cational credentials and youthful vi- tality to succeed. But she believes she has an ace up her sleeve that few Gen Y fitness pros likely have: personal experience.
44 Fitness Business Canada July/August 2009
try experts when leading workshops: Susan Sommers, a marketing guru and gym buddy, and Dr. Jen Castle, a nutri- tion specialist and Levitt’s tutor dur- ing her personal trainer certification process. Together, their workshops cover a gamut of issues associated with seniors’ health, including motiva- tion, eating well and strength train- ing. It is through these presentations that Levitt has secured new clients and business opportunities. Levitt prides herself on the educa-
tional materials she provides to her cli- ents. She has created a handout on the benefits of exercise, and she is plan- ning on publishing an edition that fo- cuses on easy and effective exercises to perform in front of the television. “It’s a good place to start,” she says, noting that two hours of TV offers 30 minutes of commercial time that can be filled with small bouts of exercise.
Spreading the word
When it comes to marketing, Levitt
steers clear of print advertising pri- marily because of the cost. Instead, she focuses on giving back to the com- munity. Philanthropy is a pastime she enjoys, and it has created numerous networking opportunities. From lead- ing crowds in warm-ups at charity fundraisers to speaking at older adult events, Levitt sees this face time as an extremely valuable marketing tool. Levitt believes that exercise must
be a personal choice. She recalls some adult children, with good intentions, purchasing training packages for their aging parents hoping it would improve the parents’ quality of life. But because the choice was the children’s and not
the parents’, she found that the mom and dad dropped their new healthy lifestyles as soon as the sessions wrap up. Now, Levitt says, she will only ac- cept these types of clients if she speaks with them beforehand. Her vibrant website was created
with a local web designer. Borrowing the style and colour scheme from her newly minted business cards, Levitt and her designer worked hard to show- case the fun and functional fitness that her business represents. Levitt in- sisted being hands-on in all aspects of the design, penning the copy and se- lecting the photographs she felt best reflected herself and her company. By keeping the theme of her promotional materials homogenous, Levitt was able to create a brand that is easily recog- nizable and relatable.
Listen Up
The most important piece of ad-
vice that Levitt offers to other person- al trainers is to listen to your clients. With a client base of mostly 60- to 80- year-olds, she encounters a fair share of aches and pains each day. Treating complaints with respect and due dili- gence is important when dealing with seniors. "You need to be very empathetic
with older clients," she advises. "Tell them to listen to their bodies – and you, the trainer, need to listen to what they say.” Too many times clients have shared horror stories about previous trainers who pushed them too far re- sulting in injuries. "All of my clients have arthritis in
some part of their bodies," Levitt says. She recalls a client who told her she was waiting for an MRI for her hip. At that point Levitt knew to step back and let the medical professionals take over. "I told her to do what the doc- tors told her, and when they give her a clean bill of health we'd start up again." Levitt is happiest helping the people
who are not able to help themselves. Some of her older clients need a push to realize that strength training isn’t so scary and that it can be an impor- tant component of their health and overall happiness. "I’m not in the business of train-
ing people to do a marathon," she says. "My work is very focused on the bene- fits of strength training. I have decided that at this stage in my life this is the right place for me to be." FBC
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