The Villages Daily Sun

THE VILLAGES — Combine tae kwon do with boxing. What you get is a form of exercise called Tae Bo, and it really works the cardiovascular system.

“The first time we did that,” Village of Bonnybrook resident Barbara Graham said, “I thought I’d faint on the floor.”

Graham quickly found out that she enjoyed the challenge of Tae Bo and other exercises included in Full Body Workout. The one-hour class mixes Tae Bo with kickboxing, low-impact aerobics, pilates and beginner dance moves. Free weights and bands are used for resistance training.

Graham was a second-session student of Full Body Workout — offered through The Villages Lifelong Learning College — during twice weekly gatherings at Lake Miona Recreation Center. She plans to return for the third session, which begins April 8.

“It’s a wonderful class,” Graham said, “and you don’t dare miss.”

Graham doesn’t dare miss because she does not want to fall behind in workouts. Missing class also means getting a phone call from the instructor.

But this is a good phone call.

Instructor Donna Herbert cares about her students. For that reason, she contacts anyone absent from workouts, just to make sure they are OK.

Herbert was a registered nurse and director of nursing at a Seattle hospital for 25 years. Much of her career emphasis was on physical rehabilitation and geriatrics, so leading an exercise class in The Villages has come naturally to her.

“This is my second profession,” said Herbert, who became a certified instructor of aerobics and pilates after retiring.

Full Body Workout has evolved from the chair exercises Herbert once did with her patients. Chair exercises prevented participants from having to do floor work, and so does Full Body Workout. This factor is a plus.

As most readers know, doing floor exercises becomes more difficult for people as they age.

“Most of them avoid exercise,” Herbert said, “because of that fact.”

The aim of Full Body Workout is to get students physically fit by improving their cardiovascular systems, bone density and flexibility.

“These are all things we start to lose,” Herbert said, “at the age of 50.”

Full Body Workout prepared Dave May for softball. A member of two softball leagues, May initially felt pain after games.

“I pulled every muscle,” May said, “in my arms and legs.”

Exercise classes before games improved his condition; they stretched his muscles.

“At our age people think we don’t have to warm up,” said May, a Village of Belvedere resident. “I can’t believe the difference. This class is an outstanding warm-up.”

May also will return for the third session of Full Body Workout, with a promise from the instructor that meetings would continue to engage students.

“Every class is different,” Herbert said.

Jill Sherman is a reporter with the Daily Sun. She can be contacted at 753-1119, ext. 9253, or jill.sherman@thevillagesmedia.com.