By Maryanne Kocis MacLeod, Macomb Daily Staff Writer
You may not be able to keep up with former Detroit Lions linebacker Ernie Clark's souped-up chair exercise program at Warren City Hall. But you'll have a good time trying.
"Ernie makes it fun," said participant Loretta Suwal, 81, of Warren. "He's very entertaining. We'll definitely be back."
"I've been exercising all my life," said Clark, 72, who began developing the POWERSIT program about 14 years ago to stay fit in the wake of disabling football injuries. "I don't want it to be drudgery."
Sponsored by Health Alliance Plan in partnership with the city of Warren, this free program is open to adults from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays through March 4 at Warren City Hall, 1 City Square Drive.
"It's part of our community service outreach," said Tiffany Baker, a public relations specialist for HAP. "HAP is a part of this community, and programs like this are part of our mission to truly be a health and wellness plan for everyone, not just for our 500,000-plus members."
"With Warren's senior population growing steadily, this is an ideal program for senior fitness," said Warren Mayor Jim Fouts. "Ernie Clark will be a role model for all participants."
Clark's big, bright smile and positive attitude rain down like light on the 20 seniors who gathered on a recent Tuesday morning to share exercise and companionship.
They return his smile, then throw their shoulders, elbows and abs into the task at hand.
"Calorie-burning is dependent on using big muscle groups, like thighs and legs," said Clark, a native of upstate New York who attended Michigan State University. He played from 1963 to 1967 with the Lions, then went to the St. Louis Cardinals.
"Since I couldn't stand for long periods of time (because of those earlier injuries), in POWERSIT we work from the core, twisting from the torso and putting our shoulders into it."
Participants bend far forward and way back, stand up for a few squats, and sit back down to alternately march and lift their legs.
"I can definitely feel it, arms, legs, thighs, shoulders, everywhere," said Helen Traczewski, 69, of Warren, who also walks and dances regularly with the Warren Polka boosters.
Friend and polka-partner Stan Ziejka, 82, agreed.
"We are definitely coming back," said Ziejka, who also bowls and works out at home each week.
"I like group exercise," said Loretta Suwal. "So this is the ideal situation for me. We get fit and socialize at the same time."
Although he prefers to exercise at home or in his personal gym, her husband Edward, 85, a combat Army veteran from World War II, said he enjoyed Clark's workout as well.
"We had a good time today," Edward Suwal said.
"I am so very, very, very special ... I love me, I love you, I love life. Stress and depression are not allowed ... Age is nothing but an attitude. My attitude is: Get every second out of life," said Clark using his deep voice to pour out a litany of affirmations during the cool-down phase.
Afterward, many of the participants approach Clark to shake his hand, thank him for the workout or dispense a well-received "Attaboy."
"Nice job," said a smiling Louis Lawson, 60. "Very nice job."
About the National Changing Diabetes(®) Program
The National Changing Diabetes(®) Program (NCDP) is a multi-faceted initiative that brings together leaders in diabetes and policy to improve the lives of people with diabetes. NCDP strives to create change in the U.S. health care system to provide dramatic improvement in the prevention and care of diabetes. Launched in 2005, NCDP is a program of Novo Nordisk. For more information, please visit www.ncdp.com or http://twitter.com/ncdpnews.
