(Ages 58-80+)

Pre-Program Questionnaire

The Year-Round Boomer/Senior Fitness Training

The Program.  This is a year-round fitness program for novice and beginner athletes in the Baby Boomer age group (born between the end of WWII and the mid-1960s). 

The next quarterly session starts the week of March 9, 2024, with workouts on Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m., Thursdays at 5:30 p.m., and on Sundays at 7:30 a.m. (see “Workouts” and “Schedule” below for details).

After a certain age, a realization sets in that fitness training is mostly about staving off an inevitable fitness decline.  

      • The Boomer program employs fitness training principles to fight a rear-guard battle against this decline: relaxed effort, enjoyment, sustainability, no injury, and no discomfort.  There is no need for a “No-pain; No-gain” approach to fitness exercise.  
      • Instead, the program focuses on the basics of recreational athleticism, including building effective pre- and post-workout routines, forming habits that promote fitness within each workout, and adding ancillary activities that promote flexibility, core strength, and a healthy ratio of body fat to lean muscle mass.
      • One of the important aspects of the program is a course on sensible eating.  Nutritionally, we do not advocate a certain diet, recommending only that each athlete eats a variety of whole foods that they enjoy.  After that, healthy eating is a matter of building such habits as portion control and substituting good foods for bad.

The Information Meeting.  Thursday, March 7, at 6 p.m. on Zoom audio (no video).  

      • Here’s the link to the meeting.  The meeting ID is 878 7535 9367.  And the passcode is BC
      • Brian will talk about the program, the first workout, and we will hear from you: your health and fitness story as it is currently, along with your goals and concerns.

The Workouts

      • We teach novice and beginner athletes to break their workouts into segments: a very-slow warm-up walk, movement stretching, a continuation of the warm-up at a slow pace, an extended period of walking at a slow pace or on a hilly course, with a 10-minute break for core strengthening, followed by a cool-down walk.
      • We train three times a week: on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings.  The Thursday evening workouts can begin from your home or work place and occur within a telephone conference-call setting.  Athletes call a phone number to be with other athletes who do the workout on the call while the facilitator tells them what to do and leads the discussion.
      • The Tuesday evening and Sunday morning workouts: Are in-person, face to face workouts.  We get together in one place so the coaches can observe their athletes in action, making coaching changes as necessary to correct ineffective practices.  Initially, athletes learn how to pace themselves, they learn correct walking or jogging form, and they learn how to walk up hill at a relaxed level and down hill in control.
      • Thursday workouts are educational.  During conference calls, the facilitator listens carefully to each athlete in turn, while the other athletes listen and learn from the ongoing conversations.  In the process, an intimacy develops among the athletes as they share aspects of their personal health and fitness journey.  The details might be different, but the fundamentals are the same.
      • Stretching and Core Strengthening.  Facilitators lead a short regimen of movement stretching exercises after the initial 10-minute warm-up period of every workout.  When doing easy workouts on their own, however, athletes are encouraged to adopt our mid-workout core strengthening and stretching regimen to augment their strength, flexibility, and balance.

The Schedule

      • New participants may enter the year-round Boomer/Senior program during the 2-week enrollment period at the beginning of each quarter.  The current enrollment period begns on Sunday, March 10, 2024 at 7 a.m. at Kakaako Park.  
      • The 2-week enrollment period of 6 in-person workouts is an opportunity to learn the dial-in, conference-call process, while also learning the rudiments of each workout, as well as meeting the facilitator and other athletes.  
      • In the meantime, please take a few minutes to declare your intention to join the training by filling out the pre-program questionnaire at this link.  The questionnaire is designed to give the organizers information about your current fitness level and your personal needs and goals.
      • Remember, this is a year-round fitness program for novice and beginner athletes.  You may linger at this level as long as you wish.  Or you may move up to the racer program at the beginner level, should you want a bigger challenge.

The Sensible Eating Course is scheduled during the second quarter.  You can use it to focus on developing new habits of your choice.  There is no end to the sorts of learning and growing you can master at the beginner Boomer/senior level.  The course is included in the quarterly, semi-annual, and annual tuition. 

The tuition for 3 months is $150, 6 months is $250 (save $50), and the yearly tuition is $475 (save $125).  If you are trying us out, you need not pay anything up front, but pay us what you think the course was worth once you’ve finished the 12-week session.

3 Months Tuition

PAY $150

6 Months Tuition (SAVE $50)

PAY $250

Full Year Tuition (Save $125)

PAY $475

10 Elements of the Boomer Fitness Program

Non-athletes and beginners welcome

There are five fitness levels to all BC Endurance fitness programs.  But Boomers are especially welcome at the non-athlete and beginner levels because we believe that most Boomers will be most comfortable there.  Non-athlete to beginner is a huge transformation.

Year-round!

Fitness training can have many different goals, including race performance, weight management, and quality of life.  We believe that regular and year-round fitness training can be rewarding in itself: for the joy of exercise and for its health and fitness benefits, too.  

Three weekly workouts

All programs have three facilitated workouts per week: two are done in an individual, “telephone-call” setting starting from each athlete’s home or work location, while the other workout is done in an in-person, group-setting, where the whole group meets at a specific location

Telephone-call workouts

Participants dial into a telephone “conference-call” with their group and facilitator on the cellphone line. The facilitator instructs the group on the correct way to exert themselves during the workout, while also leading health- and fitness-related discussions.

Enter on a Quarterly Basis

New participants may enter the program on a quarterly basis, by doing the pre-program questionnaire, and by paying a $50 non-refundable deposit. We screen our participants for their fitness level and their commitment to operate within the program context.

2-week trial period

Athletes participate in an enrollment period of six educational workouts designed to get them up to speed on the basics of the training process. At the end of the initial trial period, you may enroll for a quarter, six months or a year.  

Covid-safe

The telephone-call workouts are as safe as the athlete wants to be while training alone. We recommend quiet workout venues with few people. During our group workouts during extreme pandemic conditions, however, masks, social distancing, and proof of updated vaccines/boosters are required.

Short and slow workouts

Out-of-shape newcomers are encouraged to start with very short workouts (15 minutes or less) or short workouts (30 minutes). These beginner workouts shouldn’t exceed light exertion, which feels slow, held-back, conversational, and comfortable.

Sensible eating adjunct

Boomers are invited to reassess their eating habits and practices to see how they measure up to the various aspects of a sensible eating process. Each aspect will be measurable on a 5-level scale and participants will talk about which level seems to make the most sense.

Stretching & core strengthening

Facilitators lead a short regimen of stretching after the initial 10-minute warm-up period of every group workout.  When doing easy workouts on their own, athletes are encouraged to adopt our mid-workout core strengthening and stretching regimen to augment their strength, flexibility, and balance.

The Rationale for Fitness Exercise

BC Endurance takes a broad view of fitness exercise.  We are not focused exclusively on, say, running to the exclusion of other forms of beneficial exercise.  Thus, in our system, fitness exercise includes: 

      • Short-to-Long-Duration, slow-paced running, jogging, or walking, which develops stamina and confidence while affording sustainable daily energy.
      • Resistance activities, such as weight lifting and doing hills, where exertion builds strength but is light enough to be relaxed, pleasurable, and sustainingable.
      • Limbering activities for increasing one’s comfortable range of motion, especially after a day in the office at the computer sitting or standing in narrow confines; 
      • Sensible eating habits promote a healthy ratio of fat to lean body mass, as well as adequate energy for daily life, while also lowering the risk of chronic disease. 

Health and Fitness Benefits

BC Endurance programs incorporate a variety of exercise activities to enhance health and fitness in the following dimensions.

  • Increased resistance to illness and chronic disease.
  • Decreased risk of depression, dementia, and Alzheimer’s.  
  • Increased ability to operate outside of normal physical boundaries.
  • Better mental acuity and better sleep.
  • Reduced hormonal stress.
  • Increased longevity and quality of life.
  • Increased self-esteem and reduced anxiety.
  • Feeling clean after a good sweat and a shower.
  • An appetite for a variety of health-promoting whole foods.
  • Greater stamina; more energy for life activities.

The Ten Most Frequently Asked Questions

The BC Endurance training system is based on Brian Clarke’s 40+ years of practical training and theoretical book-writing experience.  Thus, athletes build their fitness ability by pre-set rules (e.g., slow and comfortable exertion builds stamina; relaxed exertion builds muscle strength).  Participants practice exertion by the rules during two weekly telephone workouts and a once-weekly, Covid-safe, in-person workout.

Is this on Zoom video?

There are no Zoom video broadcasts during workouts.  In 2022, there will be two Zoom audio workouts per week and one in-person, face-to-face workout for a total of three scheduled workouts per week with your group and facilitator.  

How does Zoom Audio work?

Each athlete dials a cellphone number that connects them with others in the group, just as you would be on a telephone conference call.

What are the workouts like?

Workouts are divided into segments: the warm-up, ability-building activities, skill-building activities, announcements, discussions, meditations, etc.  The facilitator instructs the athletes on how to exert a correct and effective effort during the workout.

What is the Training Schedule?

Each fitness program has three scheduled workouts a week, regardless of your fitness level.  A typical program lasts for 6 to 20 weeks before a short break and resumption with another program during a year-round training period.  At the start of each program, athletes and their facilitator decide on a schedule of times each week when their group will meet for workouts.

Who are the other participants?

There are five “fitness levels” according to an athlete’s training experience (novice, beginner, intermediate, advanced, and master). The athletes in your program will be at your fitness level, regardless of their physical talent, training pace, or prowess.  During face-to-face workouts, you will be paired with others of your ability (pace) so you will always be able to keep up.  Nobody gets left behind.

Do you ever meet in person?

Yes, one in-person meeting is scheduled per week. During face-to-face workouts, there will be opportunities to practice skills, posture, and correct pacing under the watchful eyes of a coach.

Where do you meet?

During in-person workouts, we meet at scenic, quiet, safe locations that enhance our training and educational purposes.

How do you remain safe in the pandemic?

We require up-to-date vaccines, boosters, masks, and social distancing during in-person workouts.

What’s the group’s training pace? ("I’m so slow, won't I hold the group back?")

Wherever possible, we will match you with others of your pace and fitness ability so you can keep up without embarrassment or strain.

What if I miss a workout?

All telephone-call workouts are recorded so you can listen during a make-up workout on your own. Otherwise, details of the in-person workout are posted ahead of time so athletes know how to do it on their own.

Start Your Lifetime Health and Fitness Transformation.

Click the "Get Started" button and tell us about your fitness goals and interests.  You will be added to our user list with access to the BC Endurance members-only website.

 

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