If you’ve ever sat down to plan a program for your TOPS meeting, you know it can be difficult to come up with fresh and engaging ideas. Fitness is an especially tricky topic to cover since everyone’s ability level, interest and comfort with exercise are different. The following suggestions are featured in the recently released “TOPS Every Day, Volume 2: Fitness & Movement,” and can be adapted to meet your chapter’s unique needs—feel free to put your own spin on each activity!
Schedule a Fitness Expert Guest Speaker
Reach out to a local personal trainer, physical therapist or group exercise instructor and invite them to speak at your next chapter meeting. Ask them to demonstrate a few simple at-home exercises, share tips for staying active or answer members’ questions. Many fitness professionals are happy to do community outreach—your local YMCA, gym or physical therapy clinic is a great place to start.
Try a Deck of Cards Workout
All you need is a standard deck of playing cards and a little space to move for this energizing and unpredictable workout that works just as well solo as it does with a group. Before you begin, assign a movement to each suit. For example, arm swings for hearts, marching in place for diamonds, hip circles for clubs and seated leg lifts for spades. Flip cards one at a time and perform the corresponding movement for the number of reps shown on the card. Face cards count as 5 reps and aces as 10. Keep movements simple and inclusive for varying ability levels. Set a timer for 10 or 15 minutes and rest as needed.
Reminder: If your chapter plans to lead any group physical activities, all participants must complete the official TOPS Club Inc. Walk/Activity Waiver (Form L-045), available in the Forms area of tops.org.
TOPS Every Day includes a variety of exercises for every ability level!
Focus on Brain Fitness
While physical movement is crucial to maintaining good health, mental fitness becomes increasingly important with age. Encourage members to try an activity such as an online word game, puzzle or memory game as a daily mental “workout” before your next chapter meeting. Invite members to share and discuss their favorite brain training activities. Knitting, crocheting and playing chess count too!
Play Fitness Bingo
Choose a month dedicated to exploring and trying different types of movement. Then create Bingo cards featuring movements from across all three sections of "TOPS Every Day." To keep everyone motivated for the entire four weeks, have small prizes for when someone gets Bingo. Another option is to keep track of every person who completes five squares in a row on their card, so that one name can be randomly selected at the end of the month to win a “grand prize” predetermined by the group.
Keep the Momentum Going
Looking for even more ways to keep your chapter active and engaged? Every issue of TOPS News magazine features fresh fitness tips and chapter program ideas to help you plan meetings. You can also find a library of workout videos featuring TOPS Nutrition and Fitness Editor Rachel Werner on the official TOPS YouTube page.
No matter how your chapter chooses to move, remember that every step counts!
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