Surf Life Saving Queensland Magazine
HOW DID YOU GET THE SILVER SALTIES PROGRAM STARTED UP? “Being a personal trainer, when I found out about the program, I thought ‘yep, I’ll give that a go.’ During that first block of training, we got about 20-25 people wanting to participate. Seeing that turn out, I decided it was definitely worth it. Over the last few years, I just kept developing it and building it. Initially, I tried both a water program and a land program. The biggest turnout I actually got was for the land program, so that’s the program I ran with.” WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? “The content of our programs are all based on what our members are wanting, which we have learnt over the years. There are a couple of different programs, which are on at different times of the year. To give you an idea, the two blocks we are currently running have 57 and 35 registered for each. Over the four years of Silver Salties, 288 people have participated. The two trainings we are currently hosting are on Mondays and Fridays. They do involve slightly different things. For example, Mondays are with myself, a qualified PT, so this involves a more tailored approach for each person. These sessions are held on the beach, with walking, lunging, balancing and resistance bands. Fridays are with Diane in the park. This involves a little bit more cardio, some hand weights and full-body movements. In both sessions, I ensure there’s enough time for chatting and socialising as well. So there really is flexibility there with what is doable for your club and its participants. The courses we are currently running have been developed and shaped based on previous programs, learning what people enjoy and find useful.” WHAT WOULD MAKE SOMEONE CHOOSE TO DO SILVER SALTIES OVER, SAY, YOUR REGULAR GYM MEMBERSHIP? “It is really tailored to the level our older participants are at. Everything we do is slower than what say, a gym class would be. Rather than being energetic and quick, this is more targeted and focused on the correct form for different exercises. This doesn’t mean it’s not an effective workout though! For many of the participants, apart from walking this is the only real physical activity they do, so doing exercises to work on upper body strength and balance is super important.”
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF JOINING THE PROGRAM FOR OLDER AUSTRALIANS? “The obvious benefit is the physical aspect, but socially it has been really rewarding! The program serves as a space for the community to come together, and has allowed connections to form. The program has 4 years under its belt, and has facilitated the growth of many networks. The participants not only love to chat when exercising, but also enjoy extending it over coffee afterwards. Moreover, having the program as something to focus on, with routine and positive atmosphere, for our older participants is a great benefit to keep them moving. And the continuity is remarkable, several people I train have remained with me since the start! Most of the participants, currently involved in the program, I’d say roughly about 20-25 have been coming to me since 2020. They are very keen.” ANY ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO OTHER CLUBS THAT MIGHT WANT TO GIVE SILVER SALTIES A GO? “Firstly, it’ essential to come up with a program that resonates with your target market. A lot of my participants return consistently because they feel and see the benefits firsthand. This may involve starting with a certain plan, and tweaking it along the way. Don’t be afraid to change it up. Other than that, get the word out! Social media, specifically Facebook, played a big role in catapulting program to success.” WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR THE PROGRAM AT BUNDABERG? “I currently view it as just an ongoing endeavor, as long as there are willing and satisfied participants coming each week. I’ll just keep going like we do, because experience has shown that when I temporarily halt sessions during the summer months due to heat, the interest remains high, and as it starts to cool down, participants reach out. So this keenness shows a continued demand, which prompts me to persist with the program as long as there is need for it. In the future there is a possibility we could introduce a water program, but at the moment our participants are happy with the beach and park options. Our program has been pretty successful, I think a lot of people know of Bundaberg Salties. It has proven to be highly beneficial for our community, so I’m really pleased to continue offering it to them.”
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