Training for Life
New Middleton facility inclusive for those with barriers to health and fitness
If you’ve ever felt intimidated or anxious at the thought of working out at the gym, or exercising with the ‘buff’ crowd, you’ve never met Sandy Murray or Kelsey Nogler. They just want you to be healthy.
People in the Middleton area are calling their new fitness centre home and Nogler and Murray are calling them part of their family. And that’s what it feels like at the spot they carved out for themselves at the old creamery at the end of Victoria Street.
Dr. Jane Brooks, who backed the pair in the community healthcare venture, couldn’t agree more.
“It’s a very inclusive, warm feeling when you go in there,” said Brooks. “It’s not a huge sprawling gym either. It’s quite an intimate space. It’s brightly coloured. I think it’s just a fantastic addition to a community.”
Murray said the facility includes a holistic approach for the whole family, from moms bringing their three- and four-yearolds, up to their oldest member who is 87.
“Our holistic approach is not just about physical ability and strength,” said Murray, a nurse at Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital. “We just want to focus on wellness, functional aging, look at the person as a whole – mainly a feelingof-inclusion fitness community.”
Barriers
Murray said a lot of their participants told her traditional gym settings create a lot of anxiety for them.
“It’s not a setting where they feel welcome,” she said. “Unfortunately, that’s a barrier that a lot of us have not been able to overcome over the years. We’ve worked in similar facilities and we’ve worked really hard to make people feel included but we just can’t seem to overcome that.”
She describes Training for Life an intimate setting and said people feel like it’s their home or their safe spot.
Brooks knew Murray’s and Nogler’s mission, their vision, and their passion.
“I’ve known Sandy for a long time … and I’ve been totally struck by her dedication to the health care in the community,” said Brooks, “and she said to me once, ‘you know we see all these people with broken hips after falls, older people, and I would like to help prevent that before they got to the hospital.’”
Right People
Brooks knew Murray and Nogler were the right people to facilitate such a program in Middleton.
“I’ve been going to the gym with Sandy for well over a year now and she is probably the most positive person I’ve ever met,” said Brooks. “She’s a kind, generous person. She’s always enthusiastic and so positive.”
On June 20 many people of all ages attended an open house at Training for Life. Many are already participants at the training centre, taking part in such classes as Strollercize, Stretch and Tone, Booty Burn, Body Power, Boxercise, Zumba, Movement & Mobility, Sandy Murray, left, and Kelsey Nogler hold up a sign for their new health and fitness centre in Middleton. Training for Life is located at 68 Victoria St. in what used to be the offices of the old creamery. The sign was made as a gift by their friend Trish Bruce.
Full Body Core, Train with the Trainer, the equipment for weight training – and more.
Health Care
Murray has been a nurse at Soldiers Memorial Hospital for 18 years and Nogler just graduated from the Continuing Care Assistant program at the Nova Scotia Community College.
Murray describes Nogler as approachable and human.
“Her passion obviously is in the seniors community as well and those with barriers in regards to health and fitness, mobility, what have you.”
It’s that background of caring and compassion that shines through.
“It’s their positive vibe that you get there,” said Brooks.
And, the idea is to create a place for everybody.
“Even though they’re targeting seniors, and women, and young people, men are more than welcome,” said Brooks. “My 19-yearold son goes there, and my father is actually going to start going
there with Sandy to loosen up his back and get himself a little more fit. He’s hoping to improve his golf swing, actually.”
Feedback
“There’s been already a lot of good feedback,” said Nogler. “A lot of people have expressed that they would never go into a typical gym. By me and Sandy reaching out to them we have helped their lives so much.”
For her it started with her grandparents.
“You see people who don’t get out of the house. My grandmother who’s post-stroke so she can’t be in a typical gym setting, and that’s who we want to target. She can’t handle all the different noises, it has to be quiet, but she’s still so keen about getting out there and getting physically active.”
Nogler said her grandmother is not the only one.
“We need to help those people. I feel really great about what we’re doing,” she said. “I think every day we’re changing so many different lives already – and we’ve just started.”
While the mood was upbeat and positive at the open house, Training for Life is under a bit of a cloud in regards to zoning compliance with the Town of Middleton, something they hope will be resolved soon.
Until then the training centre can’t officially open as a business. In the meantime, Nogler and Murray are donating proceeds to various charities as they wait for word from the town.