Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By ZACHARY MARANO
Hurley — Iron County Public Health will hold Strong Bodies exercise programs for midlife and older people at three locations in Iron and Gogebic counties starting on Tuesday.
Program Assistant Sue Herlevi said Strong Bodies is an evidence-based exercise program for older people. The objective is to improve their health and well-being through a structured, safe and effective strength-training program. During classes, instructors will teach exercises using a combination of dumbbells, adjustable ankle weights and the participants’ own body weight.
According to Iron County Public Health, benefits of strength training include increased muscle mass, improved bone density and improved balance and posture. It also reduces the risk for osteoporosis and related fractures.
The programs will be held at three locations: the Iron County Courthouse at 300 Taconite St. in Hurley, the Sherman Town Hall at 3063 W. Highway 182 in Springstead and the senior center at 900 Pierce St. in Wakefield.
The Hurley Strong Bodies program will meet from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 12 weeks, and the Wakefield program will meet from 2 to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Sherman program is already ongoing and meets from 10 to 11 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Herlevi said that they are following the state of Wisconsin’s recommendations regarding COVID-19. Program participants are required to wear a mask and stay six feet apart from each other. Instructors are also wiping down equipment after use and making sure everything is safe, she said. Herlevi said that before the pandemic, each program had 25 people and now they have about a dozen people.
Strong Bodies program leaders are local volunteers who receive training from the health department. Herlevi said that the Wakefield program is down to one volunteer and the health department is searching for more volunteers.
For more information, call the Iron County Public Health office at 715-561-2191.