A guiding principle of my life had always been to avoid exercise: not to stand when I could sit or run when I could walk. Paid-in-full memberships to health clubs turned out to be as wise an investment as stock in Enron. Walking laps around the park became boring. I did use my home exercise equipment on a daily basis, but it was mostly to hang wet towels and pajamas. But now, following surgery, the onset of some heart issues, and the wear and tear of age, I concede that a little exercise -beyond pushing a self-propelled lawn mower - could have been beneficial. One day, at the invitation of a friend, I followed the laughter ringing through the Northampton, Massachusetts Senior Center and ended up at the Enhance Fitness Program. Now, this was something different

Singing along with music from the 50's and 60's, cracking jokes, embracing friendship and having a good time, the 24 program participants are led through low-impact exercise routines - designed specifically to meet the needs of seniors - each Monday, Wednesday and Friday by certified fitness instructor James Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald makes certain that the class is not only fun, but he ensures that the participants engage in a variety of conditioning exercises selected upon extensive research by Project Enhance - headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

With a smile on his face and an engaging banter, Fitzgerald exhorts us to the "challenging" sit and stand routine and to the "dreaded" toe raises. Swaying side-to-side while making arm movements, stretching and working with light weights, the class good- naturedly yields to our leader's instructions. I soon learned, however, that there is a serious side to the Enhance Fitness program. According to a Boston Globe report in 2006, 341 Massachusetts seniors died from falls and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported that more than one-third of American seniors fall each year. In order to reduce the incidence of falling among senior citizens, each one-hour Enhance Fitness class includes cardiovascular and strength-training exercises, as well as activities intended to improve balance. In addition, participants - even me - become more limber, boost their activity levels, grow stronger and brighten their sense of physical and emotional well-being.

Standing next to the young, well-muscled, athletic Fitzgerald, our similarities become obvious. We are both natives of Buffalo, New York - although it is also obvious that my fondness for chicken wings may be a bit stronger than his. However, while I moved to Western Massachusetts for love, Fitzgerald moved here to fulfill the dream of owning his own business, MVP Fitness, which operates within The Amherst Athletic Club in Amherst, Massachusetts. His days at MVP are filled with high energy personal training sessions, such as group kickboxing and an early morning "Boot Camp," but he looks forward to his Enhance Fitness classes. And the feeling is mutual: we look forward to our time together and are grateful for the opportunity to participate in an exercise program specifically designed for seniors, even those who were only physically active in their youth.