Exercise keeps a GR senior going

Throughout the years, Green River resident Mary Grubb has tried different exercises.

From Cross Fit to karate, Grubb has participated in just about anything she thinks she might enjoy.

“I’m an exercise junky,” Grubb said.

For someone who’s a self-proclaimed exercise junky, having an injury that limits her ability to do the things she loves is torture.

“I don’t go up there anymore because of my injuries,” Grubb said.

Grubb recently fractured her big toe in five places and may need to have surgery to fuse it.

“I set a 10-pound kettle ball on the bench and it fell off and hit my foot,” Grubb said.

The thought of having to be off of her foot for three months is almost unbearable for Grubb, but her toe hasn’t healed, which may leave her with no other option.

“I have osteoporosis,” she said. “That’s why it’s taken so long to heal.”

Grubb was still favoring her other foot when she walked in for the interview.

“I can’t even walk my dog like I used to,” she said.

Prior to her injury, Grubb was a regular attendee for the Golden Hour Senior Center’s line dancing, Zumba Gold and Better Balance classes. In fact, she took all of the appropriate classes and teaches the balance classes at the center.

As for the karate, Grubb started that when she turned 40.

“My two sons were in it and I decided I wanted to do it,” Grubb said.

At the time, Grubb was taking her two sons, D.J. and Andrew, to the karate classes. At first, she attended a self-defense class for women, but she discovered that wasn’t enough.

She didn’t even tell her sons she was joining the class. She just got in line just like all of the other participants. She lined up with the other white belts, which is the beginner’s level. When Grubb was introduced as a new participant her sons had two different reactions. D.J. was excited.

“Oh no, my mother’s in my class,” Andrew exclaimed.

At least that’s how she remembers it.

Grubb was soon traveling with the team and making her way through the ranks. She also started to help demonstrate karate to the beginning participants.

“I lived karate night and day,” she said.

As Grubb aged, she started to have problems continuing to teach karate. Her osteoporosis was hindering her ability to teach anymore.

“I couldn’t demonstrate to the kids like I wanted to,” Grubb said.

She still thinks about returning to karate to work on belt requirements. She said she would like to obtain her brown belt.

A newer passion for Grubb is Cross Fit. This was something her son Andrew, who is licensed in Cross Fit, showed her how to do.

“I do it all the time in my basement,” Grubb said.

Grubb knows that will any activity she needs to be careful. With Cross Fit, Grubb makes sure she doesn’t lift things that are too heavy for her or she will hurt herself.

Despite what people might think about Cross Fit, Grubb said it’s all about functional movement. It’s helped her keep youthful.

“To be able to stoop and pick stuff up off of the ground is great,” she said.

When Grubb’s not busy with Cross Fit, she’s at the senior center teaching balance classes. What motivates Grubb to keep doing this is how the class participants are responding. In a short time one participant went from needing to use a cane to walk all of the time to being able to pick up things on her own. She still carries the cane with her, but doesn’t use it all of the time.

Another class participant has relearned how to sit and get out of a chair properly. Prior to the class, the lady was really struggling with getting in and out of a chair and now she’s doing it easily. These are the results that make Grubb happy. Some of the participants have taken the class over and over again to improve of their skills.

Grubb not only volunteers for her church, but for the senior center. Grubb helps out with the GHSC’s Farmers Market table and anything else the center needs help with. Since her injury, Grubb hasn’t been able to help out as much.

“I’ve really cut back on being down there because if I can’t do it all the way I don’t want to do it,” Grubb said.

Grubb also encourages a group of people at the senior center to go to movies. She and a few others from the center will pick a movie one of them wants to see and go watch it. Prior to going to the movie theater, the group has dinner.

They watch all kinds of genres and are always looking for more to go with them, Grubb said.

When Grubb isn’t busy exercising, volunteering or going to the movies, she’s at home scrapbooking.