Bill Bowen on Starting a 50+ Class

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ByCrossFitJanuary 17, 2023

Mike Giardina sits down with Bill Bowen at the 2022 CrossFit Games. Bowen is a six-year CrossFit athlete who started his CrossFit journey after surviving a battle with cancer and prioritizing exercise and nutrition to improve his health. CrossFit has completely changed Bowen’s life, and now he has become a role model for others — both in his age demographic and in younger cohorts.

When Bowen’s primary care doctor retired, a new, younger doctor came in. After an initial examination, the new doctor started asking questions about Bowen’s ability to stay in such great shape. A year and a half later, after continued encouragement from Bowen, the new doctor decided to give CrossFit a try. He later joined an affiliate and committed himself to the 5-a.m. class. Since starting CrossFit, Bowen’s doctor has lost 30 lb, and the doctor’s wife, who is a physical therapist, has received her CF-L1 and is coaching at a local affiliate. The three of them went to the CrossFit Games to watch and celebrate what the highest-level athletes in our community can do. And Bowen feels like he is reciprocating what his doctor is providing him: health.

Currently, Bowen is a CF-L1 and is pursuing a CF-L2. He has started a backyard gym where he is taking on clients who are 50 or older, a demographic he says is often neglected. The goal, Bowen says, is to go after the people who need CrossFit the most. According to the National Institutes of Health, 85% of older adults have at least one chronic health disease, while 60% have at least two. These people are right on the bubble, Bowen says. They can go either way with their health. To help them head in the right direction, Bowen recommends creating an extended onramp to make sure they build a strong foundation. Having a longer foundation period can help with building confidence and competence in CrossFit movements and methodology.

If you’re a coach or affiliate owner, try setting up a 50+ class in off hours between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. This is often dead time at the gym where you can make an impact on a lot of lives and possibly improve the bottom line.

Comments on Bill Bowen on Starting a 50+ Class

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Jennifer DiDomizio
January 20th, 2023 at 3:58 pm
Commented on: Bill Bowen on Starting a 50+ Class

This is great, and so inspiring! I started Crossfit at 48 and will be 55 in just a few short months (how did that happen?!). I took my L-1 this past year and it's a goal of mine to someday coach a 50+ class -- or at the very least inspire folks my age to 'get after it'. My box skews young and I would love to see more older adults walk through that door. I don't have an especially life-changing story, but what Crossfit has done for me in terms of health, mental well-being, community and friendship is unparalleled. Thanks for sharing your story.

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Ozzie Ganet
January 19th, 2023 at 1:16 am
Commented on: Bill Bowen on Starting a 50+ Class

Hi:

I am a Level 2 CF trainer. I have been running a class called Fit_Over_55, for the past 6 years. All with tremendous fitness gains. www.ozziefit.com

Thanks for the notoriety.

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Bill Bowden
January 19th, 2023 at 3:25 am

Just checked out the website! Great job, man!

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Bruce Jacobs
January 18th, 2023 at 6:04 pm
Commented on: Bill Bowen on Starting a 50+ Class

As one that started from zero at age 65 and am now three years and two Opens in, I can also vouch for the wonderful feeling of being "old" and fit. There are many ways to make this work. It was easy at my gym, because there was a broad mix of clients including those older that made me feel like I could fit. I've dropped into a dozen gyms around the country and a good half of them have that mix. There are others with a young competitive vibe that would have been intimidating, even though the coaches were are all great, and I'm just fine going to those boxes now. I think CF would benefit by recognizing that not all boxes are equal - folks wanting to try CF should be encouraged to check out more than one gym in their area, if they have that luxury.

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Bill Bowden
January 19th, 2023 at 3:22 am

Hey Bruce! I'll check you out in the Open this year! I think a lot of that is up to the individual box, making sure that they are laying out the welcome mat in both their web presence and social media. Just something as simple as showing older athletes at the gym in a FB or Insta post can go a long way towards helping to reach out.

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David Metcalf
January 18th, 2023 at 2:40 am
Commented on: Bill Bowen on Starting a 50+ Class

Bill, Mike, CrossFit, thanks for making and sharing this video.


I thought I would share my story, being another old guy. I started at Norcal CrossFit (NCFit) in 2015 when I was 51. I'm now 59 and still going. I have thought about the concept of a 50+ class, and perhaps starting a gym myself, but never have following through on this goal. Bill, you are an inspiration, and it is great to know if I want to dive into this more, you have blazed the trail, and I have a model to follow. If I was starting CrossFit again, having a coach like you would be invaluable, someone who is an older athlete themselves with experience coaching older athletes. I loved how you mentioned workouts are infinitely scalable. This is very important for anyone starting out who is unfamiliar with movements like deadlifts and squats, let alone olympic lifts. I love the challenge, but 50+ athletes like me especially need to listen to their bodies when scaling and always focus on form.


It's interesting hearing stories of how people started. When I started I was a little scared I was too old, and I felt a little blind going into it. The coaches were confident I could do the movements, and were consistent in enforcing technique and scaling the weight, but also allowing me to push myself. I did have some minor sprains and tears of my rotator cuff, and I tweaked my lower back, so I probably pushed myself too much. During Covid, I wasn't as active, mainly was running for cardio and occasionally did a garage WOD. When the gym opened back up, it was a re-start and I was wiser and more conservative, focusing on form first, slow strength building, and have been getting a few PRs now. Peoples jaws drop when I tell them my age, especially on my birthday when the whole class had to do 59 birthday burpees.


Before I started I had some younger friends at work who I had watched doing the crossfit.com WOD in the company gym on their own. I was a bit intimidated, and never joined them, and did my own thing. After changing companies I got curious and went to crossfit.com and started attempting the WODs and used the videos there and on YouTube as a coach. I would do this at the Elk's Lodge next to some older folks who were on the machine. One gentleman was a WWII veteran so I really felt young! They were quite curious about my beginner snatch attempts. Finally, my son's junior high principal told me I need to go to a class because that experience is soooo much more fun and exhilarating, plus some live coaching may help prevent injury. I found NCFit and did the on-ramp class and have been hooked ever since, sticking with 3-4 workouts a week. I love to hit the local boxes whenever I travel - Shanghai China, Penang Malaysia, Guadalajara Mexico for work, and vacations all around the states.


Thanks again!


Dave

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Bill Bowden
January 18th, 2023 at 3:50 am

Dave, that's great! I started at 58, and at 66 I feel like I'm in better shape than I was in my 30's-40's. I would absolutely encourage you to get your L-1 and start coaching! You'll be surprised how much teaching improves your own skills, as well as the profound impact you can have on others. Keep it up, brother! We old guys have to stick together!

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