active aging workshops
with Ruben P. Thickstun. Four on-demand workshops for fitness pros who serve older adults.
move with confidence.
Practical, evidence-informed tools for chronic conditions, cognitive fitness and high-energy classes, taught by an active aging specialist.
community, confidence and connection in senior fitness.
Active Aging Workshops is a library of on-demand education for fitness professionals who work with adults over fifty.
Today's older adults want more than a workout. They want strength for daily living, steadier balance, sharper thinking and a class they look forward to. Ruben's workshops show you how to deliver all of it safely, whether your clients live independently, in assisted living or in memory care.
Buy the workshop you need today and come back for the next one whenever you are ready.
how Ruben teaches active aging
MEET CLIENTS WHERE THEY ARE
Every program starts with what each client can do today, without lowering your expectations for what they can achieve.
TRAIN THE BRAIN AND THE BODY
Dual tasking, cross-body patterns and reaction drills build balance, coordination and confidence together.
LOW IMPACT, HIGH ENERGY
Rhythm, music, props and gamification raise the energy in the room while keeping stress off the joints.
READY FOR EVERY SETTING
The strategies adapt across care settings, from fully independent clients to assisted living and memory care.
choose your workshop
Each workshop stands on its own, so you can start with the one your clients need most.
Innovative Approaches for Clients with Chronic Pain
Designing safe, adaptable and effective movement programs for older adults living with chronic pain, chronic conditions and cognitive challenges
Many older adults with chronic pain have been told to rest or simply be careful, and that advice often leads to fear and deconditioning. This workshop shows you how movement can become one of the most powerful remedies for chronic pain. You'll learn to meet clients where they are, prioritize quality of movement over quantity and adapt your programs across care settings.
What you'll learn
- You'll design adaptive programs for arthritis, osteoporosis, diabetes, Parkinson's disease and dementia.
- You'll recognize key contraindications and red flags, and you'll modify safely without restricting movement permanently.
- You'll use wearables, feedback apps and biofeedback devices to boost engagement and track progress.
- You'll coach with strategies that celebrate small wins, promote autonomy and build everyday independence.
Move with Confidence
Enhancing Cognitive Fitness Through Functional Movement
Movement is more than muscle, because every purposeful sequence is also brain training. This science-driven workshop shows how dual tasking, cross-body patterns and purposeful movement improve balance, reaction time, coordination and confidence. It ends with a twenty-minute cognitive-functional workout that brings every principle to life.
What you'll learn
- You'll learn how movement increases blood flow and activates neuroplasticity to strengthen cognitive function.
- You'll see why dual-task training can improve balance and reaction time and reduce fall risk.
- You'll discover how cross-body patterns help the two sides of the brain work together for better coordination and memory.
- You'll get practical strategies for layering cognitive challenges into everyday functional training.
Empower and Thrive
Tools for Purposeful Aging
The population over fifty is growing faster than ever, and these clients are looking for longevity, vitality, independence and purpose. This workshop gives you adaptable strategies for clients who manage chronic conditions, navigate mobility changes and want to stay independent. It ends with a twenty-minute integrated workout that puts every principle into action.
What you'll learn
- You'll apply the five pillars of purposeful aging, which are functional strength, mobility and flexibility, cardiovascular fitness, balance and coordination, and cognitive and emotional wellness.
- You'll adapt movement for common chronic conditions while keeping clients safe and empowered.
- You'll discover tools and equipment that increase inclusion, reduce fear of falling and build confidence.
- You'll practice coaching techniques that foster autonomy, self-efficacy and long-term adherence.
Low Impact, High Energy
Innovative, Inclusive and Cognitively Engaging Strategies to Elevate Your Active Aging Classes
Senior fitness does not have to be slow, gentle or predictable. Ruben challenges you to rethink what low impact means, and he shows you how to build high-energy, cognitively stimulating classes that keep participants coming back week after week.
What you'll learn
- You'll raise intensity without joint stress by using cognitive load, rhythm, sequencing and engagement.
- You'll create three-level options for every exercise so each participant has choice and autonomy.
- You'll integrate dual-task training, reaction drills and functional movement to support real-life independence.
- You'll use music, props, micro-bursts and gamification to raise energy and retention.
what your clients take home
They build the strength they need for daily living.
They feel steadier on their feet and less afraid of falling.
They find a class and a community they look forward to every week.
Purposeful aging adds more life to every year.
meet your instructor
Ruben P. Thickstun is a high-energy active aging and movement specialist.
For more than a decade, Ruben has designed purposeful programs for senior living communities, wellness centers and active aging organizations. He combines evidence-based tools with real-world strategies, so his workshops are practical as well as inspiring.
Ruben has presented at IDEA World, SCW Mania, canfitpro, DCAC, LA Fit Expo and FBA SUCCEED. His most popular sessions focus on cognitive fitness, inclusive programming and movement for multigenerational groups, and he brings warmth, energy and clarity to every one of them.
ask us anything
How long is each workshop?
Each workshop is a recorded session of about one hour that you can watch on your own schedule.
How much does a workshop cost?
Each workshop is $19.99, and you can buy them one at a time.
Who are the workshops for?
They are built for personal trainers, group fitness instructors and wellness directors who work with adults over fifty in any setting.
Which workshop should I start with?
Start with the challenge you face most often. Choose Innovative Approaches for Clients with Chronic Pain for clients who live with pain, Move with Confidence for balance and cognitive fitness, Empower and Thrive for a full framework, or Low Impact, High Energy to bring new life to your group classes.
bring new energy to your active aging classes
Choose the workshop that fits your clients best and start learning today.