Kathy Lombardi made her way through the front doors at GoodLife in Concord and headed toward a sitting area in the back, waiting her turn at one of the four stretching tables.
Lombardi has tried out most of the programming available at GoodLife, an organization dedicated to empowering older adults through movement and social connection, but she made her way to FlexABLE for the first time to find a way to improve her mobility and flexibility.
Then, Lombardi’s turn came up. FlexABLE coach Nicholas Godbois helped her lift her arms and stretch her back. She said she felt relief and might think of returning again. Now in her 70s, Lombardi wants to stay active and hopes stretching will help manage some of her back pain.
“It did really help, because I go to bone builders, I’m fairly active, but I think that it’s important as we age to stretch different muscles,” she said.
Katelyn Gagnon, a community outreach coordinator at GoodLife, said FlexABLE’s one-on-one work complements the free group activities GoodLife offers for its community.
“We offer cardio, yoga, tai chi, art classes, educational seminars and travel. We’d like to think we have a little bit of something for everybody here,” she said. “We love collaborating with other organizations in the community, spreading wellness for older adults.”
Nate Lavallee, the owner of FlexABLE, has had multiple customers come into his business asking for help extending their physical mobility and flexibility.
The program’s mission is to help people of different backgrounds, from office workers who sit at a desk all day to people trying to hit a new yoga pose.
On Saturday Oct. 11, Lavallee opened the doors of his Concord location to anyone who wanted get a feel for how proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, or assisted stretching, can help them.
The open house also served as a one-year celebration of the facility’s opening and FlexABLE’s third anniversary as a business.
Lavallee reached out to GoodLife Programs & Activities to connect people with other ways to stay healthy as they age.
“As far as aligning with GoodLife, I think it’s a no-brainer. I think most of the demographic is 50-plus. We do work with young athletes, but most, like 70-75%, of our demographic is 50-55,” Lavallee said.
Julie Matthews came in to FlexABLE for the first time during the open house.
Matthews, who frequently lifts at the gym, said she was searching for ways to improve her flexibility. At FlexABLE, stretch coach Cara Konts helped move her toward that goal, checking in often to make sure Matthews wasn’t getting “overstretched.”
“Everything feels much looser than it did when I came in,” Matthews said.
For every attendee at the open house, FlexABLE donated three dollars to GoodLife. It also offered attendees demo stretches, raffles, one-day deals, snacks and beverages.