Over 60? Get Your Strength Back FAST | Detroit Trainer Shows Simple Exercises That Work

In this episode of It’s a Grand Life, we sit down with Detroit fitness expert Demetrius Robinson, owner of Tighten Ups Gym, to talk about how grandparents and seniors can regain strength, mobility, and energy—no matter where they’re starting.

With over 30 years of experience, Demetrius shares simple, practical exercises that can be done at home, at work, or anywhere—perfect for those who may feel intimidated by traditional gyms.

💪 Learn how to:

Improve strength and mobility after 60
Reduce back pain and joint stiffness
Build endurance in just 6 months
Stay active while raising grandchildren
Start exercising safely—even if you haven’t in years

One of the most important takeaways?
👉 “Exercise is medicine.”

If you're a grandparent, caregiver, or just looking to get your health back on track, this episode is a must-watch.

📍 Serving Metro Detroit
📞 Contact Tighten Ups Gym: 313-433-9777
👉 Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/p/Tighten-Ups-Gym-100066895482577/

👍 Like, subscribe, and share to help more families stay strong and healthy.

0:00 Intro – Why Fitness Matters for Grandparents
0:45 Meet Detroit Trainer Demetrius Robinson
2:30 30 Years in Fitness – His Background
3:15 Mobile Training (Workout Anywhere)
4:00 Why People Avoid Gyms (Post-Pandemic Reality)
5:20 Simple Beginner Exercises Anyone Can Do
6:30 Why Sitting Is Hurting Your Health
6:55 Resistance Bands for Strength & Mobility
8:40 Rebounder (Mini Trampoline) Benefits
10:25 Office & At-Home Workouts Explained
11:45 How He Builds Personalized Fitness Plans
13:25 What Results Can You Expect in 6 Months
14:00 How Movement Heals Joint Pain
16:50 “Exercise Is Medicine” Explained
17:50 How Long Workouts Should Be (For Beginners)
19:00 Fixing Back Pain with Movement
20:50 Why Fitness Matters for Grandparents Raising Kids
22:20 How to Contact Demetrius
23:00 Final Advice – Just Start Moving

#SeniorFitness #Over60Fitness #DetroitFitness #ExerciseIsMedicine #GrandparentsRaisingGrandchildren #MobilityExercises #HomeWorkoutForSeniors #HealthyAging #FitnessOver60 #DetroitPersonalTrainer #StayActive #StrengthAfter60 #TightenUpsGym

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:08

Welcome to It's a Grand Life, where our mission is to be a voice for grandfamilies and kinship caregivers everywhere. Did you know that in the United States alone there are 2.3 million grandparents raising their grandchildren? 2.3 million. It's a Grand Life is committed to making a difference for those kids. That's why we have the podcast, a Facebook group, and the Grand Fund. The Grand Fund, which is a 501c3 which was launched in June of 2024, provides financial assistance to grand families, including shelter, food, clothing, and household needs. Grand families are in every neighborhood, in every city, every tribe and territory nationwide. If this is you or someone you love, we're here for you, and we welcome you to join us on this mission. Our goal is to offer hope and resources to help you. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review. You can also join our Facebook group, just search for it under It's a Grand Life. And your reviews, comments, and sharing of our podcasts help us reach others that need assistance. Welcome to another episode of It's a Grand Life. Hello, my name is Craig Nash, and we'd like to welcome you to another It's a Grand Life. And you know, it's only a grand life if you have some excellent body movement and if you can stay healthy and if you can have some endurance as we grandparents are here raising our grandkids. And I've got one of my oldest friends. I was thinking about when I met Demetrius Robinson, and I think it was 26 years ago, Demetrius, because we knew uh Demetrius through his lovely wife, who was working with our kids and doing a great job as our nanny. But Demetrius is a phenomenal fitness trainer in and around Metro Detroit, and he's got a business called the Tighten Ups Gym. I run into the to him at the gym. I don't see him out anymore. He's always at the gym. So Demetrius, I'd like to welcome you to Instagram Life, and we're really excited to have you here today and to hear your thoughts on how to get our seniors, especially our grandparents who are raising their grands, how to get them moving. So thanks for joining us.

SPEAKER_01 2:27

Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_00 2:29

So how long? I mean, I've known you, I think at least 26 years, but how long have you been in the fitness world? That long?

SPEAKER_01 2:36

Oh actually, yes, uh a little longer than that. Almost 30 years I've been I've been actually doing it. Uh in business, I've been about 27 years.

SPEAKER_00 2:45

27. And you you also had a um you had a a you have a business where you will go to clients, but you also had a um a gym building at one point in time, didn't you? You've done all of it in fitness.

SPEAKER_01 3:01

Yes, actually, yeah, and that that's uh uh a little touchy subject there, but but yes, we did, we did have a uh building, and unfortunately there were some circumstances uh that uh land us where we were actually uh mobile now. So we uh we're a mobile business now.

SPEAKER_00 3:19

So our grandparents need to know that if they wanted to have you meet them either at uh the Planet Fitness where I'll see you or at their home, you can do that with your mobile uh tighten up gym, right?

SPEAKER_01 3:32

Actually, we'll go wherever you want. We'll meet you at your job if they allow you to need to come in there. Uh we'll meet you at the park, we'll meet you at your home, uh wherever you want to go, we'll meet you there.

SPEAKER_00 3:47

And uh are you seeing now with uh we're we're we're such a mobile culture uh in America that that folks like you to meet them wherever they are and like to to join them at their gym and work out a program with them.

SPEAKER_01 4:01

Well, now uh you know, since the uh the pandemic, you know, a lot of people are a little a little hesitant still, you know, believe it or not, about going out and going to gyms. You know, there's they're still a little hesitant, especially when they've lost loved ones, you know. But um, you know, it's it's I think we all want the same thing. And and I think it the self-image never goes away. We all want the self-image that we can be proud of. And uh, of course, I think uh me coming to you uh would be great, a great thing for for anyone who especially is of age, you know, where they don't necessarily want to go out, they may be intimidated by the gym. Uh we'll come to you and we'll we'll give you whatever it is that you're looking to do as far as for uh health and fitness.

SPEAKER_00 4:50

Now, most of our grandparents who are raising grandkids are over 60. I'd I would say the majority of them are over 60. And unfortunately, we're not as active as we used to be. And yet we are raising infants up to 18, 19, 20-year-olds. And uh so what uh if someone was training with you on a regular basis, what would that look like? And what would a reasonable outcome uh be expected for for a uh a grandma or a grandpa who has been inactive for a period of time? What could they expect if they were working with you on a regular basis?

SPEAKER_01 5:27

Well, the the first thing you want to do is you want to actually you just want to just get moving. You know, as you see, I just stood up from this this chair. You know, that could be difficult for a lot of people that that are 60 years and older. Right. So even if you just just did this, you know, just 10 times, sitting down and standing up, you know, this is you would believe it or not, it gives the quads and hamstrings and glutes, it's gonna work your lower back, it's gonna work with balance and all those things. You would start with just just moving exercises. So you would stand and you would just raise one leg, things of this sort, you know, raising your arms up over the head, just throwing the arms here, pushing out, trolling the arms back and forth, working the shoulders. Just different things like that, just movement. Movement is uh is what is is killing a lot of the people who are not you know necessarily actually active uh on a day-to-day basis.

SPEAKER_00 6:34

And I did I heard one time that um um that that that just sitting down that that that that is the latest huge health threat. I mean, just just being dormant, not moving, not having any movement. And what you just demonstrated, you didn't have a lot of heavy weights when you when you got up and did those exercises, but even that is valuable, right, Demetrius?

SPEAKER_01 6:58

So uh for for those things I just did, that's for the person that you know it's I mean, you just literally haven't done anything for 15, 20 years, right? You don't want to start off with resistance right off the battery. But if you you know you've been moving around a little bit, you just kind of fell off a little. There's there's other things you can yeah, there's there's resistance bands, you can always use resistance bands, so we can do those same exercises. Uh if I stood up and I I had these resistance bands, I can do those same curls with the resistance bands. I can turn and go up over the head the same way. Right, I can I can go up exactly the same way, the same exercises I just did, and we can do those same exact things. Um working those legs, these bands, I'm telling you, dude, they they work wonders. You put these on, and it's gonna it's gonna work your you're gonna get your your your thighs, your quads, your hamstrings, your IT bands, the glutes. What you're doing is you're just and you're and you're doing this. And believe it or not, you're gonna you're gonna have a workout on those legs that is gonna be magnificent for climbing those stairs with most when you're singers, you have a little problem, or you're going down with lunges. This is gonna be great for those quads, hamstrings, and glutes. All these exercises are they're simple, not a lot of, not a lot of resistance, but these works wonders.

SPEAKER_00 8:41

You have that uh what I would call that small little trampoline next to you. What what is that used for?

SPEAKER_01 8:49

Now, one of the one of the things that uh a lot of people don't know is this is sort of uh I think the the greatest warm-up that anyone can have. It's called rebounder.

SPEAKER_00 9:03

Rebounder, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:04

If you're uh if you're a senior, believe it or not, just doing this will warm the body up like nobody's business. Okay, and then when you start to get a little more, it's gonna warm you up even more. And then you actually do this, and if you you're doing this and you feel the you feel the muscles that are actually going up and down and they're and they're working the abs, and you feel everything moving, everything moving, and it's gonna warm you up like nobody's business. So for those seniors that may be 70, 80 years old, you say, Well, no, I don't want to get on this, but guess what? All you have to do is this, and you're moving like this, and it's gonna warm you up like nobody's business. Yep.

SPEAKER_00 9:47

That just seems so practical, and I'm I'm thinking of one of my uh uh favorite uh Demetrius expressions, you know, if you have uh uh strong legs, you have a strong heart. And and uh um I remember you saying that to me at the gym one time, but um, that's really would be ideal for our patients, uh, for excuse me, for our grandparents who are raising their grandkids. As you were doing that uh demonstration, you just reminded me that many, many folks, as you mentioned earlier, work from home or then maybe they're in their office. You could go right to their office with this setup you have right now and give them a full workout, right?

SPEAKER_01 10:25

Most definitely, yes. And actually, uh most would think that because they're they're at the workplace, that maybe they're not gonna get that great workout that they they would get if they went to the gym, but not so, not so. I can bring um I can bring this trampoline and I can bring uh maybe a kettlebell, something like this, and we could do we could do some things like this. Now, these come in all different sizes. So this here is a 15-pound dumbbell, but with this 15-pound uh kettlebell, I can do wonders with this, like nobody's business. This here, um of course, these bands they come in all different resistance sizes, and if you notice here, these bands have different different weights on them. This is a 60-pound resistance on this, these go all the way up to 200 pounds. So I don't have to big weights, I can bring in one of these resistance bands. I got a big guy, maybe he's a uh big attorney or something like that. I get and and and I bring this in, and and they'll be wondering where he is because his break will be over and and they'll be wondering where he is. He'll be in the desk sitting down one uh taking a little 15 extra minute break.

SPEAKER_00 11:47

Oh but uh uh so when you work with a new client, do you do a full assessment of where they are and where and where they want to go or what you recommend as far as instituting a new program?

SPEAKER_01 12:02

Well, the the the first thing I I usually ask the client is what is it that they want to do? You know, and and once they they realize where they want to be, then it comes to where are you now? And then that's where the the health questions come in. I I ask you, uh, how long have you actually been without physical exercise? And most are gonna be over a year, uh, some is gonna be five, ten years. Some, believe it or not, are gonna say I've never exercised before. And those are the ones that I like the most because those are my best testimonies. Where they uh they may say, Well, I never thought every time we're doing an exercise, I never thought I would ever be able to do that. And and fear is uh the factor where uh most don't exercise because they're fear of either hurting themselves, uh, they just don't think they can do it. But those health questions are are definitely things that I ask. Actually, we give a uh it's called a par queue. Uh we give you a par queue, a questionnaire, and you run through that par queue, and generally that par queue is gonna pretty much cover every question uh that would make it safe for them to actually uh start a workout regimen.

SPEAKER_00 13:26

So if you were dealing with uh working with one of our grandparents who are raising their grandkids and they they are deconditioned, and and uh but you have in your mind, you've you've had a lot of success stories over the past 30 years, you've been doing this. What what would be a reasonable expectation for someone to start a program with you and where they could start out in a very deconditioned state, but how long would it take for them to build lung capacity and build maybe some muscle mass and and uh and better mobility? What what what would be uh your recommendation for someone like that?

SPEAKER_01 14:02

Well, you'd be amazed at what movement will do to the body and for the body. Um a lot of times when you're not moving, your joints are aching, your shoulders, your knees, your ankles, the hips, all those things are hurting. But there's a thing that's called synovial fluid that the body sends to the joints when they actually move. When you actually move those joints fully, full range of motion of those joints, that fluid in the body automatically goes to the joint when you're moving full range of motion, and it goes to the joints and it lubricates those joints. So the answer to that question would be you're gonna feel even after that first workout, when you haven't done anything at all, it's gonna, a light bulb is gonna go off in your head and you're gonna say, you know what, I should have been doing this all the time. Now, the long the long haul of it, the person, as you as you mentioned, that haven't been doing anything at all, right? Yeah, I'll I'll give you I'll give you six months, and you'll be doing things that you never thought you'd ever be able to do. We're talking picking up the grandkids, maybe even tossing them up a little, you'll be able to do that. And we're talking six months. In six months with movement, consistent movement, consistent movement three times a week, yes, in six months, you'll be you'll be on your way to a better you, most definitely in six months. But nothing, uh and I hate to say uh like it's some kind of a uh a gift or gab or something like that, but you have to continue doing it. You can't get to six months and then say, Oh, I've arrived. It doesn't work that way. This is something you have to do for the rest of your life, and hopefully, after that six months period, that you feel so great that you refuse to stop and you start doing more and more. And then even after a year, uh when you start to actually start adding extra weight to the regimen. So now these are little two-pound dumbbells, which you know, but these two-pounders return to 10 pounders and then 50, and then sometimes even all the way up to 20 pounds, depending on what your regimen is and what you're trying to do. You know, not everyone wants to have muscles or anything like that, but it it would really, really work wonders. Just moving, just get moving, move, move, move, and and that movement will work wonders in six months.

SPEAKER_00 16:53

And our guest today on It's a Grand Life is Demetrius Robinson, and he runs the Tighten Ups Gym. He's been doing this for 30 years, he's had phenomenal outcomes with uh uh folks who have trained with him. And uh, for those of you at home, this is absolutely something to think about if because uh you're uh just sitting around watching uh the view every day could be taken really taking years away from your life. Not the view, but just being sitting around. But uh Demetrius has got a very unique concept. He goes to you, and you you he can meet you at your gym, he can meet you at your office, he can meet you at your house and and then walk you through a structured workout, and in in six months you could be really get your life back, Demetrius, right? That's what you're saying. And how how long you're talking about three workouts a week, how much time would someone have to commit to get that type of mobility and flexibility back?

SPEAKER_01 17:51

Well, if if you are the type of uh individual who hasn't done anything at all, we would start you off with maybe a half hour, you know. Let's say if you're a senior, we start you off with about a half an hour and we'll work it up to 45 minutes, and then eventually in six months, you'll be doing an hour workout like nobody's business. Without any uh uh you wouldn't need any kind of uh uh uh restraints to to to make sure that you're not gonna uh have to call the uh uh EMS or anything like that. This exercise is medicine. Exercise is medicine. Exercise is medicine.

SPEAKER_00 18:34

And I love that. And uh um with this medicine that uh there's no co-pays or deductibles. It's just it gets you uh it keeps you keeps you out of the ER and uh out of the urgent care, and uh you can get your life back. And if you are lifting those grands, as you were talking about earlier, you know, you need that strength and that flexibility. And uh but and you would set up a program, Demetrius, for any of our audience. I mean, where they around their schedule, right?

SPEAKER_01 19:02

Most definitely. Uh, and then that program is gonna fit you as the individual. There's no cookie cutter that we have that we give to everyone. We your regimen is gonna be specifically for you. So, whatever it is that you're working on, wherever your pain is, whether it's in your knee, whether it's in your shoulder, it's in your back, uh I can't believe how many people have back problems. You know, and most of those back problems, believe it or not, come from doing what I'm doing right now, sitting in the chair and not getting up and moving. That back pain will stop once you get moving. Once those legs and those glutes, those buns, you start working those buns, that back pain goes away. So um, yes, you know, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 19:53

Now wait a minute, I don't have to uh think about getting these uh nerve blocks and these other shots and all those things. I mean, if I you're saying if I if my flexibility improves and my strength improves, my back pain will go away.

SPEAKER_01 20:05

So exercise is medicine, is what I said. Exercise is medicine.

SPEAKER_00 20:09

Exercise is medicine.

SPEAKER_01 20:12

And it will if if you are taking any of those uh medications over time, over time, I'll collect them for you and I'll put them in a bag and I'll hold them for you, and I'll say, remember you were taking these, now you don't have to take them anymore. And what greater thing to have someone take away what is kind of hindering you a little, right? But you know, that you know, it's it's it's a no-brainer, if you ask me. No brainer at all. You don't have to think about this. This is something you should really, really want to do, you know.

SPEAKER_00 20:52

Well, you know, one of the things, Demetrius, that uh we are uh facing head on when you become a grandparent raising your grandkids is you want to have uh an improved and extended lifestyle. And and um, because you you know, as we age, we're spending more time with these grandkids, and we're not just showing up and giving them candy and sending them home to the parents, we're actually raising these kids. So we need to be flexible. We don't need to have back pain, we don't need to be have knees screaming at us and what have you. And the program you're talking about is really offering a tremendous life change for uh uh our grandparents who are raising their grandkids. And if if if you're at home, I hope you'll consider this. And if if you look at the bottom of the screen, you see the number where you can get in touch with Demetrius Robinson and the Tighten Up team. And I love the name of the operation, Tighten Up, because obviously, if you're in your sixties like me and you've been sitting around, you need to get a little tightened up. And the and Demetrius has got the answer for you, and you can get in touch with him at three one three four three three nine seven seven seven. And uh I'm hoping that many of our grandparent organizations that they will invite Demetrius to come out and demonstrate how this could work for all the members of the many grandparent organizations, especially around Metro Detroit. So, Demetrius, do you have any parting thoughts for our audience? How how they can engage your services and get get moving here?

SPEAKER_01 22:22

Well, the great thing is it's I'm only a phone call away. That's the great thing about it. And if I don't answer, guess what? I will call you back. Um, because I want to meet you and I want to help you. Um but the only thing that I can tell anyone that that is listening or watching, just get moving. Just start moving. Just start. And I guarantee you, and I don't like to make guarantees with exercise, but I guarantee you you won't regret it. Just start moving, and I'd love to be the one to help you do it.

SPEAKER_00 22:58

I love it. And you can help. I've I've seen you with many of your clients, and they they are moving much better. And movement is medicine. Do I have that right? Is that that you were saying movement is medicine?

SPEAKER_01 23:09

Exercise is medicine.

SPEAKER_00 23:10

Exercise is medicine. I love that. So uh so uh as Demetrius would say, take your medicine, get get get lined up, schedule an initial evaluation with him, and you'll be feeling better, and you'll be a new you in six months. And that's uh that's not too long to make to get the heart moving, the leg, the blood flowing, and uh the back pain gone. Demetrius, thank you so much for being our guest here on It's a Grand Life. I hope you'll come back and share with us uh what's going on in the fitness world and and and share other great tips for our audience because we all want to live longer and we all want to feel better. But thank you so much for being our guest today. Thank you again for having me. Thank you for joining us today for It's a Grand Life. It's a Grand Life provides vital content, regulatory updates, and subject matter experts that are committed to supporting the 2.4 million kids and their caregivers from every neighborhood, every city, every tribe and territory nationwide. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel or wherever you get your podcast and leave a review. Every new subscriber and review helps us reach others that need assistance. As caregivers, we are united in purpose. We are driven by hope while providing strength for today and hope for tomorrow. We are truly making a difference in while living the grand life. If you have a suggestion for a future episode, please reach out to us. But we'll see you next time for another It's a Grand Life. Thank you for joining us.