Good Neighbor Podcast: Tri-Cities
Bringing together local businesses and neighbor of the Tri-Cities region. Good Neighbor Podcast hosted by Skip Mauney helps residents discover and connect with your local business owners in and around The Tri-Cities.
Is your business serving the residents of Tri-Cities? Then, we need to talk! Visit gnpTri-Cities.com to schedule your free interview.
Good Neighbor Podcast: Tri-Cities
EP# 253: From Personal Journey to Professional Mission: Getting Fit After 60 with Joe Weaver
What makes Joe Weaver with Getting Fit After 60 a good neighbor?
Aging doesn't have to mean getting weaker. In fact, the opposite can be true with the right approach to fitness after 60. As someone approaching his sixth decade, host Skip Mauney connects with Joe Weaver, founder of Be Fit After 60, for a conversation that challenges everything we think we know about aging and physical capability.
Joe shares his remarkable personal journey that began when his teenage son asked for workout guidance. Setting a goal to be in the best shape of his life by 60, Joe not only achieved this milestone but discovered a passion for helping others do the same. The science is clear - you absolutely can build muscle and improve strength well into your sixties, seventies, and beyond. What starts as a discussion about physical training evolves into something much deeper about consistency, community, and finding purpose.
When COVID forced Joe's Asheville studio to close, he pivoted to virtual training, discovering an unexpected benefit - clients actually showed up more consistently online than they did in person. This virtual approach allowed Joe to maintain his Asheville community even after relocating to the Midwest and to expand his reach nationwide. We learn how this fitness community became Joe's emotional lifeline after losing his wife of 36 years, demonstrating how physical wellness programs often nurture mental and emotional health too.
Unlike intimidating boot camps or grueling workout regimens, Joe's approach centers on making fitness genuinely enjoyable with music from the 60s-80s, conversation, and laughter. His philosophy is refreshingly practical: if it's not fun after 60, you simply won't stick with it. Whether you're looking to maintain your active lifestyle with grandchildren, manage sciatic pain from too much sitting, or simply move better as you age, this episode offers practical wisdom and inspiration. Visit befitafter60.com to learn more about Joe's virtual fitness classes and take advantage of his limited-time offer for two free weeks of training.
To learn more about Getting Fit After 60 go to:
Getting Fit After 60
(828) 964-6622
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Skip Monty.
Speaker 2:Well, hello everyone and welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. So I hope everybody's doing well. Today I'm pretty excited to have a very special guest in our studio, and I'm sure you'll be just as excited because, if you're like me, I just had a birthday yesterday and I'm getting close to 60 years old. So this is a big concern for me, as I'm sure it is for a lot of our listeners, because today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, mr Joe Weaver, who is the owner-operator of BeFit After 60. Joe, welcome to the show.
Speaker 3:Hi, skip, good to be here after 60.
Speaker 2:Joe, welcome to the show. Hi Skip, Good to be here. Well, we're glad to have you. Like I said, I'm pushing 60 myself, so I need to be concerned about staying fit after 60. So I need to be concerned about staying fit period right now. But so I'm really excited to learn all about what you do. So, if you don't mind, why don't you kick us off by telling us about your business?
Speaker 3:kick us off by telling us about your business. Well, I help men and women over 60 with building strength and endurance and balance without leaving home, and that's it in a nutshell.
Speaker 2:And that's very important, very, very important, very good. Well, how did you get into this business, joe? Very important.
Speaker 3:Very good. Well, how did you get into this business, joe? Well, when my son was in high school, he asked me to show him how to work out, because he knew that I used to work out. And when I got involved in working out with him then I thought it'd be a good goal if I was to. I was about 57 at the time and I thought, okay, maybe I can get in really good shape by the time I'm 60. That was my goal and I actually you know I had some learning process to accomplish that, but basically I got in the best shape of my life by the time I was 60. And then other people started asking me how they could get in shape, and this one thing led to another, and that's how I got started in the fitness business.
Speaker 2:Wow. So people are asking for free advice. You're like, hey, I can make money doing this, awesome, awesome. Well, what are some myths or misconceptions in the fitness industry, particularly with your, your specialization? Are there any myths or misconceptions?
Speaker 3:Oh, yes, yes. Well, a big one is you can't really gain strength after 60. You know it's like you can't build muscle after 60. And they've proven that to be false through a bunch of scientific studies. And so people need to know that it's really important to do strength training and flexibility, mobility, balance, all those things, because if you don't do any of that, those qualities are going to sort of evaporate. The older you get, you'll find yourself weaker, You'll lose muscle mass, balance will become less and the big thing is you can counteract that if you exercise in a smart way and a safe way on a regular basis.
Speaker 2:Very good Good to know. So I think this is pretty obvious. But who are your target customers and how do you attract them?
Speaker 3:customers and how do you attract them? Well, my target customers are men and women over 60, and I mainly attract them through word of mouth, and I have a Facebook page and a webpage, so that's my other main sources of contact.
Speaker 2:Very good, very good, very good, all right. Well, you ever thought about doing a podcast?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I've done a couple of podcasts actually. Oh, a podcast myself.
Speaker 2:Yeah, of your own.
Speaker 3:Well, yeah, I actually have thought of it. I haven't actually done it, but I've thought about it.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm sure you could have a lot of interesting things to talk about, especially if you interview folks that you work with. That are success stories and that sort of thing. We'll talk later.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 2:Outside of work. What do you like to do for fun, joe?
Speaker 3:Oh, I like to go kayaking and I like to remain active. So I have three grandsons and between the ages of seven and 10. And so I like to do things with them and that's they're a big motivation for me to stay active and to stay fit, you know, to keep up with them and to have fun with them.
Speaker 2:Absolutely and do any hiking. You live in a beautiful place for it well, actually I don't live in asheville anymore.
Speaker 3:Oh, it's an interesting story. Actually, when covet hit, I was had a studio in asheville on Street and my daughter I shared the space with my daughter who had a spin studio and when COVID hit, we couldn't do any in-person classes anymore, so we went online. So we started to use Zoom and do online classes and so all of my regular customers in Asheville we were all together online and the interesting thing that we noticed is it was easier for people to maintain a steady workout schedule and show up on a regular basis. It was easier to do that online than it was in person, where people had to get in their car, regardless of whatever weather was happening, and drive to the studio, whatever weather was happening, and drive to the studio. So we've just continued to do that. For the ever since last five years we've been doing that.
Speaker 2:Oh wow Now. Where do you live now?
Speaker 3:Now I live in the Midwest, I live in Iowa. Wow, wow, but you still have clients in in Asheville doing yeah, In fact, most of my clients are in Asheville and um, but now, since we're doing it on zoom, I have clients in like Colorado and South Carolina and anywhere where they are.
Speaker 2:Well, it doesn't matter. Do it from wherever, awesome. That makes sense. I mean, you know, a lot of times I actually work out at home. Now I've got some weights and some equipment downstairs in the basement and it's a lot easier just to walk down 12 steps than to get in the car and go by, you know, the YMCA or the. I used to work out at the YMCA and a lot of times on the way home from work I'm like, eh, I'm too tired to turn left.
Speaker 3:You know but I can go home.
Speaker 2:I got no excuse at home, so.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and, and, and. You know, you can get just as good a workout if you're smart about it. You can get just as good a workout at home as you can at a, at a facility, absolutely, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Even even without weights, you can.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. Well, let's switch gears for just a second. Can you describe a hardship or a life challenge that you've overcome? You just mentioned COVID and how it made you stronger on the other side.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, covid was a major thing, the other things that have happened to me. I haven't had that hard of a life so things have been fairly easy, but the big thing that my wife passed away about a year ago and that was.
Speaker 3:We've been married for 36 years and you know one of the things that I liked about doing the fitness business was it gave me something to do every day, even while during the grieving process, you know, and I had my community of people who had been in my classes for several years and that was a really supportive community, and so I just really am very thankful of that. And you know, after a year the grieving process for me it's different for everybody, but after a year now my memories of my wife and our time together is mostly all happy memories instead of is mostly all happy memories instead of missing her not being here. So that was a real gift that my fitness community gave me was that camaraderie and activity to get through that.
Speaker 2:Wow, so the people you help to stay healthy are helping you. That's awesome, yeah, the people you help to stay healthy are helping you, that's awesome. Yeah, that is awesome. No-transcript.
Speaker 3:Fitness can be fun and fitness should be fun, because if it's not fun after the age of 60, you're not going to do it. So we play music, we play hits of the 60s and 70s and 80s and we joke around. And it's not like a boot camp where you just are quiet, we talk amongst ourselves, we joke around and that you know. Fitness people have this idea that you've really got to grind away in order to get any uh benefits, and it's it's not true. If you make it fun, then you're going to stick with it, and you're going to stick with it long term're going to stick with it long-term. That's the most important thing.
Speaker 2:Make it fun. Great thing to remember. Absolutely Well, if we have anybody you're virtual anybody in our listenership which we cover, you know, east Tennessee, western North Carolina, southwest Virginia. Anybody's interested in participating in your class. How can they learn more? Is interested in participating?
Speaker 3:in your class. How can they learn more? Well, go to my website, which is befitafter60.com. That's the number six and the number zerocom befitafter60.com. And there's a form on the bottom of that page where you can contact me and ask any questions that you want, and I'll get right back to you.
Speaker 2:Awesome. Now the BFIT after 60,. Is that the letters B, e or just B?
Speaker 3:No, it's B? E yeah B.
Speaker 2:E.
Speaker 3:F I T A F T E R and then the number six and zero, and I also have a promotion that I'm doing for this month where you can, if you sign up, you can I always have a free interview with everyone.
Speaker 3:So I make sure that it's an appropriate fit for where they are with their fitness journey and right now they can get two weeks of classes. We have small group classes where we have about six to eight people, or you can do one-on-one, depending on what you want, but right now I have two weeks of free classes until the end of the month.
Speaker 2:Nice. Now, is there certain times where your classes are scheduled, or is it varied?
Speaker 3:Yeah, we do. My general fitness class is at 10.30 am on Monday, wednesday and Friday, and then I have just a strength-focused class on Tuesdays and Fridays, and that one is at 8 45 AM.
Speaker 2:Eastern.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's all Eastern. Yeah, very good, I have to juggle with all the time zones, all the time.
Speaker 2:I'm sure, I'm sure. Well, we so. Are you in mountain time, or?
Speaker 3:And I'm in central time Central Okay.
Speaker 2:So you're just an hour, not a huge deal. Well, joe, I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed meeting you and learning all about your business. I may check you out. Actually, I used to be a fanatic about exercise and just recently changed careers in the last couple of years and I've let it go by the wayside, so I need some motivation.
Speaker 3:I know how that goes, I've been there, done that.
Speaker 2:Yep, yep, and I spend a lot of time in a chair and that does not help my piriformis muscle on my left hand side.
Speaker 3:Oh yes, so you have a little sciatica pain once in a while.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes.
Speaker 3:I do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely, so you can help me with that right.
Speaker 3:I can help you with that All right, Very good.
Speaker 2:Well, again, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to spend some time with us and telling our listeners all about what you do and moving forward. Wish you and your family and BeFit after 60 all the best.
Speaker 3:Thank you much. Been good talking to you, Skip.
Speaker 2:Good talking to you too. Thanks so much, and maybe we can have you have you back on the show sometime.
Speaker 3:Okay, sounds good.
Speaker 2:All right, all right. Thanks so much.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnptry-citiescom. That's gnptry-citiescom, or call 423-719-5873.