Seniors

Thurheimer’s new routine dispels old adage

The Fitness Track

The idiom, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" is typically not expressed as a compliment and may or may not be true. The statement alludes to the premise that as we age, it is very difficult to learn or embrace new things. You will have to determine whether this is factual for the general population. I can suggest a few things that will dispel this myth. The majority of you likely use your phone to send a text message. It may seem like a small task, yet you had to learn this small digital skill. When was the last time you pulled out a road map, which took up two seats and a window, to get to your destination? How about banking with a book to log your deposits? Have you typed with keys and a ribbon lately?

You have adapted the technology which has gradually required you to learn a new trick or two. How about fitness? You may have changed the way you approach exercise based on research, injury, or motivation. That adaptation demonstrates your willingness to go with life's flow.

A few words from his physician, Dr. John Reinhardt, prompted Jeff Thurheimer to dramatically alter his unhealthy routine and embrace a new way of living.

According to Thurheimer, "You need to go to the gym," were the simple words from Dr. Reinhardt which changed his life for the better.

Thurheimer did not engage in athletics while in high school. Bowling was his primary means of exercise starting at age 12. He did enter the United States Air Force after high school. During the six years of military service he engaged in daily calisthenics. After leaving the military, his fitness regimen ceased to exist.

"I worked for ADT security and was too busy working to go to the gym," said Thurheimer, who worked for the company for 45 years.

His job required him to travel a great deal. While on the road, he adopted the SAD eating protocol, known as the Standard American Diet. Fast food restaurants became his typical means of consumption, which likely added to his physical deterioration.

If you think Dr. Reinhardt's bluntness was a one-time fluke, you would be mistaken. The Altoona doctor had an epiphany over his many years of practice, which led him to direct many patients to adopt exercise as a means to regain health.

"I've gotten very interested in it the last 10 years because as I've gotten older, my patients have aged. Every Sunday night before I hit the sack, I get in the system and I see all of my patients who have an emergency room visit. We have about 17,000 that go to emergency rooms in the area. There's too many falls, frailties and too many patients above the age of 65 ending up in the emergency rooms. There had to be a better way. And so that started my journey and just believing that I could make a difference. I'm taking care of people in their 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. Their medication lists are too long, and their quality of life is too low. The expense of taking care of these patients is way too high," Reinhardt said.

One of the major concerns for seniors is the risk of a fall, which can negatively impact upon the quality of life. The Center for Disease Control reports falls as the leading cause of injury for adults 65 and older. Yearly, over three million emergency room visits are due to falls resulting in one million hospitalizations nationwide.

"They will lose one degree of independence, which means if you ambulate freely, you'll get a cane," Reinhardt explained. "If you have a cane, you've got a quad cane. If you have a quad cane, you get a walker. If you have a walker, you go to a wheelchair. And if you go from a wheelchair you will be essentially bedridden and need help with transfers. So that's a terrible sentence, and we all know this, but just don't talk about it much. I think it's somewhat unique for me, just because I put people through that test at age 65 every time I see them."

Thurheimer heeded his physician's recommendation and joined the Summit Athletic Club in 2019.

"I worked on the resistance machines two times per week, but not in any proper way," said

Thurheimer, who noticed improvements in his strength and balance.

In September 2025, he decided to procure the services of a personal trainer. Nathan McCullough became his Summit fitness guide and recommended Thurheimer for The Fitness Track.

McCullough provides Thurheimer with an upper body workout on the machines at the Summit.

"The basic chest press, bicep curl, lat pull down with a cable, tricep extension and the shoulder press are some of the machines he uses in his one-hour workout session. Those are some basic upper body movements. We don't do a ton of lower body movements because he has some knee issues. We usually do a little lap around the track for a cool down," said McCullough.

His trainer charts his weekly session and has the data to show Thurheimer's gains.

His wife, Debbie, has also seen the dramatic improvement in her husband's strength and balance. At one point, her husband was having back pain which could have led to several medical assessments. She feels McCullough's interventions were miraculous.

"It was a balance issue. Jeff had just gotten hearing aids. I don't know if you're aware of it, but when you have hearing aids, typically there is a program where you learn to ambulate with hearing aids. That opportunity wasn't afforded to us. Nate, his personal trainer, was aware of those circumstances and targeted my husband's needs. He is now able to walk straight without pain in his back," she explained.

"Balance can be easily fixed with just a couple simple training methods. Step up pads can be stacked, and with dumbbells in each hand, you can mimic going up and down the stairs. With added weight you condition your body and legs to get used to handling this weight," said McCullough, who has used such strategies to enhance Thurheimer's balance.

Thurheimer, age 73, bowls two to three days per week on a team and carries a 175 average. Without work on balance and strength, he may have had to discontinue this activity which he has enjoyed for over 60 years.

So, what did it require to change a poor lifestyle? A physician willing to change his patient paradigm, a personal trainer who thought outside the box, a supportive wife who encouraged her husband, and a transition to a healthier diet. Finally, let's not forget Thurheimer, who was willing to accept the guidance and learn to walk a new fitness path.

George Thomas Kattouf of Altoona is the developer of the website AgelessTimeless.com. He has been instructing martial arts for over four decades in the Altoona Area at the Academy of Martial Arts and encourages seniors to stay fit through martial arts training. If you or someone you know in Blair County is age 50 or older and would be a good candidate for the Fitness Track, email Kattouf at george@agelesstimeless.com. Tune in to the YouTube channel AgelessTimeless to learn more.