More than 14,000 Albuquerque seniors participate in sports and fitness activities through the City's Department of Senior Affairs. Seniors keep active and healthy with a range of exercise activities at senior and satellite centers and other locations.

Studies show that with exercise, mature adults can retard bone loss, increase muscular strength, remain active, prevent falls and live longer, independently.

The Palo Duro Senior Fitness Center provides a senior fitness room and numerous opportunities for seniors to weight train. The Center is located west of San Mateo, south of Comanche, on the McKinley Middle School grounds.

Exercise Classes

Exercise Classes are designed to improve strength, balance, flexibility, cardiovascular capacity, endurance, and bone density. Exercise Classes are conducted Monday-Friday, at the Department's seven senior centers and include Exercise to Music and Gentle Exercise classes.

Strength Training Rooms

The Senior Sports and Fitness Program offers a full weight room and fitness center at the Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center.

Strength training classes are available and instruction includes cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, flexibility, back stability and practical instruction in how to use weight machines.

The Palo Duro Senior Fitness Center provides a senior fitness room and numerous opportunities for seniors to weight train. The Center is located west of San Mateo, south of Comanche, on the McKinley Middle School grounds.

Adapted Aquatics

Adapted Aquatics classes are open to anyone interested in a more active lifestyle. The classes are designed to improve strength, balance, and flexibility, and build muscles and bone density. Adapted Aquatics is the perfect exercise for individuals with arthritis and/or limited mobility because the exercises are not stressful to joints and limbs. Classes are held in the UNM therapy pool (shallow and 92 degrees). You do not need to know how to swim! Adapted Aquatics are inexpensive: 50¢ for a van ride, and 50¢ at the door. Call your Senior Center for class and van departure times.

Senior Winter Sports Program

Albuquerque's Senior Winter Sports Program includes classes and recreational trips in snowshoeing as well as downhill and cross country skiing. There is also a very special Senior Winter Sports Competition in mid-February.

Beginning in November 2005, pick up our Senior Winter Sports Catalog at any of the Senior Centers. Register in early December at the Palo Duro Senior Center. For more information, call the Senior Sports & Fitness Program at 888-8166.

To learn to ski cross-country style, please join our Beginners Cross Country Ski Class. For a refresher course, sign up for our Cross Country Intermediate Review class.

Recreational day trips in snowshoeing and in downhill and cross country skiing are held three days a week throughout January, February, and March. Costs range from $7.10 to $10.25 and include trips to the Sandia, Jemez, Manzano and Santa Fe mountains. Overnight trips to ski areas are also scheduled in late January and February.

Winter Olympics

The Winter Olympics is a full day of competitive events and fun for the entire family at the Sandia Peak Ski Area. Competitions include races for beginners and advanced skiers in downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. We also have fun events in snowball-throwing accuracy and distance. The Winter Olympics culminates with a complementary gala awards ceremony and buffet.