Fitness for Good
Smiles and joy spread throughout the room As Preston walks into the fellowship hall at The Salvation Army in downtown San Diego. Preston greets the seniors in his weekly senior fitness class as they get ready for their workout.
Preston’s class focuses on redeveloping mobility, balance and reactivity.
“Most of my experience is in rehabilitation,” says Preston. “It’s not about making aesthetic changes, it’s about making quality of life changes.” Preston can see a light beam from the seniors when they are able to perform movements they didn’t think were possible.
After relocating to San Diego from Riverside to continue his pre-med education, Preston began looking for related volunteer opportunities to get involved with his new community. He remembered hearing about The Salvation Army years prior and knew that was where he wanted to invest. “They were looking for a yoga instructor, but they got me instead,” says Preston with a smile.
He has a passion for including all individuals in his class. Preston takes special consideration to make sure each student gets the attention they need to grow.
Preston encourages seniors of all abilities to come to class. “There’s a guy that comes most weeks in a little motorized wheel chair and he’s already had a couple of leg surgeries,” he says. But he gets out there and does the balance stuff with us and does his best.”
Not only does Preston’s fitness class benefit the seniors that attend his class, but also himself. “One of my favorite days is Wednesday,” says Preston. “You spend an hour down here with people a few generations older than you and you realize how little you know about life.”
Teaching this class gave Preston the opportunity to focus on community rather than himself. He loves the feeling of giving back. “I know this is what I want to do,” he says of helping others and becoming a doctor.