Part one of a two-part series on aging, menopause and fitness.

When sisters Ramona “Rae” Leap, 56, and Jolie Martinez, 51, opened One Spark Fitness in 2019 in Phoenixville, they didn’t actively seek out those in the active aging category, but six years later, most of their members fall in that age group.

“It is said that the clientele of a business is a representation of the profile of the owners,” Leap said. “We have a wide range of ages from 26 to 70+, however, the majority of our clients are 40+.”

Since they’re turning 57 and 52 this year, Leap and Martinez believe women, especially in their age group and older, appreciate the value and insights they have to offer as gym owners when it comes to aging.

They have heard multiple accounts over the years of how their members’ previous gyms were run by a male or young females who didn’t understand how the aging female body changes.

“What used to work to get fit in our 30s and early 40s doesn’t work anymore,” Martinez said.

More success

Having fellow members in the same age category tends to lead to more success in keeping up workouts for members.

“When you’re looking to improve your health, it’s very intimidating to walk into a gym or fitness center,” Martinez said. “What makes it even more difficult is when you look around and no one, or most, aren’t in your age group.”

They have found that women achieve more together than they do alone.

“The community of women supporting each other is inspirational,” Leap said. “When we started One Spark, we thought we needed to be the inspiration for our clients, but it turns out they are the inspiration to us and for each other. There’s nothing like a group of women cheering each other on.”

Physical changes

In terms of relatability, Jolie and Rae have either already experienced or are on the verge of experiencing many physical changes their members have either already contended with or will be contending with as aging women.

For example, once Rae became postmenopausal herself, she noticed her weight began to shift.

“My midsection began to expand, and my weight began to climb,” Leap said. “I’ve always been strong, especially for my body weight, so I never thought about increasing my muscle mass— until menopause. Menopause is a beast of its own that requires a different approach. Women can identify with us and feel confident we understand all the intricacies of being a woman in this phase of life.”

So, for the past four years, she has focused on increasing her weightlifting goals and lean muscle mass.

“Fortunately, we added a body scanner to our repertoire of equipment, which allows us to monitor our lean muscle mass, body fat, visceral fat and more,” Leap said. “This has been a game changer in seeing if my efforts are producing results.”

Importance of resistance training

Martinez said that she and Leap always talk about the importance of resistance training when teaching their classes.

“As women, we can lose up to one percent of our muscle mass every year over the age of 30 unless we are actively combatting it with resistance training,” Martinez said. “Plus, lifting weights increases bone density and decreases the risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis.”

She emphasized the significance of keeping muscle mass and building it as we age.

“It’s what makes the difference between merely growing ‘old’ and thriving as strong, active women as we age,” Martinez said. “You are either losing it or building it, so I choose to build it.”

They have found that among members, the hardest part of getting started with a fitness regimen is walking through the door.

“Once you enter One Spark, you immediately can see a variety of ages, ethnicities and sizes,” Martinez said. “We are not a ‘one size fits all’ studio — we are a studio where all sizes fit, so coming to One Spark is a new place to meet other women who are in your same situation, and then you start to develop new friendships and relationships.”

One Spark Fitness offers fun, energetic group classes for all levels of fitness in Phoenixville to ignite your passion for fitness and achieve your health goals. For membership options, classes and more, visit www.onesparkfitness.com, email onesparkfitness@gmail.com or call 610-321-3687.

Originally Published: March 7, 2025 at 6:00 AM EST