Fitter at 60 than 20: How George gained fitness and friendship by joining the circus

When Mary Wyer first tried the static trapeze she couldn’t hang for three seconds.

But by the end of 10 weeks, she was performing in front of a crowd.

Five years on at age 60, she attends classes and open training three times a week at a trapeze school in Petersham.

“The performative element is very motivating, more so than any other forms of exercise,” Ms Wyer says.

After noticing the lack of opportunities for older amateur participants to perform, she decided to organise a special showcase for those aged 50 and older.

“I don’t really love the idea of circus competition,” Ms Wyer says.

“But even if you wanted to, [we’re] unlikely to get into those because, you know, our bodies are slightly different and don’t do all the things that those young ones do.”

Before braving the cables, Ms Wyer watched on the sidelines for seven years as her daughter performed in a troop at the school.

As part of a Mother’s Day special, the parents of the children joined the class and Ms Wyer was invited up on the circus apparatus.

“It was embarrassing. I looked awful, I looked uncoordinated and I’d thought I’d missed the boat,” she says.

Months later, Ms Wyer saw a parent perform with her son at the student showcase. She had drastically improved since their first attempt.

“I went, ‘Hang on, you were just as bad as me. What happened?’ And she said, ‘Well, I just took some classes’ and I went, ‘OK, I’ll do that too,'” Ms Wyer says.

In a shiny space-themed costume and to tunes from the B-52s, she performed the static trapeze over 2 metres off the ground at the 50 & Up showcase last weekend.

“There is a little bit of fear, you know, because you are trusting that you’re going to hold on and not slip,” Ms Wyer says.

“I try and put something in that scares me a little bit so that I push myself harder to do it.”

Fitter at 60 than 20

Since joining the trapeze classes, Ms Wyer has felt numerous health benefits, particularly in her core and shoulders.

“My shoulders are much stronger. I used to tear them at the drop of a hat, they don’t tear anymore,” she says.

“As you’re moving into older age, it’s so important to keep that muscle bulk happening.”

Trapeze student George Argyrous is fitter now at age 60 than he was in his 20s.

“The physical benefits, you can’t describe it. You go into it thinking, ‘Well, maybe I’ll just slow the rate of deterioration as I get older,'” he says.

Mr Argyrous has tried other forms of exercise, such as yoga and pilates, but none of them challenged him like the circus arts.

“The constant feeling of progress is really important,” he says.

“I’ve been doing it for 10 years now. And I’m always thinking, ‘What can I do next? What little thing can I improve?'”

At the 50 & Up showcase, he performed his favourite circus apparatus, the silks.

In a white dress shirt and red cummerbund, he spins around metres into the air, pulling his body up with one arm, using the upper body strength he’s gained from years of circus training.

Maintaining balance and flexibility

Losing flexibility and stability is a natural part of aging, but it’s critical to maintain as much as possible, says physiotherapist Anna-Louise Bouvier.

“Balance is absolutely critical … we know that if you can’t balance you’re more likely to fall,” she says.

“And once you have a fall, then that can spiral into a whole lot of problems.”

For some people, exercises like the trapeze and silks can help engage muscles that aren’t regularly used as you get older. 

However, Ms Bouvier warns anyone considering starting circus training to do so with caution.

“Check in with your trusted healthcare professional or physiotherapist before you embark on something like this,” she says.

“And start really, really slowly as this would not be an activity that would be appropriate for many older bodies.”

Ms Wyer says she started very carefully, with the class accommodating all skill levels.

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Many flying friendships

It’s not just physical health benefits the participants gain, but new friendships.

The 50 & Up showcase’s oldest performer Gayleen Rogers has been taking part in the circus arts for 21 years, and has made many “flying friends” along the way.

“The circus community is just so welcoming, supportive, non-judgemental, and there are people from all walks of life,” she says.

From day one she was hooked on the adrenaline.

“My palms used to sweat in the car on the way over,” she says.

“You know, like, it scared the crap out of me, but I just really loved it.”

Dressed as Sandy from Grease, Ms Rogers performed the doubles trapeze at the showcase to the song Grease Lightnin’, a routine she created 15 years ago.

The best part of trapeze class is it keeps her motivated to exercise, she says.

“I’m doing this with a lot of young people and, of course, I don’t want to let myself go because I kind of want to fit in,” Ms Rogers says.

“It’s helpful in that way.”