Rose Warken-Ceballos is passionate about two things: healing the body and sharing her knowledge with Kaua‘i’s kupuna. Her vision for healing has a name. She calls it “Kupuna Wellness — Ageless Beauty.” “My classes are my gift to seniors who
Rose Warken-Ceballos is passionate about two things: healing the body and sharing her knowledge with Kaua‘i’s kupuna. Her vision for healing has a name. She calls it “Kupuna Wellness — Ageless Beauty.”
“My classes are my gift to seniors who believe and envision beauty to be a part of aging with continuous growth, strength, grace and tranquility,” she said.
Clearly Kaua‘i’s senior population agrees — testament to Warken-Ceballos’ vision is a room filled with 20 to 30 participants.
“My youngest is 60,” she said. “But the average age in the room is 80.”
Recently the “ageless beauties” threw a surprise birthday party for the eldest in their tribe, Josiah Adams, who just turned 90.
Warken-Ceballos’ classes at Hanapepe Recreation Center and Kalaheo Neighborhood Center brim with eager souls Monday, Wednesday and Friday. (See insert for details.)
“All three classes complete one program,” she said.
Her Monday and Friday classes are the more active of the three at 90 minutes long.
She describes her routine as cardiovascular strength training that improves balance, posture, coordination and flexibility.
“I don’t actually exercise with them when I teach,” she said. “I demonstrate the routine carefully, then I walk around and observe.”
Warken-Ceballos cares for the mind, body and spirit of her kupuna.
“Total body conditioning — this is a free gift you can give yourself,” she said. “You can’t just exercise abs, biceps and legs and forget about the rest.”
Considering the majority of her attendees are in their 80s, Warken-Ceballos does not let them off the hook with regard to getting a complete workout.
“You need to do it all — from the head to the toes,” she said. “We start with toes, then ankles, knees and hips — the hips are most important — you never hear of working out the hips and the hips are the number one cause for reducing mobility.”
In 2003, with the encouragement of her husband, Kaua‘i native Errol Ceballos, this impassioned lifestyle consultant retired from a 15-year career as a personal fitness trainer and educator.
“I wish to give back to this beautiful island — by devoting my time to helping the seniors,” she said. “I feel very blessed to be able to do the things I’m passionate about.”
Her classes work as a comprehensive approach to the body with a sensitivity for the population she is working with.
“Aerobic is not jumping around,” she said. “I have some of my seniors stay in chairs — there’s floor work but they don’t have to get on the floor.”
The most recent addition to her program is a class at Hanapepe Recreation Center which is just one hour long.
“The mind and body class on Wednesday is totally different than the other two — it’s more like yoga but catered to seniors,” she said. “We practice breathing technique and do pressure-point massage on the face.”
Warken-Ceballos sets the tone with soft inspirational music and tailors the movements for muscle toning and joint stiffness.
“I am very aware of individual needs and limitations.”
No matter what your age, rising to the challenge of regular exercise can seem daunting to those who’ve been sedentary.
“I just tell them, ‘Believe in yourself,’ when they are discouraged,” she said. “You don’t have to have flexibility, but you do have to have patience.”
Her intention is to have her students integrate what they learn into their lives outside of class.
“I teach in a way that they can take these exercises home,” she said. “So they do get homework. It’s not just about being in the class.”
Since some of the “ageless beauties” have limited flexibility, Warken-Ceballos refines every movement to their needs by providing chairs for her more athletically themed training.
“I call it the triathlon segment of the class — we swim, ride and run in our chairs.”
More than the rigors of physical fitness, this 24-year Kaua‘i resident offers other opportunities for her students to learn about self-care. Last week Warken-Ceballos exposed her students to one more avenue for health.
“I did a cooking demonstration for my seniors at the Kalaheo Community Center,” she said.
The foundation on which Warken-Ceballos built this edifice of wellness is more than passion and generosity. Her approach is one of invitation, exploration and education.
Last year she hosted a food themed party at her home where she had her “ageless beauties” create a meatless dish that was not processed or packaged.
“Then before we ate we all described our dish and how it was made,” she said. “They were so proud — seniors love to share story. Allowing them to describe their dish — they just took pleasure in being asked. So then we all learn too.”
Everything Warken Ceballos does for her kupuna is about learning. She confessed that a few of her students were reluctant, but her passion for wellness won even the timid ones over.
“I told them, take just one day to purify your surroundings — food, thought and actions. I call it purification in paradise — my whole advocacy is passionate living.”
Kupuna Wellness-Ageless Beauty fitness program is free to seniors 55 and above. For more information call 652-8985, e-mail, kapunawellness@aol.com or visit passionateliving.faithweb.com. Warken-Ceballos is also the author of a collection of poems, “If Tomorrow Never Comes” under the name Rose T. Warken, available at Borders Book and Music.
Kupuna wellness
classes
• 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Mondays at the Hanapepe
Recreation Center
• 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Wednesdays at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center
• 8 a.m. to 9:30
Fridays at the Kalaheo
Neighborhood Center
