Stronger Together: How the Kroc Helped Ben Rebuild, Reconnect, and Reclaim His Health
Ben and his family have been connected to the Kroc Center for nearly a decade. What began as casual visits to the pool when his children were young has transformed into something much deeper.
“In the beginning our kids were young and we primarily used the pool, but that fizzled out during the pandemic,” he shares. “In 2023 my wife, Emily, ‘re-subscribed’ and made the Les Mills Core classes a central part of her weekly workout routine. After much coercion (and her noticeable gains), she convinced me to try those classes with her in the fall of August 2024. I’ve been regularly attending Core ever since and have started attending BodyPump a few times a week as well.”
For Ben, the turning point came during a family trip to Greece after leading a student study abroad program in Italy.
“I had flu-like symptoms the day my family arrived but resolved to do as much as possible while together in Greece. I became progressively sicker, however, and after a few days was bedridden. The infection moved to my lungs making it exceptionally difficult to breathe… I went directly from the airport in Memphis to the ER and spent ten days between the ICU and a recovery room. The full diagnosis was double pneumonia with profound pulmonary embolisms, but the doctors were unable to culture the source of the infection.”
The experience was a wake-up call.
“Glimpsing my mortality was a wakeup call… the helplessness I felt, lacking strength or mobility, made apparent to me that I needed to think more wholistically about my health, beyond cardio work. This is where Emily’s experience in Core catalyzed a willingness to explore group fitness with her.”
That journey not only reshaped his health but also challenged long-held assumptions about men and fitness classes.
“An odd aspect of fitness classes like Core and BodyPump is that very few men regularly attend, in my experience. I think the reasons for this are complex but probably linked to perceptions of group fitness that were established in the 1980s with people like Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons… Core and BodyPump are certainly challenging enough to feel strength gains. But the best part is that the routines change consistently which keeps it both mentally and physically challenging over time. Since the planning and execution of the workouts is all done by Les Mills and the staff at the Kroc, I’m able to simply show up and work out, removing any ‘planning’ barriers or fears of injury that might inhibit working out.”
Beyond the physical benefits, Ben has found something increasingly rare: genuine human connection.
“I do appreciate the interactions the Kroc provides with new groups of people. In an era when people are retreating into their living rooms and smart phones, the Kroc provides a context for interacting with real humans, which builds important social bonds across the city. Fitness classes at the Kroc have also given our family something active to do together.”
Join the Kroc Center of Memphis and discover a community where strength, connection, and transformation go hand in hand.