Stepping and stomping in sparkly silver sneakers, Miss Conella is the beloved funky fairy godmother on the Triad fitness scene.
At 87, the Greensboro native who raised nine children and boasts 30 grandchildren, calls her fitness students at the Hayes-Taylor Memorial YMCA her extended family. Her devoted pupils treat her with respect and delight.
They chant and cheer as she leads 45 minutes of stretching and low-impact aerobics with dance moves backed by upbeat R&B.
“Alright!” Miss Conella says, punching her arms down in unison. “Now march!’’ she directs the class, smiling as she lifts her knees high.
Conella McCain’s been leading exercise classes in the Gate City for nearly 35 years — first at private gyms, then the YWCA on Spring Garden Street and now at Hayes-Taylor on East Florida Street, at 9 a.m., Tuesdays through Thursdays. And she hopes to do it another decade, she said last week.
Most of her students are 10-20 years her junior, but Miss Conella, who says she stands 5-foot-4 inches and weighs in at 135, has plenty to teach them about stamina and having patience with themselves.
On Tuesday, she wore lavender, checking in for her 9 a.m. class made up of women and a cadre of dedicated men, including two stroke victims.
A fashion plate in and outside of the gym, Miss Conella’s workout ensemble is perfectly matched and features a tee shirt with beaded flowers, a swing skort and lavender tights and socks. A silver chain belt jingles at her whittled waist and points up her prismatic, sequined kicks. Silver foil pom-poms come out before the morning’s routine ends so that Miss Conella can cheer the group on with signature razzle-dazzle.
And at the end of her routine, her coiffure is still intact. “I use a lot of spray before I go,’’ she said with a chuckle.
“Look at them shoooes!’’ one student says to the class of about 30 as Miss Conella dances through the routine.
Widowed for the past six years, Miss Conella knows moving her body and a prayerful life are keys to her longevity and happiness, she says.
She smiles broadly and claps, encouraging her students as they tug elastic stretch bands and step to the beat.
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Miss Conella slows the group.
Her eyes closed and arms held high, she offers a prayer.
For her, fitness and life are about a balance of the physical and the spiritual. She recently took a quick break to talk about her remarkable experiences:
Q: How did you start teaching and what do you enjoy about it?
Answer: “I’ve always exercised my entire life. I used to work out to a spiritual tape at home on the floor. But the way I got started was I went to an exercise class and the teacher didn’t show up. So they asked me if I’d lead the class. After that, I taught myself and took classes and got my certifications. I’ve been doing it for about 35 years now, and I love it. You have to keep your body moving to stay healthy.
Q: Does the work give you a sense of purpose?
Answer: ‘’It’s my way of ministering to others — helping those who cannot help themselves. I’ve got two young men in my class who are recovering from strokes. They’ve had trouble moving their feet in class. So I have ministered to them, and I’ve coached them, showing them how to move, and they are getting better. That’s what God put me here to do. These people are my family and I love these people. I pray for them before I go to sleep at night. And I pray for them before every class.’’
Q: What was your life like growing up?
Answer: ‘’I was raised in the country in the Holmes Grove community in Guilford County. We went to the Holmes Grove Methodist Church. My mother did home care and my father worked at a factory. I graduated from Dudley High School. I got married and had eight children — seven boys and one girl — of my own and raised another one. I had a good husband. He went out to work and worked hard, and I was able to keep my children myself until they were ready to go to school. I waited until they were grown up before I went to work. Then I drove a school bus for special needs kids for 30 years.’’
Q: What is your life like these days?
Answer: ‘’My husband died six years ago, but my children and I fellowship a lot, and we attend Powerhouse of Deliverance (Garden Cathedral) with Bishop William L. Washington. And I see my sisters, Norva Lee Davis and Brenda Kay McAdoo. My mama raised three girls and I am the oldest and we are all still very close.’’
Q: What’s the daily routine for a dynamo like yourself?
Answer: ‘’I get up and have my quiet time, then I dress. And if I have a class, I head over there. If I’m teaching I like to look my best for my class. After class, I come home and eat my breakfast. It’s usually oatmeal, or just grits, or a banana. I’ll rotate between those, sometimes I’ll have cereal. Then every day at noon, I go to prayer meeting. Church is a very big part of my life. Now I have the biggest meal of my day at about 3 p.m. It’s usually a meat, a starch, and a vegetable, but not fried. And I use a lot of canola oil for my cooking instead of bacon grease.’’ And while she rarely eats them, Miss Conella adds, “I do love fried chicken and ice cream.’’
sspear@rockinghamnow.com
(336) 349-4331, ext. 6140
@SpearSusie_RCN
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Greensboro’s Conella McCain is teaching fitness at 87
