Article by Gwen Jones, Department of Family Services
(Posted 2024 September)
After achieving athletic success in gymnastics at a young age, Margie Weiss has gone on to coach and train countless athletes to succeed at the highest levels of competition, including her three children and her granddaughter. Her commitment to health and fitness has also led to a successful career as a personal trainer, where she helps people, both young and old, achieve their fitness goals, improve their health, increase their mobility and achieve a better quality of life.
Growing up in Chevy Chase, MD, Margie Weiss’ (née Sims) affinity for gymnastics began in early childhood. “My mom used to say, ‘by the time you were two years old, I never talked to your face, I always talked to your feet because you were always upside down’,” says Weiss. As a child, she saw gymnastics on TV and knew she wanted to try it, so her parents searched for a gymnastics class for girls. Eventually, they found one at a local rec center led by members of the University of Maryland’s Gymkhana Gymnastics Troupe. She also took ballet and dance classes throughout her childhood.
As her gymnastics skill grew, Weiss soon needed a coach. She signed on with a local PE teacher at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, MD, who ran a gymnastics troupe at the local YMCA. In 1967, while still in high school, Weiss was the all-around winner of the National Gymnastics Championships.
After graduating high school, Weiss attended the University of Massachusetts on a collegiate gymnastics scholarship. Her gymnastic success continued in college and in 1969 she was selected for the Collegiate All-American Women’s Gymnastics Team. Weiss attended UMass for two years, then transferred to the University of Maryland to complete her degree after suffering an injury.
Weiss first laid eyes on her future husband, Greg Weiss, when she was in the eighth grade attending a gymnastics tournament that he was competing in. His performance earned him a spot on the 1964 Men’s Gymnastics Olympic Team. The pair eventually met during Weiss’ first year of college while she was home for winter break practicing in the gym at the University of Maryland. Being the only two gymnasts in the gym, they struck up a conversation and later began dating. In 1970 the two wed and settled in Olney, MD.
The couple founded a gymnastics studio and formed a girls gymnastics team, training athletes competing at the highest level of gymnastics. Athletes from around the country and overseas moved to Maryland to train with the pair. Born into this world were Weiss’ three children – daughters Genna and Geremi and son Michael. “My kids didn’t play with trucks and dolls, they played on balance beams and trampolines,” says Weiss.
All three of the Weiss children started in gymnastics before moving on to other sports. “At the basic level, I always suggest that everyone get their kids into gymnastics and ballet because it is so hard, and it gives you so many assets for moving into other sports,” says Weiss. At age 6, Genna switched from gymnastics to tower diving. At age 9, Geremi was introduced to ice skating, which she took to immediately. Their youngest, Michael, initially tried diving before making the switch to ice skating.
Supporting three children’s athletic ambitions required an investment of both money and time. Thankfully, Weiss found a wonderful skating coach, saying, “We looked far and wide for a coach. We wanted someone who would be a real mentor to my kids. Audrey was amazing. She was like a second mother to Michael.” But by the time Michael was 13, the twice a day drive Weiss made between Olney and the Fairfax Ice Arena was taking a toll, so they sold their gymnastics gym and relocated to Fairfax.
After moving, the family owned and operated Gold’s Gym in Fairfax. By this time, Genna had made the National diving team and lived with a family in Florida for two years (where diving platforms were plentiful) to train. She would go on to become a seven-time national champion and a world champion in platform diving.
Weiss continued to guide the athletic careers of her two younger children and served as their secondary coach, saying “My job was to look at them and ask, where are your vulnerabilities? Because anything that is an issue could become an injury and hinder your career. I specialize in what each person needs and what they need to do.” Geremi enjoyed success in ice skating but chose to go to college after graduating high school instead of continuing to compete. Michael achieved great success in skating, including representing the United States at the 1998 and 2002 Winter Olympics. He later enjoyed a long professional career, touring and performing extensively.
After 34 years of marriage, Margie and Greg divorced. For a while, Weiss lived with Michael’s family and helped his wife Lisa with their children while Michael was on tour. She also continued to teach fitness classes and train elite athletes and other adults.
Her less frenetic schedule allowed Weiss to enjoy more leisure activities than when she was raising her kids. Although she had traveled extensively, it was always for athletic competitions. Her more recent travels have been for pleasure and often include beach destinations. She also enjoys reading, watching sports, and corresponding with her wide circle of friends, saying, “When you’re as old as I am, you have friends all over the world from the stuff we’ve done.”
At 75 years of age, Weiss continues to train elite athletes as well as individuals of all ages but feels that she has special insight into training older adults. She is skilled at modifying exercises to adapt to her clients’ physical limitations. “My thing is to keep them safe and healthy and able to walk and not shuffle or fall,” she says. Weiss also teaches fitness classes at a local gym, often to much younger participants who marvel at her fitness. Since the COVID pandemic, the number of people she trains virtually has also expanded and includes clients from around the country.
People often assume that Weiss must love to exercise, but that is not what has motivated her all these years. While she attributes her gymnastics success to her fierce competitiveness, her lifelong physical fitness stems from her sincere desire to stay active and healthy. “People say, you must love fitness because you do this. No! I just don’t like the alternative. If you could sit and watch TV all day and be fit, then I would probably do that,” she says, laughing. As she has aged, she has modified some of her activities and is more careful with her body. She also pays attention to the food she eats – making sure that she consumes a healthy diet and gets enough protein.
Her advice for older adults who want to get fit is this – “it’s not too late; today is the first day of the rest of your life.” Weiss recommends consulting with a professional to ensure that your exercise program is well-rounded, which will help you avoid injury. She suggests starting slowly and using light weights, increasing incrementally over time. She has witnessed her clients’ lives change through exercise, including one 70-year-old who, after losing 40 pounds, no longer needs medication to control his diabetes.
In addition to training her regular clients, Weiss recently began training Brooke Frishman, her granddaughter and the third generation of her family to compete at the highest levels of athletic competition. A college student, Brooke was recently named to Israel’s 2024 Women’s U20 (Under 20) Championship Lacrosse Team. While working with Brooke, Weiss employs the same strategy she used to train her own children – identifying and addressing any vulnerabilities to keep Brooke in top form and free of injury. She also helps Brooke with her required drills and ensures that she stretches thoroughly after every workout. In July, Weiss traveled with the team to Braga, Portugal, where they competed in the 2024 Women’s European Lacrosse Championship.
While training another elite athlete has made her life busier, the opportunity to guide another member of her family to athletic success is an exciting new challenge, one that Weiss is happy to take on.
This article is part of the Golden Gazette monthly newsletter which covers a variety of topics and community news concerning older adults and caregivers in Fairfax County. Are you new to the Golden Gazette? Don’t miss out on future newsletters! Subscribe to get the electronic or free printed version mailed to you. Have a suggestion for a topic? Share it in an email or call 703-324-GOLD (4653).