Family encourages more Brains and Balance Training for 84 yo Grandmom

Family Encourages Continued Participation in Brains and Balance Training from The Brains and Balance Lady on Vimeo.

Woodland Brains and Balance Training class participant shares how repeating the four-week brain-based balance and mobility training program increased her self-confidence so much that her family wants her to repeat the class again in February.

84 years young and lives independently at home.  Her family adores her and loves seeing her continued engagement at the local senior and community center.  After repeating the class before the holidays, her family wants her to continue with the brain-based balance training program with Coach Kelly.

"Changes in the brain that affect movement and balance, known as neuroplasticity, requires constant practice", stated Brains and Balance Coach Kelly.  "In fact, a person needs to practice specific drills at least 20 hours per week for changes to stick".

20 hours?  That's not much when you break that practice into 5 minute segments.  It's suggested that you do recommended drills 4-5 times per day, 4-5 days per week, for positive changes to occur at the brain level.

Don't worry, you don't have to be a neuroscientist to succeed.  Coach Kelly specializes in teaching drills to activate the brain for desired changes.

Do you want:

1. Increased Balance Confidence
2. Better Balance
3. Quicker Reaction Speeds to Life's Imbalances
4. Improved Posture 
5. Better Vision
6. Steadier Walking Gait
7. YOUR INDEPENDENCE
8. Family's Peace of Mind

These are the things you get from my 4-week 'Brains and Balance Training' program.

Meet twice a week for four weeks.  Eight ninety-minute sessions that will transform your balance, your confidence, your walking gait and the way you move through life.

What are you waiting for????  

Fair Oaks:  

1.  Educational Workshop.  January 8th.  1-2:30p.  Fair Oaks United Methodist Church.  $5.

2.  Brains and Balance Training Classes.  Jan. 15-Feb. 7. 10-11:30a.   Fair Oaks United Methodist Church.  $125.

Woodland:

1.  Educational Workshop:  February 5th.  10-11:30am.  Woodland Community Center.  $5

2.  Brains and Balance Training Classes.  Feb. 12-March 7th. 1-2:30p.   Woodland Community Center.  $125

Registered Nurse Living with PTSD Overcomes Fears with Brain Training

Overcame broken back with brain-based training from The Brains and Balance Lady on Vimeo.

Everyone has different reasons why they choose to enroll in my brain-based balance training programs. Falling and fear of falling is a huge motivator for a lot of people because my four-week program gets RESULTS.

Neuroscience research proves that the brain will make structural changes to survive and what's awesome is that you don't have to be over 80 to get results from my class!  Your brain wants to survive and will change with proper training.

Here, a sixty-something retired US Air Force nurse shares her personal testimonial about how brain-based training has helped her overcome her fears of movement after breaking her back.   The greatest benefit for her has been learning how to conquer fears so she can do the things she most enjoys; exercise, jumping, and spending time with her grandkids.

You are not alone in your fears.  Join others just like you in one of my Brains and Balance Training sessions or I can come to you for private training sessions.  I'll meet you where you are now to get you where you want to be.

Brain-based training is the future of fitness.  Let me show you how to activate parts of your brain for better balance, better movement and better vision.    Or, if you're living in pain, I offer holistic training methods to help you manage pain.

Whatever your goals, I want to help you reach them

Your coach,
Kelly

Comradery, socialization, better stability. the list goes on

Brains and Balance Training with Coach Kelly class participant shares how four weeks of brain-based training has improved her life.    This woman radiates confidence and joy as she reflects on the training process.

Benefits of Brains and Balance Training are everything you want:
1.  Socialization
2.  Noticeable Improvements
3.  Get Up Quicker
4.  Increased Stability
5.  Defensive Walking skills

This Brains and Balance Training class participant radiates confidence and joy as she explains the benefits of the 4-week class at the Woodland Community Center.

I love teaching small group classes and she nailed the reasons!  Comradery, socialization, sharing of struggles and seeing the improvements.  Knowing you're not alone in your fears is wonderful for emotional health.  Sharing struggles restores your sanity and seeing the improvements is beautiful.
Get Results.

Next class:
Woodland Community Center.
Feb.12-March 7
1:00-2:30pm

Invest in Yourself

Caregiver no longer worried about leaving 92 year old client alone

In-home care is becoming more and more popular not only because older adults want to stay in their homes for as long as possible but also for cost savings purposes.  This is a great option for busy adult children who have jobs but want their parent safe during work hours.

Independent older adults may need assistance with meal preparation, household chores and companionship and there are times when the caregiver has to leave to run errands.  This 'errand' time can be stressful for the caregiver because client safety is their responsibility.   No one likes stress.

I provide in-home balance training services and this caregiver shares her personal testimonial about the improvements she's noticed in her 92yo client since he started brain-based training.   She explains that he can get up without help, is more productive around the house and helps with daily chores.

Think about that; a widower over 90 is contributing to his own care.  This demonstrates that he is confident in his mobility and no longer afraid to do daily tasks.  He's aging with dignity.

Perhaps the best benefit for this caregiver,  and the family,  is that she is no longer worried to leave him alone while she does necessary shopping errands.  Less stress spills over to better care and better care is the ultimate goal.

Let me help your parents.  Let me help your family.  Let me help your caregiver.
It's what I do.  Brain-based training for optimized movement and greater productivity.

info@thefallpreventionlady.com
Mention this blogpost and receive a 20% discount on in-home package of 10 sessions or greater.

Kelly

Avoid Bumps and Dips in the Country and Prevent Falls

Holiday session "Brains and Balance Training with Coach Kelly" class participant shares her personal testimonial of benefits of the the brain-based training at the Woodland Senior and Community Center.

After four-weeks of brain-based balance and mobility training, she understands balance and knows what she needs to train.  In eight sessions, she learned how to train her balance.

This multi-sensory training stimulates the most neglected part of the brain.  As such,  the drills we do in class are new and unknown to the class.  Students learn how to train the vision and vestibular systems.

This student lives in the country and explains how the class has helped her avoid the "bumps and dips" when living on a farm.  The vision drills increased her awareness of surroundings and now she reacts quicker and knows how to react.

Increase balance confidence and DROP the cane at age 84!

I just completed a holiday session of "Brains and Balance Training with Coach Kelly" at the Woodland Community Center.  Everyone in the class improved in senior fitness tests but the greatest improvements can't be measured.  

Increased confidence and awareness, improvements in posture, quicker reaction times were some of the benefits mentioned in several personal testimonials.

I love it all and am grateful to be their coach, especially when they comeback!  The oldest member of the class repeated the training and the results were amazing!

84-year old explains how attending the 4-week "Brains and Balance Training with Coach Kelly" class at the Woodland Senior and Community Center taught her skills that have increased her balance confidence and awareness so much that she doesn't need to use her cane any more!

Her Pre- and Post-Senior Fitness scores demonstrated:
1.  Stronger legs
2.  Increased lower body flexibility
3.  Quicker reaction and agility speeds

Heck yeah!  Brain-based balance training works!

Next Class:
Woodland Senior and Community Center
February 12- March 7, 2019
1:00-2:30pm
Invest in yourself.

4 Balance Training Myths for people over 60; Make sure you're not doing #3!

Balance is an essential skill that we learn as children and take for granted as adults.  Suddenly you're 73 and realize, "wow, I can't walk a straight line anymore (and I'm sober)!"

Many people don't realize how complex balance is or the amount of body systems communication that is required to stay upright.

I'm going to bust 4 common myths about balance in hopes of increasing awareness of what you can do to improve your balance and prevent a fall.

Here we go:

1.  I have to stand on one leg to improve my balance... unfortunately, the "old" litmus test for one's balance was the ability to stand on one leg.  My client Bob said to me,' my balance is failing'.  I asked, 'How do you know?'.  He answered, 'I can't stand on one leg'.  I've been teaching balance and mobility training classes for over fifteen years and I've only seen about 20 people who could stand on one leg.  Your feet are your base of support and the wider the base, the more stable you are.  The ability to stand on one leg is the most challenging position and there are so many progressions to work through to get there.  Although that may be a goal, standing on one leg does not measure balance.
2.  I  need to train on uneven surfaces like a wobble board, foam pad or  BOSU.  It cracks me up when I see trainers put their older adult clients on wobble boards or the half dome BOSU to train balance.  That's insanity!!!  The SAID principle states that your body gets good at whatever you practice.  If you practice standing on a wobble board, guess what you're going to get good at?  Standing on a wobble board.  How does that help you in real life???  While it's true that standing on an uneven surface will strengthen your ankles, there's no long-term benefit to standing on a wobble board.  Don't waste your money or time trying to stand or squat on a BOSU ball or wobble board.
3.  I walk and that's all I need to do to improve my balance.  BIG FALSE.  There are four components of fitness associated with good balance; flexibility, strength, endurance and posture.  Steady balance requires a combination of these four training techniques. Walking is an excellent exercise but it's primarily an endurance activity.  You want to follow a balance program that includes strengthening exercises, flexibility movements, and posture training for the best balance possible.  Research studies demonstrate that walking alone does not improve balance and prevent falls. 
4.  It doesn't matter where I look when walking, standing or doing exercise.  It's painful for me to watch some group fitness classes for older adults because the instructor doesn't give one cue about where to look. Nor do personal trainers in the gym.  So many of the older adults I meet tell me they have to look at the floor so they don't fall down.  WRONG!!!  This downward stare not only affects your posture and but also limits your ability to react to obstacles in your pathway.

I've created an online course,
"Balance Training 101: Brain-based Program to Do at Home so You Can Stay at Home", where I share some of my best balance training tips and techniques so you can stay at home.

One of the best features is the exercise video library for you to watch so you forget what to do.   This course makes it easy for you to train your balance at home so you can stay at home.  No special equipment needed; just a desire to improve balance.

Yours in Fitness and Balance~
The Fall Prevention Lady

Lucky 13 students in Holiday Brains and Balance Session

I am thrilled to have 13 eager students enrolled in my holiday session of Brains and Balance Training at the Woodland Community and Senior Center in Woodland California.  A diverse group of men and women between 49 and 86 years old decided it was time to do something about their failing balance skills.

As I completed pre-assessment senior fitness testing, the small group got to know each other as they played balloon volleyball and called out things associated with Thanksgiving and Christmas.  The first day is a healthy balance of movement and learning and everyone is assigned homework.

The second class focused on proprioception and walking gaits.  Students laughed as they tried simple movements in both directions and tried to remember which walking gait was #3.  Reaction speeds got better as threat was reduced.  Nervous smiles were wiped away with laughter.  Movement is life and relearning how to move should be fun!

Everyone brings their unique challenges to balance and movement because we all have lived different lives and made different choices in that lifetime.  Some of us were dealt a rotten hand.  We're all trying to get by the best we can and for some, that's harder to do.  

I'm so excited about working with this awesome group who has taken time out of their busy holiday schedule to invest in themselves.  These people are giving themselves the gift of independence.  Gain control of their body and learn to move again with sensory input activation.

Brains and Balance Training.  These people are learning how to activate parts of their brain that contribute to good movement, stable balance, better vision and less pain.  All through sensory activation drills and muscle activation exercises.  

You've got to give the brain what it needs for healthy function.  Let me show you how!  Join a brains and balance training class or enroll in my online balance training program!
Gift yourself.  

Power of the tongue and stability!

We know the power of the tongue.   Neuro-anatomically, the tongue is loaded with with both motor and sensory components.  The fantastical-ness of the tongue is that sensory and motor activation stimulate both the pons and medulla of the brainstem.   Wowww-za!!!!

What this means in everyday terms is that tongue drills can increase stability.  The best way to improve midline stability is to put your tongue in the SPOT.    Studies indicate that a person is 30% stronger when the tongue is in it's anatomical spot.

As you know by know, I don't share any of my training techniques in this blog. My training techniques are not free.  However this one's on me.  The "SPOT" is the follow: 

1.  Place tip of tongue behind front teeth  

2.  Press tongue up into the roof of your mouth

That's it.  

Keep tongue laying pressed up on roof of the mouth.  Tip of tongue is not touching teeth but almost.     

In simple English, the tongue is a powerful brain activation tool.  Because the brain needs activation to be healthy,  tongue drills are a fantastic way to stimulate important parts of the brain for better movement through life.

The Two Types of Fuel a Brain Needs to be Healthy

In this day and age, we all want a healthy functioning brain.  With the risk Alzheimers and other dementias increasing with age,  people who are willing to go to great lengths to keep their brain healthy.

Scientifically, a healthy brain needs two things for survival.  Two simple things that don't cost tons of money.  A healthy brain needs activation and fuel.    Your brain and the entire nervous system function on a "Use It or Lose It" principle so activating the entire brain is necessary for optimal performance.

  Brain SuperFood:  OJ & Salt

In my small group classes, I teach mature adults how to activate the different areas of the brain, including the sensory systems.  For those who cannot attend a live session,  I've created an online balance training course, Balance Training 101, to teach you how to activate both the sensory and motor components of the brain.l

When it comes to fueling your brain, the two type of 'food' your brain needs for healthy function are:

1. Glucose
2. Oxygen

You need to eat and you need to breathe.

If only it were that simple!  Nutritionally, we are a mess.  We've been fed untruths about what's good and what's bad for us from the leading agency in our country, the USDA and as a result, we don't know what to eat.  The foods your brain needs are exactly what government agencies are telling us NOT to eat.

Your brain needs SUGAR!  Your brain needs glucose to function.  The brain superfood is Orange Juice.  Orange juice with sea salt in it.  OJ is quick digesting and provides instant burning fuel.   Give it a try: 4-6 ounce OJ/sal shots throughout the day, especially before class or sensory training!

For more brain-smart eating, check out Kate Deering's book, "How To Heal Your Metabolism".  Quick read with lots of easy to understand scientific facts.  Highly recommended. 

Your brain needs OXYGEN!  If breathing wasn't an automatic function, half of us would be dead!  We are a bunch of shallow breathers.  We take in shallow breaths and don't exhale enough!  The result is a build up of oxygen in the blood.  We need to exhale.

I'm going to teach some breathing exercises in the next few weeks but in the meantime, practice the diaphragm stretch!  

Here is a demonstration of me doing the diaphragm stretch for you:

Diaphragm Stretch from The Brains and Balance Lady on Vimeo.