Everything we do begins in the brain. Preventing falls begins in the brain. Knowing that, a healthy brain is essential for an independent life. Unfortunately we are stuck in our homes and most of us are not engaging the brain as much as needed.
"The brain needs two things to be healthy; activation and fuel". I'm sure you are intimately familiar with the "use it or lose it" principle but that applies to the entire nervous system, not just the muscles.
Here are 5 easy brain teasers that improve working memory : Brain Teasers
Grab a spiky ball and roll it on your body! See how you feel. Try standing up or touching your toes. Then roll only one side. Retest. Roll the other side and retest. See which one makes you better.
If it was easier to move, keep doing it! The increased sensory input will wake up your brain and your movement, flexibility, strength and/or balance will improve.
Give it a try!!!
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In order to be balanced and stable, you need to have a stable midline. The spine is the midline. Your jaw is also along the midline.
The jaw is powerful activator of the brain because it is innervated by the trigeminal nerve, the largest of the twelve cranial nerves. Moving the jaw activates areas of the brain responsible for increased backside strength. This increased extensor tone improves balance and stability.
Why It's Important to YOU: Increased backside strength makes it easier to stand up from the chair and easier to stand up straight.
Follow along with one of my favorite jaw exercises.
Get that jaw moving to increase midline stability and extensor tone.
Try to do these at least once a day, everyday.
I would suggest 3-4 times per day if you're unstable and have poor posture.
We're all stuck at home so it's a great time to build leg strength and practice movement patterns to keep your safe at home.
Even though we're all stuck at home, I still worry about older adults who live alone and are at high risk of falls. You have to keep moving. I've posted several blog posts about proper breathing and recently, I posted both an upper and lower body resistance band workout.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to visit my elderly clients in their homes and one client has fallen twice. Despite practicing crawling and using the chair to get up, he was unable to get himself up from the floor. He's 93 years old. Fortunately his son stopped in and helped him.
I'm so upset that he fell and more so that he forgot what we have practiced when on the floor. It is so important for you to keep moving and to practice getting down on the floor and getting back up.
This is a life skill that can save your life if you fall at home. Practice now, while you're able, so you have a plan if you end up on the floor. A fall is a traumatic event; don't wait until then to practice getting up. PRACTICE TODAY.
Watch me do this exercise and then practice yourself!
I have no idea of your ability level so start slow and work up to more attempts with each leg.
I try to do 10 with each leg, each day.
Hi!
I hope everyone is doing well during this stressful time in history. As we "Shelter in Place", I wanted to share a very helpful breathing tip to help calm you down and give your brain the nutrients it needs for healthy function.
I explain what's going on when you bag breathe in the video but in a nutshell, we need carbon dioxide for healthy blood. The medulla monitors our blood gas balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide. When it's off balance, the kidneys are stimulated, the lungs are turned on and hormones are turned off/on to balance it out.
The take home: You need carbon dioxide because it is a messenger molecule that takes the blood oxygen INTO the cell so the brain can use it. Carbon dioxide gives the brain energy.
We're a bunch of shallow breathers and do too much mouth breathing. Overoxgyenation stresses your brain and body out. In times of stress like now, we're shallow breathing, mouth breathing and not doing enough exhaling!
Start breathing into a bag to DE-STRESS YOUR BODY AND BRAIN. Carbon Dioxide dilates blood vessels, allowing more blood flow, especially in the brain.
Watch video to see how. Then practice breathing into a bag 30-45 seconds, 4-5 times per day and calm down. Exhale longer than you inhale. Be aware. Exhale.
The diaphragm is your 'breathing' muscle. It's a large, dome-shaped muscle that attaches to all the hot spots of the "core".
Just like any other muscle in the body, the diaphragm needs to be stretched. It needs to be exercised. Learning how to breathe to work the diaphragm is a challenge. I"m not going to lie, it's the exact opposite of how you've been doing it.
Breathe in, expand your belly. Exhale, tighten the belly. Breathe into Buddha belly. Exhale into slim, tight contraction.
Being able to control your breathing pattern is life saving. Breathing competence is essential so you're not constantly gasping for breath or mouth breathing.
Unfortunately we are shallow breathers. We are mouth breathers. As a result, we over-oxygenate our brain and body. That can't be possible you think, oxygen is good so more is better. WRONG.
Your brain needs oxygen for fuel but it also needs glucose. We all know that too much glucose is bad; your cells are not able to respond to excessive amounts of sugar and therefore the sugar can not get into the cell.
It's the same with oxygen; too much in the blood reduces the cells ability to take oxygen into the cell for use. 100% blood oxygen is NOT GOOD because there is a natural blood gas balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide.
The brainstem, specifically the medulla, is the respiration center because it is responsible for blood gas balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide. Too much oxygen and we don't breathe correctly.
I offer respiration training in private sessions. If you have asthma, COPD, or don't feel like you ever get enough oxygen, book a session with me.
Follow along with me in this simple belly breathing exercise:
Neurogenesis. Your brain produces new cells everyday. In fact, your nervous system makes new neurons (basic cell of the nervous system) well into the ninth decade of life. What does this mean to you? You can change the way you move, your balance and your thoughts no matter how old or young you are.
Here's the catch; these new neurons need to be stimulated or they will die. You have to do something to keep them alive. The way to stimulate new neurons is to make new memories and learn new skills.
LEARN AND GROW.
What does that look like for you?
Get out of your comfort zone. We are creatures of habit. We do the same things everyday, we eat the same foods every week. Try something new. Go a different route to the store. Walk a different direction around the track. Try a new restaurant.
TURN OFF THE AUTO-PILOT. Quit going through life without being present. People go to the gym and do the same routine with the same weights week in, week out. They are not thinking about their breath, or their body We are in one place physically but mentally, you're worrying about the future or dwelling on the past. Be present.
Learn new skills. It's never too late to teach an old dog new tricks. Learn how to move your body in ways you've never imagined. Learn a new language. Take an art class. Learn how to dance. Gain control of your body through specific joint mobility drills.
In my Brains and Balance classes, you will do all three things necessary to stimulate newly formed neurons. An added benefit from the sensory and motor skills you will learn in class is the ability to change the way your brain is wired; improve what you already have. This is called Neuroplasticity.
Stay tuned for my next blog about Neuroplasticity; the science of hope and the future of fitness and key to a fulfilling, engaged life.
"These exercises aren't easy", "This stuff is totally different than anything I've done", "I can't believe how tired I get just by moving my eyes".....these are just a few of the comments I've heard from clients about their brain-based balance exercises.
"These exercises aren't easy". While nodding your head may seem simple, it's not always easy if you have a balance problem. If you have a nerve dysfunction or part of your brain needs more or less activation, doing these specific brain-activation drills can be hard!
"This stuff is totally different than anything my doctors or physical therapist have me do". Neuroscience is the thriving, evolving science changing due to constant discoveries about the organ that runs the entire body. New discoveries not yet published in textbooks are changing people's lives.
Your doctors and physical therapists have not read these recent studies or learned the skills because they do not specialize in functional neurology. Mostly, our current healthcare system is an insurance-fraud scheme. Doctors are death prevention specialists; they prevent death. They are not in the business of curing patients because a patient cured is a patient lost.
"I can't believe how tired I get just by moving my eyes". I hear this time and time again. If I don't hear it, I see it. The eyes are the #1 input to the brain and the eye muscles burn through fuel. Following a pencil with both eyes requires specific eye muscle activation which stimulates specific areas of the brain. When decreased areas get activated, the results are instant.
THERE IS NO MAGIC PILL. DO THE WORK.
Results may be instant but in order for those changes to stick, you HAVE TO PRACTICE THE DRILLS. The science of neuroplasticity proves that the brain can and will change structure, at any age, in order to survive. But like all things, you have to work for it. Research studies show that you must practice 20-40 hours for neuronal change to become permanent.
I do not offer any magic pill, no paid medical treatment using a big fancy machine. I teach holistic, brain-based drills that stimulate areas of the brain. It's nervous system activation.
When doing brain-based training, prepare to do some different things; things that may seem silly but drills that activate specific muscles, which activate specific nerves which stimulate specific areas of the brain.
For the brain to thrive, you have to learn new skills. You have to engage the brain. Make these changes last. Improve your brain, improve your balance.
I just completed an upper level certification Z-Health Performance Training weekend in Phoenix and the course focused on Strength and Suppleness. As a fall prevention expert, I take all information and tweak it to improve balance and prevent falls among seniors.
Lower body weakness is the leading cause of falls among older adults. Strength is the mastery of creating tension. What's fascinating is that none of us (or very few) were ever taught how to create tension. Suppleness is the mastery of relaxation. The brain requires a balance between the two; there are parts of the brainstem dedicated to this balance.
Even though we walk around "tense" from all the stressors in life, we are not creating strength; we are stressing and fatiguing our bodies. One of the best ways to learn how to create tension in your muscles is an isometric contraction. In fact, isometric contraction activates parts of the brain dedicated to midline stability (the supplementary motor area).
Isometric contractions are pushing (or pulling) against a stationary object. This creates tension in the muscles. Remember, strength is the mastery of creating tension in the muscles. You have to know how to create tension and be comfortable with it.
If you want to touch your toes, do an isometric bicep curl. In other words, with arm bent at 90 degrees by your side as if you were going to do a bicep curl, press down on wrist. Try to pull wrist toward body. Hold this contraction for 20 seconds. THAT IS HARD TO DO. Then try to touch your toes. It should be better.
There are other ways to create tension in the muscle but isometric contraction is the least threatening to the brain and a great way to start. Movement is life and it's time to start moving.
If you're ready to move better with less pain, contact me for a private consultation. I do online training sessions. It's never too late to improve your balance or your movement.
Summer is here and that means it's flip flop season. While it feels good to get some air on your feet, flip flops are considered a "fall risk" and you might need to weigh the pros and cons before breaking out those summer sandals.
More about fall risk factors in my
book, Complete Guide to Fall Prevention
Here's why flip flops are a fall risk: your feet are so busy clinging to the single strap that goes between your toes that you don't pick your feet up high enough when walking. You trip because your foot is busy trying to keep the shoe on. Result: you don't pick your foot up and trip over your toes.
The way to prevent this type of accident is to wear sandals that secure around the front and back of your foot. There are some stylish sandals that are light weight and keep your foot secure in the shoe.
Foot secure sandals vs flip-flops:
Pro: Fitness and Safety
Con: Fashion
Some of us are fashionistas. I recognize that looking good is important and staying stylish matters to you. However at some point you need to think safety first. In my opinion, it's more important to stay safe and be comfortable than it is to look good. After all, laying on the ground after a fall doesn't look good on anyone.
Another way to prevent a slip, flip or flop is to do specific exercises to strengthen your feet and toes. These are simple exercises. Are they easy to do? Not always. If exercise were easy, everyone would be doing it. You want to do exercises that challenge you. The only way to improve your situation is to challenge yourself because as we all know, growth happens outside your comfort zone.
Some of my favorite exercises for stronger toes and feet are:
1. Toe Raises
2. Heel Raises
3. Foot waves
Take 5 to EXERCISE!!!
Here's my foot mobility routine that I do. Learned from @Zhealth Performance Solutions.
If you're interested in learning how to do foot waves, contact me.
Vision is so more than eye sight. This US Veteran is legally blind and learned how to train his eye muscles for less pain, better posture and more confidence.
Neurology is so cool.
Legally blind student in Brains and Balance Training class in Ranch Cordova explains how the vision drills have helped him.
As his instructor, I watched his eye movement improve tremendously.. His left was exophoric the first day, meaning the eye ball would look out to the side. Through targeted vision training drills to strengthen the weak eye muscles, his left eye is now more 'in line' and focused forward. Not bad for a four-week class.
He has had multiple back surgeries and spinal fusions so in order to live completely free of pain will require a lot of practice of vision and targeted brain activation drills. All things are possible when you believe.
One of my students in my Brains and Balance Training classes at Sun River Church is legally blind. His macular degeneration is advanced and he can only see in the peripheral field.
On the first day of class, his pain level was a 10 which he attributed to chronic spinal stenosis. As a Brain Practitioner, I was thinking otherwise. His posture was stooped forward with a slight bend to the right. His sense of equilibrium was off center which was evident in his posture.
I had him do specific eye drills to activate PAIN INHIBITION CENTERS in the brain. His challenge was that he could not actually see the pencil that I was asking him to follow with his eyes. This is where brain science gets AWESOME.....
By ENVISIONING the pencil moving (eyes following pencil while in his hand), this gentleman who is illegally blind, activated the same neurons and neural pathways as if he could actually see the pencil. Envisioning the target has the same powerful effect on brain activation as actually seeing it.
After two weeks, four sessions of brain-based training and lots of homework drills, this legally blind class participant's perceived level of pain is a 4 out of 10. His eyes are moving 100% better and he's standing up straighter; shoulders are level and his scoliosis is less pronounced.
You want to know what the best thing I've noticed? His mood change! Although he's not 100% pain-free, his mood is lighter, he's more engaged and exudes more confidence. In fact, he got up and did the walking drills with the rest of the group!
WOW. Just think about that....legally blind and living in a world of darkness and pain. Through specific vision training drills and envisioning the target during precise vision training drills, this guy's pain has decreased significantly, his posture has improved dramatically and his mood is happy and hopeful.
What is going on? Why are these changes happening? Vision drills activate different parts of the brain; parts of the brain that are directly responsible for posture and pain. Each eye has six muscles and those muscles are innervated by nerves that go directly into the brainstem.
The processing of all visual information (assigning meaning to visual data) activates all the lobes of the brain. Vision is a brain-wide event.
And an activated brain is a happy brain because as you know, a healthy brain needs two things:
1. Fuel 2. Activation.
Is your vision getting worse each day? Are you in chronic pain? Do you feel unsteady and live in fear of falling? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are the perfect candidate for brain-based Balance Training with Coach Kelly.
Professional athletes make movement look graceful, flawless, effortless. We're not professional athlete's but your brain's ultimate goal of movement is efficiency. Efficient movement requires less energy and your brain likes to conserve energy.
So how does your movement become efficient? Practice, practice, practice!!! Practice solidifies neural pathways with myelin and your brain (and body) get good at that movement.
But here's the kicker;
your body gets good at whatever it does
exactly how it does it.
What that means is that if you're practicing sloppy, compensated movements, your body will get good at bad, inefficient form.
This is why you need to practice movements in perfect form. Dr. Cobb, creator of Z-Health, has identified four elements of efficiency that must be present in the "PERFECT REP". And they are:
Perfect Form
Dynamic Postural Alignment
Synchronized Respiration
Balanced Tension and Relaxation
What does that look like? Well, perfect form begins in Lengthened Spine. Dynamic Postural Alignment means that all joints are relaxed and properly aligned. You're sitting, or standing, tall and relaxed. Feet, knees, hips and shoulders all facing forward.
Synchronized Respiration is relaxed nasal inhale into your belly and nasal or mouth exhalation. This breathing pattern continues throughout the movements. It will change as energy requirements increase but you SHOULD NOT HOLD YOUR BREATH AT ANY TIME!
The final element of efficiency is the ability to maintain balanced Tension and Relaxation in your body. This means no contraction, flexion, forward bending, locking of arms when doing movements, no tension. This is a challenge when a person is asked to move a joint in directions and speeds they haven't done in....forever!
IT's very common to see people tighten up when trying to move a body part in isolation that has never been moved before. It takes concentration! Concentration can rob your body of efficiency because all your brain wants is to do the movement and not look stupid. This should be easy. But it's not.
One perfect rep means doing whatever drill with all the forms of efficiency present. Breathing. Relaxed. Postural aligned and perfect form. In my Brains and Balance Training classes, we practice drills that should be easy. You would think three circles clockwise and three circles counterclockwise would be easy. But it's not always the case!
Learn how to control your body with the elements of efficiency. Get good at good movement. Quit living your life in bad form! Say goodbye to poor posture and instability. Learn how to move each joint in isolation so you can move them all together efficiently.
Brain-based training: The future of Fitness.
If you're not training your senses, half your brain is dying. Use it or lose it.
My dad was tough. Marines tough. Brigadier General tough. I remember playing him in tennis and he kicked my butt. As I was rising to the top of my basketball game, he beat me. No mercy. It made me cry! I don't know why but the fact that he played hard and beat me seemed unfair. At the time.
I cried. I was hurt. After all, I was his daughter. I was only visiting him since my parent's divorce and I was a good athlete. Dad's are supposed to let their girl win. Or at least that's what I must have thought. But I'm here to tell you, he didn't give me any special treatment and it taught me that life isn't fair and you have to do the work if you want to benefit. It made me a better player. A full scholarship athlete. Thank you Dad.
You can't expect anyone to do the work for you. In this day and age, you have to be your own advocate. If you want better balance, you have got to put in work. It's up to you to seek education classes and workshops that explain aging, balance and coordination as you age.
If you have fallen down and you don't want to fall again, it's up to you find a balance class that gets you results. IN order to get results you have to face the frustrations, make the mistakes and re-learn how to move correctly.
As you teach your brain to move again, you will have the 'why won't you do what I'm telling you' conversation with your body parts. Your brain can forget how to move a body part if you don't move it regularly. Practice makes perfect and perfect practice gets results.
You can rewire your brain for better movement, better balance and less pain. The science of neuroplasticity proves it. I have invested to become a brain-based movement re-educator that focuses on brain activation for better movement, balance and vision. It works.....if you work it.
Nothing comes easy. Anything worth having is worth working for. Practice makes perfect. You've got to put in the work to get the results. Join me in one of my brain-based fall prevention classes or sit in on one of my dynamic educational workshops.
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:
Increased Balance Confidence
Better Balance
Quicker Reaction Speeds to Life's Imbalances
Improved Posture
Better Vision
Steadier Walking Gait
YOUR INDEPENDENCE
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
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.
As the Brains and Balance Coach, I have been interviewing private clients and class participants about their experience with the brain-based training that I teach. I'm known as The Fall Prevention Lady and now, The Brains and Balance Lady. Either or, same person.
It was awesome to listen to the different reasons for joining the class. The "why" of brains and balance training. The personal motivators. I loved listening and I am thankful for the survivor in each of you. The warrior. The believer.
Benefits of Brains and Balance Training
When I asked what the greatest benefit, the best personal improvement from participating in the four-week brains and balance training class that I teach, there were common themes.
Benefits of Brains and Balance Training with Coach Kelly
Walk steady. Improved walking. Feel better walking.
No more fear. Reduced fear. Better confidence.
Gain control of body. Increased awareness.
Understanding of what balance is and how to train it.
The amazing benefits of neuro-vision and neuro-vestibular training.
Aren't these the goals of a balance and mobility training program?
Aren't these the things you want out of your balance and mobility training efforts?
Yes! These are the things I want from my training.
Yes! You can get these things in four-weeks! Four weeks of brain-based training. Live. In-Person.
You can also get these benefits from my online course, Balance Training 101.
4-modules. 4-weeks of balance drills. Easy. Learn at your own pace. Just do the exercises!
Brains and Balance Nugget #1: Sensory Before Motor
I was at the Western Peripheral Neuropathy Association's 20th Anniversary and told the group to rub their feet. Paint their affected areas with light touch, stroking the skin, paying attention to the feeling. It's time to touch your feet. Rub the toes.
For people who can't feel a body part, like feet, or only feel pain or tingling; touch your skin. Gently rub the body part. Wrap it and rub it. Feel the touch. Pay attention to the body part so your brain remembers it's there and how to move it.
Sensory before motor. Focus on feeling your body before you try to move it. Re-introduce your brain to your body. One joint at a time. It's a brain thing!
The fascinating thing about the brain is that the half of the brain is dedicated to sensory processing. Half of your brain. If you're not stimulating the senses that the brain relies on in order to move safely through life, then half of your brain is dying.
Thetwo things a healthy brain needs is 1. Activation 2. Fuel. Use it or lose it, especially sensory neurons of the brain. One of the golden rules that Dr. Cobb of Z-Health Performanceconsistently talks about is sensory before motor. Skin stimulation.
Simple. Subtle. Strategic.
Holistic life care through specific brain activation techniques. Simple. Try them. Rub your feet. Rub your skin. Then move.
Sensory before motor. It's how your nervous system functions. Trust me.
Brains and Balance Lady,
also known as the Fall Prevention Lady
I recently finished my first ever 4-week Brains and Balance Training in the beautiful gated-community of Whitney Oaks Springfield in the hills of Rocklin. This independent living community is paradise. Residents are active and many walk their dogs up and down steep hills and enjoy gorgeous views.
A small group between the ages of 76 and 86 invested their time and a minimal fee to participate in the 90-minute brain-based classes that met twice a week for four-weeks. I applaud these individuals for their interest in brain-based training for optimized movement in daily activity. Thanks for believing in the message I am sending: your brain can change and you can learn how to move better, balance better, and see better.
One of the most improved in the class was a 76-year old lady who not only excelled in the three Senior Fitness Tests but also gained balance confidence that has impacted her life in wonderful ways.
Physically, she stood up and sat down 3 more times in 30 seconds, putting her in the 95th percentile for ladies her age. Emotionally, she feels more secure and has increased confidence walking her dogs up and down the paths in her beautiful community.
She continues to be fascinated by the brain-based training and sensory activation techniques that caused her to balance, move and see better in four short weeks.
Neighbors in the Whitney Oaks community....don't miss out on the next Brains and Balance Training with Coach Kelly session! Introductory Brains and Balance seminar in late-January and classes begin in February. Check out my website for local schedule.
Listen to her personal testimony! Thank you Diane!
I recently finished a four-week Brains and Balance Training session at Fair Oaks United Methodist Church. This class was something special because there were three sisters, ages 74, 83, and 86 taking this balance journey together.
The youngest sister just finished the class and because it helped her so much, she wanted her older sisters, both of whom had suffered a bad fall, to reap the benefits of my four-week brains and balance training program.
As usual, I collect pre and post-senior fitness test scores to measure the efficacy of the intervention; in this case, 8 sessions of small group, brain-based balance and fitness training with assigned homework drills.
Each sister presented with unique challenges to their balance and stability but they all did very well in the class. There were some immediate improvements but the noticeable, "wow, you're moving so much better" changes started in the third week. Taller, level postures. Lengthened spines. Quicker reaction times. Big smiles.
Their nervous systems were integrating both sensory stimulation and motor activation better and the results were evident.
The post-assessment scores proved it! There were some amazing results and the sister with the most improved scores was the oldest!
Lower Body Flexibility:
The 86-year old sister improved her lower body flexibility by 8.5 inches! In FOUR-WEEKS! Day one, she was six and one-half inches away from her toes and the last day, she reached two and one-half inches past those same toes!!!
Not far behind, the 83-year old sister gained an 5.5 inches. The youngest has gained 8 inches but it has taken her a little longer (8-weeks) and there's nothing wrong with that!!!
Lower Body Strength:
Sit down and stand up as many times as you can in 30 seconds. The 86-year old sister did 3 more chair stands, the middle sister did 2 more and the youngest did more 4 more chair stands! She also made it the full 30 seconds without stopping. This was huge because she has COPD. The fact that she can exert high effort and not lose her breath is beyond FANTASTIC! Yay.
Dynamic Balance and Agility:
This tests how quickly they can get up from chair, walk around a cone that is eight-feet away, and return to seated position. This is huge due to the integration of sensory and motor systems for mobility. In the post-test, everyone walked with more stability, awareness, and confidence. The 86-year old was nearly 2.5 seconds faster! WOW!
Amazing results in a short period of time. And this wonderful sisterhood proves that you're never too old to improve strength, flexibility and balance.
Show your sister, or brother how much you care! If you're in the Sacramento region, attend one of my live brain-based balance and mobility classes or attend one of my ABCs of Balance workshops.
If you're not in the area, make sure you sign up for my online balance training course, Balance Training 101. Enrollment begins next week.
Brains and Balance Lady
Formerly known as The Fall Prevention Lady!
Even though we walk around "tense" from all the stressors in life, we are not creating strength; we are stressing and fatiguing our bodies. One of the best ways to learn how to create tension in your muscles is an isometric contraction. In fact, isometric contraction activates parts of the brain dedicated to midline stability (the supplementary motor area). 
My dad was tough. Marines tough. Brigadier General tough. I remember playing him in tennis and he kicked my butt. As I was rising to the top of my basketball game, he beat me. No mercy. It made me cry! I don't know why but the fact that he played hard and beat me seemed unfair. At the time.
