I just started a 4-week balance and mobility training session at Fit4U in Carmichael and this is one of the most vivacious group of participants ever. Don't get me wrong; there are people people with significant balance challenges but the overall attitude of the group is outstanding and the socialization and laughter is enlightening.
One participant stayed after class the other day and thanked me for what I do and said that this class was an absolute "God-send" to her since she has been falling frequently lately. She is a young 70s and has a health history that has left her with left-side neglect. This neuromuscular imbalance has predictably affected her ability to stay upright.
However after only two classes, she feels more centered, more balanced and confident that her body is responding to these exercises. She is absolutely correct; FallProof™ is balance-specific, multi-sensory training designed to keep the ambulatory ambulatory through repetitive exercises that increase strength, flexibility and reaction times, improve posture and walking gaits while increasing total body awareness resulting in increased balance confidence and decreased fall risk.
I am blessed to have the opportunity to offer FallProof™ balance training session at both the beginner and intermediate level at Fit4U fitness studio on a regular basis. As of now, Beginner classes are offered Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10:30a-noon. The next class begins on June 14th.
I am offering a pilot intermediate class to be held Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 1-2pm. The first intermediate class will be from Monday, May 16th-Wednesday, May 25th. The only requirement is that attendees have attended the four or six-week beginner session taught by me within the last 2 years. This is not a drop-in when convenient class, these are progressively challenging balance training classes that build on concepts taught each week.
Remember; balance is a motor skill that improves with practice. Keep practicing. Get out, see old friends, meet new ones and stay on your feet! Register today: Call me or email me directly at info@thefallpreventionlady.com
Showing posts with label carmichael balance classes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label carmichael balance classes. Show all posts
Saturday, May 14, 2016
Monday, May 2, 2016
Person living with Parkinson's Disease shows HUGE improvements after FallProof™ classes
Having just attended the PANC/Parkinson Wise train-the-trainer workshop at Kaiser on Saturday, I am proud to share some remarkable balance and fitness pre/post data from the FallProof™ classes I just finished at Fit4U in Carmichael, CA.
The first set of data reflect a 66-year old participant living with Parkinson's Disease. Here are her scores:
Session #1:
Lower body strength: 13 chair stands in 30s
Lower body flexibility: 10" inches from toes
Dynamic Balance and Agility: 6.5 seconds to walk 8'
Session #8: IMPROVEMENT
Lower body strength: 16 chair stands in 30s +3 chair stands
Lower body flexibility: 6" inches from toes +4 inches
Dynamic Balance and Agility: 5.9 seconds to walk 8' .6 second faster
While all of the participants deserve special recognition, I would like to also mention another "most improved" participant; an 85-year old woman with extreme knee and shoulder pain and limitations.
Her pre/post data:
Session #1:
Lower body strength: 8 chair stands in 30s (used hands to get up)
Lower body flexibility: 3.5" inches from toes
Dynamic Balance and Agility: 8.6 seconds to walk 8'
Session #8: IMPROVEMENT
Lower body strength: 9 chair stands in 30s NO HANDS +1 chair stand
Lower body flexibility: 2.1" inches from toes +1.9 inches
Dynamic Balance and Agility: 6.7 seconds to walk 8' +1.9 seconds faster
Super big congratulations to everyone who participated in this four-week training program. Your hard work and effort truly paid off. I am so proud of each and every person for sticking with it and having the mindset that they CAN DO THIS.
It's never too late to improve flexibility, increase strength and improve MOVING balance and agility; three very important risk factors related to falls. Numbers don't lie and the improvements are evident to friends, family and especially your MOVEMENT RE-EDUCATOR and BALANCE AND MOBILITY SPECIALIST!
XO
The FPL
The first set of data reflect a 66-year old participant living with Parkinson's Disease. Here are her scores:
Session #1:
Lower body strength: 13 chair stands in 30s
Lower body flexibility: 10" inches from toes
Dynamic Balance and Agility: 6.5 seconds to walk 8'
Session #8: IMPROVEMENT
Lower body strength: 16 chair stands in 30s +3 chair stands
Lower body flexibility: 6" inches from toes +4 inches
Dynamic Balance and Agility: 5.9 seconds to walk 8' .6 second faster
While all of the participants deserve special recognition, I would like to also mention another "most improved" participant; an 85-year old woman with extreme knee and shoulder pain and limitations.
Her pre/post data:
Session #1:
Lower body strength: 8 chair stands in 30s (used hands to get up)
Lower body flexibility: 3.5" inches from toes
Dynamic Balance and Agility: 8.6 seconds to walk 8'
Session #8: IMPROVEMENT
Lower body strength: 9 chair stands in 30s NO HANDS +1 chair stand
Lower body flexibility: 2.1" inches from toes +1.9 inches
Dynamic Balance and Agility: 6.7 seconds to walk 8' +1.9 seconds faster
Super big congratulations to everyone who participated in this four-week training program. Your hard work and effort truly paid off. I am so proud of each and every person for sticking with it and having the mindset that they CAN DO THIS.
It's never too late to improve flexibility, increase strength and improve MOVING balance and agility; three very important risk factors related to falls. Numbers don't lie and the improvements are evident to friends, family and especially your MOVEMENT RE-EDUCATOR and BALANCE AND MOBILITY SPECIALIST!
XO
The FPL
Monday, April 7, 2014
Carmichael community group begins balance training classes
12 people, including one lone ranger. 83 is the oldest and there are two young buckettes, both age 60. The average age of this class is 73 years old. This is one of the youngest groups I have had in awhile and they are active, full of life and excited about this 4-week balance training program.
As usual, I do three standardized Senior Fitness Tests as a pre- and post-class assessment. As I was doing the pre-assessments, I was pleasantly surprised to see how everyone was able to do the tests exactly according to protocol. NO modifications, no notes on the side! And they did well.
I took their scores and found where their score ranked in comparison to similar age and similar gender scores for the exact test. This is the most reliable and valid test measure to see how you're aging in comparison to your true peers. Men vs men and women vs women . Age specific. These results can be a great motivator or a real eye-opener.
There were a couple women in today's class who were upset with one of their scores. One lady walks everyday so she was not happy when she saw that she scored in the 15th percentile for the Chair Stand which measures lower body strength. "But I walk...".... Yeah, but walking doesn't build muscle like strengthening exercises will. It's great to walk but as we get older, WE MUST DO EXERCISES DESIGNED IN INCREASE OUR STRENGTH, especially our lower body.
Several people scored poorly on the Chair Sit and Reach test. This test measures lower body flexibility which is extremely important during when we walk. If you drag your toes or trip over your own toes, it could be due to poor flexibility. If you swing your leg to the side when walking or when going up a stair, it could be because of poor lower body flexibility.
The best news I have is that those assessments taken on the first day of class are a snapshot of your fitness level THAT DAY!. You may not have worked out in 6 months, you make have been ill, whatever is going on, there is no pass or fail, this is just how you did on this day. If you score poorly, there's no place to go but up. And your body will improve. Our bodies were made to be in motion so lets' keep it that way.
I test again on the last day of class and I am proud to say that in the six years that I've been teaching FallProof™ in the Sacramento communities, I have had everyone improve in at least ONE of the fitness tests. Stick with it! It will get better!
As usual, I do three standardized Senior Fitness Tests as a pre- and post-class assessment. As I was doing the pre-assessments, I was pleasantly surprised to see how everyone was able to do the tests exactly according to protocol. NO modifications, no notes on the side! And they did well.
I took their scores and found where their score ranked in comparison to similar age and similar gender scores for the exact test. This is the most reliable and valid test measure to see how you're aging in comparison to your true peers. Men vs men and women vs women . Age specific. These results can be a great motivator or a real eye-opener.
There were a couple women in today's class who were upset with one of their scores. One lady walks everyday so she was not happy when she saw that she scored in the 15th percentile for the Chair Stand which measures lower body strength. "But I walk...".... Yeah, but walking doesn't build muscle like strengthening exercises will. It's great to walk but as we get older, WE MUST DO EXERCISES DESIGNED IN INCREASE OUR STRENGTH, especially our lower body.
Several people scored poorly on the Chair Sit and Reach test. This test measures lower body flexibility which is extremely important during when we walk. If you drag your toes or trip over your own toes, it could be due to poor flexibility. If you swing your leg to the side when walking or when going up a stair, it could be because of poor lower body flexibility.
The best news I have is that those assessments taken on the first day of class are a snapshot of your fitness level THAT DAY!. You may not have worked out in 6 months, you make have been ill, whatever is going on, there is no pass or fail, this is just how you did on this day. If you score poorly, there's no place to go but up. And your body will improve. Our bodies were made to be in motion so lets' keep it that way.
I test again on the last day of class and I am proud to say that in the six years that I've been teaching FallProof™ in the Sacramento communities, I have had everyone improve in at least ONE of the fitness tests. Stick with it! It will get better!
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