Get Stronger, More Flexible Legs in Four Weeks!

I just finished my first four-week brain-based balance training session of 2020 at the Andy Morin Sports Complex in Folsom, CA.   A class of eight older adults were eager to train the two things they don't want to lose; their brains and their balance and the most consistent improvements were stronger, more flexible legs.

The pre/post senior fitness tests showed remarkable improvements; life changing results.  Recall that I use the only standardized senior fitness tests to measure lower body strength, lower body flexibility and dynamic balance and agility on the first and last day of class.  

Legs are your fall prevention muscles; strong legs keep you upright and independent.  Having flexibility in lower body helps you walk safer by picking up your feet without tripping and increased lower body flexibility is directly related to reduced low back pain.

The most improved student was a 70- year old woman.  She increased lower body strength by (9) NINE chair stands, in 30 seconds!  She reached 3.5 inches further when reaching toward her toes and walked one and half seconds faster in the 8' Up and Go test.

Amazing.  These are life changing improvements.  She has stronger, more flexible legs and moves quicker on her feet.  This woman had vision problems that were trained over the four weeks and she now has skills to continue training her vision at home.

Perhaps the greatest improvement was an 82-year old woman who could not stand up without using
her hands on the first day.  On the last day, she did NINE (9) chair stands without using her hands.  This is a huge improvement when it comes to safety, and dignity!  She also improved lower body flexibility by (3) three full inches.  This is huge when it comes to low back pain and fall risk.

One participant who has more physical aliments than others improved her dynamic balance and agility (how quickly she got up and walked around a cone) by (4) FOUR full seconds.  Walking quicker with a steadier gait is a huge improvement that can save a person's life.  This woman has vestibular issues that require one-on-one training but we were able to find several high payoff drills that significantly improved her balance.  Instantly.

I have to note that this is small group training and individual needs cannot be addressed in a class setting.  Due to the nature of brain-training, individualized assessment and testing is required and strongly recommended.   I offer private sessions at a substantially reduced rate to all class participants.

The final significant improvement I'd like to mention is a 77-year old woman who increased lower body strength by (3) three chair stands and lower body flexibility by (3) three inches.  Again, stronger more flexible legs significantly reduce fall risk.

Enroll in Brains and Balance Fall Prevention Training to improve leg strength, reduce lower body stiffness and improve walking gait thereby increase personal safety.

Movement is life.  It's time to start living!

Woodland Seniors Significantly Reduce Fall Risk

I just finished teaching my last class of 2019 at the Woodland Community Center.  I had 14 older adults in my brain-based fall prevention class and the results were some of the best scores I've ever seen.  From 96 years old to the youngest in the class, age 60, these mature adults got stronger, more flexible and moved quicker in eight sessions.

In four weeks, a 96-year old lady improved her lower body strength by 3 chair stands, reached 1.5 inches closer to her toes and walked 1 full second faster around a cone eight feet away.  These are tremendous improvements at 96 years old.

The most improved was 67 year old hispanic woman.  She improved lower body strength by 5 chair stands in 30 seconds, improved lower body flexibility by 3 full inches and improved her dynamic balance and agility by 8.7 seconds!  Yes, that's right!  8.7 seconds faster getting up and moving around a cone that is 8 feet away.  This skill alone can save her life.

I am so proud of everyone in the class.  Investing in this brain-based balance training can save your life.  Learning how to move quicker, with more flexibility and stronger legs, will improve reaction times.  We practice reaction strategies so if you lose your balance, you know how to react appropriately.  This improves your self confidence.

Some other noteworthy improvements:
A baby boomer couple in the class for work-related interests both significantly improved lower body strength; one by 7 chair stands and the other by 3 in 30 seconds.

A gentleman who survived a stroke over 20 years ago increased his lower body strength by 2 chair stands and his dynamic balance and agility by 3.3 seconds.  He moves a full 3.3 seconds faster getting up from a chair and walking eight feet, without a cane.  His overall walking gait showed significant improvement as well.

A 72 year old lady did 5 more chair stands in 30 seconds and reached 3.3 inches further.
A 78-year old lady did 3 more chair stands and reached a full 4.5 inches further.  "Reaching further" is a measurement of lower body flexibility.  The ability to touch your toes.  The ability to pick your foot up and not drag your toes, reduced low back pain because hamstrings are more flexible.

An 86-year old man increased lower body strength by 2 chair stands and improved lower body flexibility by 2 inches.  AT AGE 86.

A lady with Parkinson's showed significant improvement in her posture and reaction speeds.

You're never too young or too old to improve the way you move.  Movement is life and it's time to start living!

This brain-based training is great for anyone who wants to gain control of her/his body and enjoy life on life's terms.

Brain-based Strengthening and Fall Prevention

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.

info@thefallpreventionlady.com

Summer's Sizzling Improvements in Woodland Brains and Balance Class

2019 has busy summer for the Fall Prevention Lady!  I've been presenting neuro-balance workshops and teaching brain-based fall prevention classes in local Sacramento communities.   I just completed a four-week Brains and Balance Training session at the Woodland Community Center and senior fitness test improvements were sizzling fantastic!

As you know, I use the only standardized fitness tests for seniors; Rikli and Jones' Senior Fitness Tests, to assess fitness components associated with falls.  Thanks to testing over one hundred seniors for my research study, I ALWAYS measure pre- and post-scores to test the efficacy of the class.  Tests provide OBJECTIVE DATA; numbers don't lie.   Students not only feel better, they SEE the numbers.

Each participant is tested in lower body flexibility, lower body strength, and dynamic balance and agility skills on the first and last day of class.  In my summer Woodland class, there was a tie for most improved.   The tie was between two women; 74 and 73 years old.  

Look at these life-changing numbers:
                                                                   73                                              74
                                                             
Lower body Strength:                 10/16     +6  stand ups               11/15             +4 stand ups
Lower body Flexibility:              0/+5       +5 inches                     -4.25/+1        +5.25 inches
Dynamic Balance & Agility:      8.4/7.3   +1.1 sec faster               6.6/5.4         +1.2 sec faster

AWESOME STUFF!!!!

Translated into normal language, both ladies significantly increased lower body strength.  They built leg muscles standing up and sitting down.  Legs are your fall prevention muscles so this is a big deal.

Both ladies increased lower body flexibility by over five (5) inches!!!  One, can reach her toes for the first time in 30 years and the other can reach five inches past her toes.  This improves their walking gait and eliminates low back pain.

Finally, both ladies can get up and walk quickly and safely around a cone that is eight feet away.  Stronger legs and flexibility in the hamstrings result in quicker movement.  This life saving skill can get a person quickly across the street when the light starts flashing.  Quicker reaction skills and ability to navigate around an object can prevent a fall.  LIFE SAVING.

The senior of the class, my dear 85 year old Audrey, increased in all three components.  She continues to increase her lower body strength, gain flexibility and quicken her reaction speed with each repeat performance.  This session she did increased lower body strength by a sizzling four (4) more stand ups and sit downs.  In FOUR WEEKS!!!

Senior Fitness Tests Used to Measure Balance in Brain-based Class

Balance is difficult to define because it's different for everyone.  And because balance means different things to different people, it's hard to establish a 'standardized' measurement for balance.  For these reasons, I use the only standardized testing for seniors; Rickli and Jones' Senior Fitness Tests, to measure different components of fitness associated with balance and falls.

For the past fifteen years (15 years), I have collected data on every student on the first and last days of class to provide objective data regarding their balance.  You may not 'feel' like you improved that much in such a short period of time but numbers don't lie.  I measure lower body strength, lower body flexibility and dynamic balance and agility; three components of fitness directly related to personal safety and independence.

The results are in from the two Brains and Balance Training classes at Sun River Church and I am excited about the progress made in four short weeks.  It was interesting to note that avid walkers increased significantly in lower body strength and flexibility but not so much in speed and agility.

The legally blind student was the most improved in his class and in the top 3 improved of 17 people.  He did 3 more chair stands in 30 seconds, reached 3.5 inches further toward his toes and walked 3 full seconds faster around a cone and back to his seat!  He's 83 years old!  And he has macular degeneration!  And he's a US Veteran!

A couple who walks over three miles every morning also showed significant improvement.  The husband was most improved by doing six more chair stands in 30 seconds and reaching 4 inches further toward toes.  His wife did equally as well, increasing lower body strength by 4 and reaching 2.5 inches further.  Both are now in the upper percentile ranks among people their age and gender.

The most improved of both groups was a caregiver in her mid-70s who had taken a bad fall the day before we started class.  Over four weeks, she not only increased her confidence but nearly doubled the number of chair stands, or lower body strength!  She reached 6.5 inches further and can touch her toes for the first time in her life.

I have to mention another couple who made significant improvements in all three areas of fitness however what was better than their numbers was the improved quality of life they felt they have gained from brain-based training.

She said the class was not only life changing but gave her life back!  Diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy, she is no longer crawling through life scared of falling but now feels her feet in contact with the ground and knows how to control her body.  Her joy is radiant and all her friends are commenting on how much better she's moving and looking.

A lifelong athlete, he stands up better.  He's short-waisted, long legged and now he feels stable when standing up.  This is huge for a person who exercises daily and enjoys being active.

I absolutely love what I do; train the two things you don't want to lose as you get older; your brains and your balance.   Don't wait ten years for your trainer or doctor to tell you about exercises to activate your body so you can move, balance and see better.  Find a Z-Health trainer near you and change the way you move through life.

82 yo Widow Overcomes Fear of Falling

The oldest member of my recent Brains and Balance class lived in fear of falling.  Many older adults live with the fear of falling because they fear that a fall is the beginning of the end.  Most people who live alone live in fear of falling and not being able to get up from the floor.  The thought of lying on the floor for hours or days, scares some people so much that they limit their daily activities.  They quit doing things they enjoy and things that need to be done for fear of slipping or tripping.

This is the beginning of a vicious cycle because the less you do, the weaker you become.  The weaker you become,  the greater the risk of falling.   This is known as the cycle of fear.

Fear of falling is a recognizable psychological condition that happens after a fall.  A little fear is a good thing but when your fear of falling interferes with your daily life, you need some help getting back on your feet.

My class student's daughter recognized this fear in her mother and brought her mom from Fresno to Sacramento to participate in my four-week brain-based balance training class.  

By the end of the second week, this 82 year old lady was sitting up straight, smiling and laughing in class.  In the third week of class, she walked through the obstacle course without her walker!  She was stopping and starting in response to verbal command and was no longer holding onto the counter when walking.   The last week, she was doing weight shifts with her eyes closed and throwing her arms back and forth while doing multi-planar lunges.  

On the last day of class, this amazing woman got up and walked eight feet with a steady, confident gait.  She announced to the class that she was no longer afraid of falling and that her daughter had to remind her to take her walker with her.  She has overcome the paralyzing fear of falling!

It's never too late to gain control of your body.  Learn how to react when losing your balance.  Be aware of your surroundings.  Practice drills that will increase your reaction speeds.   You do this with brain-based balance training.  Enroll in my Brains and Balance Training classes and change the way you live your life.  

Don't live in fear.  Live free.
Class schedule on my website:  www.thefallpreventionlady.com 

Conquer Hip and Knee Pain in Fall Prevention Class

Most improved student described how the four-week brain-based balance training classes taught her exercises to manage her hip and knee pain.

As a Z-health Practitioner, I teach people how to activate areas of the brain that inhibit pain.  In other words, I teach drills that turn off pain.  Based on laws of neurology, opposing joint drills help people manage pain.  

This 66 year old frequent faller explained how many times she had fallen and how worried she was about falling again.  While her goal was to become more steady when walking, she surprisingly learned exercises to take her out of pain.

She doesn't have hip or knee pain anymore.  She learned drills to increase her awareness of surroundings, how to react to imbalances and what to do if she is falling.   Mostly, she increased her lower body flexibility by nearly one foot!

While she was seven inches from touching her toes on day one, she can now reach six inches past her toes!  Her legs are significantly stronger as evidenced by standing up five more times in 30 seconds!  She moves more stable and with greater confidence as shown by her ability to get up and walk around a cone nearly two seconds faster!

Gain control of your body.  Gain confidence.  

Lose your fear of falling.  Lose your pain.  

Enroll in my brain-based Balance Training classes. YOu're worth it!  Your future depends on it.
February:  Woodland Senior and Community Center
March:  Fair Oaks and Rancho Cordova and Rocklin
April:  Woodland Senior and Community Center

First Brains and Balance Class of 2019 is the Best in My Career

I just completed my first four-week Brains and Balance Training session of 2019 and the post-testing scores showed the most improvement in the fifteen years I've been teaching fall prevention classes!



I am so proud of the eleven adults who came to the classes at the Fair Oaks United Methodist Church and put in the work to improve lower body strength, lower body flexibility and dynamic balance to reduce risk of falling.  In other words, they got stronger, more flexible, and better balance for quicker reaction speeds.

Brain-based training is a new approach to an old problem; loss of balance and falls.  This diverse group of older adults were willing to try sensory activation and muscle training and the results were amazing.  Their ages ranged from 59 to 82 and one used a walker for mobility while another walks four miles daily.  

After eight sessions in four weeks, four people improved lower body strength by 5.  In other words, four people were able to stand up and sit down five more times in 30 seconds.   That's an amazing improvement in such a short time that translates into reduced risk of falling. 

The most improved participant was a 66 year old frequent faller.  On the first day, she couldn't touch her toes; her hand was nearly 7 inches from her feet.  On the last day, this amazing woman reached 6 inches past her toes in the same test!  She gained over 11 and a half inches in lower body flexibility.  That is a new record for ANY STUDENT in my fifteen year career.  Congratulations! 

Two other students improved their lower body flexibility over three inches.  Lower body flexibility is necessary for a safe and stable walking gait and tight hamstrings are directly related to low back pain.  No more back pain!!!

The third senior fitness test measures dynamic balance and agility.  This is a life skill needed for safe movement through life so you can react timely to life's imbalances.   The youngest student of the group increased her timed Up and Go test by seven full seconds!  The oldest student of the class improved her time and walked stronger and more steady without using an assistive device.  

These  pre-and post Senior Fitness Test  numbers show objective, measurable data.  This data is invaluable to students who put in the work and do not realize how much they've improved.  What isn't measured is the improvements in posture, vision, reaction times and confidence.

Balance is difficult to measure.  These numbers don't lie.  How you feel is proof.  Get enrolled in a Brains and Balance Class or enroll your loved ones.  Invest in your future.  

Balance Alert: If nothing has worked, it's time to try something new

Falls are a major concern among older adults and as baby boomers get older, falls are an increasing threat to their safety, independence and well-being.  If you're reading this and you're over the age of 60, it's better for you to be diagnosed with cancer than it is to fall down unexpectedly.

Falls are the leading cause of death and non-fatal injury for people over age 65.  In other words, if you're of mature age and unexpectedly come to rest on the ground, you could severely and permanently injure yourself or worse yet, even die if you hit your head.

Another growing problem is if you fall,  you might be stuck on the floor until someone finds you.  A reported 47% of people  over age 65 who fall cannot get up from the floor without assistance. This is frightening!  If you live alone and accidentally trip over your cat, you might be stuck on the floor for hours or days until someone finds you and can help you get up.

I'm not here to scare you but these are the hard facts.  People fall.  People can't get up.  Older people fall and break bones.  They hit their head.  For this reason, people over age 65 are URGED TO JOIN balance training and fall prevention classes, especially if you live alone!

Unfortunately, most balance classes aren't teaching you how to improve your balance.  Yes, you can side step and maybe even stand on one leg but what about your vision?  Can you feel when you're about to lose your balance?   Do you know how to react when you are losing your balance?  How do you get up from the floor?  Can you walk steady?  ARE you able to stop suddenly without losing your balance?

As a fall prevention specialist for over 15 years and a brain-based therapist,  I'm here to tell you that if you're not training your vision and activating the inner ear balance system, your balance will only improve so much.  The"Balance Manual" will NOT help you.

If you've tried everything and still feel unbalanced, I urge you to join my 4-week Brains and Balance Training with Coach Kelly class.  IF you can stand on one foot for 30 seconds but still feel dizzy when you turn your head, you need my class.  If you can do 20 chair stands or march in place for 2 minutes but still don't know when you're losing your balance (aka, falling), you need my training program.

I respect senior fitness trainers who teach strength, balance and flexibility skills three times a week.  The ones who tell you to stand up straight, throw your shoulders back and even have you stand on one leg.  They're training ONE component of balance; your proprioceptive system.

Newsflash:  There are three body systems involved in balance.  If you've tried every 'movement' drill possible and your balance isn't what you want, it's time to try something new.

Brain-based training is the future of fitness.  I am certified, trained and experienced in teaching you how to train the three body systems of balance and movement.  The systems your brain relies on to move safely through life.

2019.  It's time to transform your balance.  If you've tried everything and nothing works, it's time to try something new.  2019.  It's time to try something new.

I've invested in my continuing education so it's time you invest in yourself.
4 weeks.  8 sessions.  $125 per person.  Older adults only.

#1 Benefit of Brains and Balance Training: Improved Walking Gait

Participants from my four-week brain-based balance and mobility training classes shared the best personal benefit of the program and every single person noted better walking gait!  Wow!

Imagine walking with confidence, increased awareness and feeling more stable.

Steadier walking gait.  Walking is a dynamic integrated movement process that requires strength, flexibility, coordination and balance.  These students over the age of 65 strengthened muscles of hip and leg needed for stability.   They stretched their flexibility and they trained their reflexive stability skills.

Increased awareness of self and surroundings.  Peripheral field vision training increases ability to see what you're not looking at.  This results in better awareness of floor and objects in your pathway and quicker reaction times to imbalances and threats.

Increased confidence.  You feel more in control of your body within your surroundings.  This confidence exudes through better posture as a result of increased spatial awareness.

You envisioned yourself walking steady, strong and upright.  Make that vision a reality.  Get results!

Isn't that the number one purpose of balance training?
To feel more steady on your feet?  
To be aware of your body in space?
To know when and how to react in the case of imbalance???   

Brains and Balance Training with Coach Kelly

Oldest Balance Training Class Member Was Most Improved!

I finished teaching a 4-week Brains and Balance Training session at the Fair Oaks United Methodist Church shortly before Thanksgiving and I'm still bragging about the personal improvements!  In fact, there were some record-breaking achievements in the sense that I've never seen this much improvement in the fifteen years I've been teaching this class.

I"m proud to say that the oldest in the class was also the most improved!  At age 86, a sweet lady went from needing her hands to stand up (7) seven times in 30 seconds to being able to stand up and down (11) eleven times without using her hands at all!

WOW.....think about that....not having to use your hands to stand up anymore!  This woman no longer needs help standing up from the chair!  Independence.  Dignity.   All from four-weeks of brain-based balance training.  Not only can she stand up without help, she's able to do four more chair stands.  Huge improvement and since our legs are our "fall prevention muscles:, she's less likely to fall down!

Lower body strength increased and so did her lower body flexibility.  On the first day of class, this remarkable lady was 4.5 inches away from touching her toes.  On the last day of class, she was able to touch her toes!  This  gain of 4.5 inches in lower body flexibility means she's not as stiff and less likely to trip or shuffle.

86 years old and making this type of physical improvement proves that our body was made to be in motion.  Movement is life and when you learn how to train the body systems involved in balance, the payoffs are instant and life changing.  

Give the gift of independence, allow your loved ones to age with dignity.  Sign them up for my ABCs of Balance workshop.  Enroll them in four weeks, or eight sessions, of brain-based balance training with me, the The Fall Prevention Lady!

If you're not in the Sacramento region, I have an online brain-based balance training course, Balance Training 101, that offers the same training techniques used in my live classes.

Movement is Life.  Gain strength and flexibility so you can move

Stroke Survivor shows huge improvements in Brains and Balance Training class

The lone wolf.  The only guy in a class of three sisters and another female and the only reason this 79-year old stroke survivor was even in the class was because his wife signed him up!   Marv represented well and tied the oldest sister for most improved in the class.

Ninety minutes, twice a week for four-weeks.  Eight sessions of brain-based balance and mobility training.  Marv missed the first week so in essence, he improved the most the quickest!   He walked in with a severe limp and a cane and walked out tall and steady with his cane. 

His lower body strength improved 4.  In other words, he could stand up and sit down four more times in 30 seconds.  He reached nearly 3 inches further and was able to touch his toes!  This is tremendous!  His legs and low back aren't as stiff.  The greatest functional gain is that he was 2-seconds faster getting up from the chair and walking around a cone!  And steady, too!

The science of neuroplasticity is behind the significant improvements this man made in three weeks.  Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to change structure to become more efficient.  The brain is hard-wired for survival and with precise training, you get precise results.

If you're tired of NOT GETTING RESULTS, I can help!  The training strategies I use are based on functional neurology and the science of neuroplasticity proves that change is possible at any age and any ability.

You know there's more to life than what you've been told to accept.  You know there's got to be another way.  If you've tried everything and nothing has worked, it's time to try something else!

I offer holistic, science-based training principles that will transform your balance, movement and vision when done as suggested.

Brains and Balance Lady

2019 Classes and Workshops
Private In-Home Training
Online Balance Training Course

Guess which sister over the age of 74 was most improved in brains and balance class!

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!

68 yo Felt Unsteady and Knew She Would Fall if She Didn't Do Something

In a recent four-week Brains and Balance Training session at the Fair Oaks United Methodist church, the youngest person in the class was 68 years old.  Sally came to class because she knew her legs were weak, she tripped over her own toes all the time and she felt unsteady on her feet.

This tall burst of energy was scared of falling and knew that if she didn't do something now to fix the problem that she would end up falling and who knows how that would turn out.  

That's when her friend told her about my Brains and Balance Training classes.  After attending my introductory seminar, she immediately signed up for the 4-week training session.

Sally was fascinated with the brain-based drills and she saw huge improvements during class.  Her eyes would open wide and she would laugh as she reached further toward her toes than she had ever had in her lifetime.

She missed two classes but that didn't matter; this lady did her homework drills as recommended and her results were amazing!  In three short weeks, she:

• Strengthened her legs 
• Increased he lower body flexibility

These improvements are huge in the fall prevention world because your legs are your 'fall prevention' muscles and they need to be strong to react and supple enough to be precise.  How you move is important and can greatly affect fall risk.

This nearly 70-year old student learned how to get up and in doing so she no longer needs her hands to get up from the chair!  Woo-hoo!!!!  This is a personal success for many women because no one likes needing help to stand up.  Trying and failing to stand up over and over again gets old and the unpredictability of lower body weakness takes a toll on your confidence.

So after three weeks of brain-based balance training, this lady was able to stand up and sit down without using her hands and on top of that,  she could do three more chair stands!  

Not only did her legs get stronger but she also increased her lower body flexibility.  On the first day, she was one inch away from touching her toes.  Three weeks later, she reached one and one-half inches past her toes!  Woo-hoo!

Greater lower body flexibility means less likely to drag your toes when you walk, causing unnecessary trips and slips.  This was one of her main concerns on the first day of class.

Congratulations for your hard work, Sally, it paid off.  When you train the senses of balance, your brain smiles.  Learn how to activate half of your brain through brain-based balance training with me, The Brains and Balance Lady!  

Small Summer Class in Woodland has BIG BALANCE improvements

I can't believe it's already the last weekend of Summer 2018.  While it may have been a lazy summer for some, there was a small, intimate-sized group of adults in Woodland who put in some hard work to make some remarkable improvements in their balance skills.  

As you know by now, I teach Brains and Balance Training sessions.  Each training "session" consists of two 90-minute classes that meet for four weeks.  Eight (8) sessions in all.  Short and sweet.  This is brain-based balance training at the next level.  

I just finished an August session at the Woodland Community and Senior Center.  My third Brains and Balance class of this year and although the class was small, the pay-offs were enormous!  

I have to report the two most improved students because these were some of the best overall improvements I've seen in fifteen years.

Brains and Balance with Coach Kelly

Female most improved was a 75 year old lady.  In four short weeks, she;

•  increased lower body strength by 6 chair stands (able to do 6 more stands in 30 second timed period.  This is major!!!!)
•  Increased lower body flexibility by 4 inches
•  Dynamic balance and agility was one second faster.  

73 year old Male most improved was equally as noteworthy.  He:

• Increased lower body by 3 chair stands in 30 seconds
• Gained an amazing 6.5 inches in lower body flexibility.  This is tremendous improvement in walking gait, hip mobility, low back pain and overall posture.
• Dynamic balance and agility was 1.8 seconds faster.  

First... CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH FOR TREMENDOUS IMRPOVEMENTS and to everyone else in the class for their hard work.

These are your everyday, average early 70-somethings who increased lower body strength and flexibility to levels well above average.  Their dedication and hard work paid off tremendously not only in the numbers on the pre-and post tests but also in balance confidence, dynamic postural control and vision skills.

These physical fitness measures contribute to better balance and greater confidence in living an independent active lifestyle.

Please join my final Woodland Brains and Balance Training session of 2018 in October.

Classes meet Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 1:30-3:00pm.  Oct. 2-Oct. 25.  $125 for all 8 sessions.

Change your life in four weeks.  Invest in yourself.  You're worth it. 

85 year old learns how to get up from floor without assistance

We've all seen the horrific commercial, "Help I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up".   One of the biggest fears to many older adults is falling and not being able to get up from the floor.

Even though I teach one of the best balance training programs available to mature adults, accidents happen.  That's why I highly recommend that you start planning in case of an accidental fall.

Today I presented my first "Don't Get Stuck, Get Up from the Floor" workshop at the Woodland
Senior Center.  After an hour of strength, flexibility and ground work, participants were thrilled they came and I was super pleased with the way the class went.

The oldest attendee was 85 years old with a 'bad' knee and a bum shoulder.  Even though it took her awhile to overcome her fears of getting down on the floor,  she was able to do all the drills after assisted to the floor.   She followed my "3-step Get Up" plan and  moved from lying to sitting up and watched other attendees practice different ways to stand from the floor.

One person used the rocking method to get up without assistance, a few"boot-scooted" to a nearby chair and used the chair to sit upright and another used the spiral method to go from kneeling to standing.  My oldest attendee laughed with her friend and joked about her limitations but she continued to sit on the floor.

As I finished up the day's lesson, the group came in closer and she remained on the floor.  I was just about to ask if she needed any help getting up and suddenly, it happened.  

We all watched as this joyful retired nurse went through the steps I had just taught and got up, WITHOUT ASSISTANCE!  Without using a chair or a helping hand, the oldest person in the class followed my "3-Step Get Up" plan perfectly and stood up without any assistance!

While we stood in amazement she said, "I watched how others did the plan and did what you said!".

Don't get stuck on the floor, get up!!!  No one wants to learn how to get up after a tragic fall so it's best to practice skills that will help you get up now, while you're able.

Sign up for my next  "Don't Get Stuck, Get Up from the Floor" Workshop at the Woodland Senior Center on June 7th.  3:00-4:30pm.  $15.

Improve Your Walking Gait So You Don't Fall Down

Put your best foot forward in 2018!  Be one step ahead of the game; step up to the next level; keep on keeping on.   The new you, progress, growth; it all begins with the first step.  But which step is the hardest?  The first step. 

As an experienced balance and movement specialist, I teach people how to move; how to take that first step.  What is fascinating to me is how the forces transmitted from the ground move through the human body and affect how we move.  These forces pulse through the foot with each step and follow an integrated pathway through the body. 

HUH?  Ground forces?  Has she finally lost her mind?  No I haven't!!!!  It's a scientific fact that the ground, a solid structure, exerts forces when landed upon and these forces travel UPWARD through the body with each step.

Foot to ground.  The power of the force on the foot is directly related to your weight.  With each strike of the heel, forces two to three times your body weight  travel through the foot structures to the toes as you push off to take another step. 

This is the reason why the more you weigh, the greater the forces on your body with each step.

Don't Fall Down; Fall Prevention 101 by Kelly Ward

The pathway of ground forces from the heel upward through the body is:

• From the heel forces run up the outer side of the lower leg
• Outside the knee
• Up the outer portion of the thigh 
• Through the hip socket
• Up and around the backside of the pelvis   
• Cross at the SI joint (Sacroilliac=where the low back and hip meet)
• Up the other side of the spine
• Down the arm OR Up the jaw

If you want to put your best foot forward, take care of your feet!  Engage in regular toe and ankle exercises for the joints.  Use a lacrosse ball on the bottom of your foot to maintain smooth, efficient force transmission. 

If you don't do lower body flexibility and strengthening exercises, your walking gait will be affected.  This not only limits the fun activities you will be able to do but also increases the risk of a fatal trip and fall.

Maintain the foot so you can put the best foot forward.

Woodland Seniors Get Stronger, Quicker and More Flexible From Brains and Balance Training

I just completed a four-week Brains and Balance Training session at the Woodland Community Center and the fitness testing results are some of the best I've seen.  Every one of the 17 participants  improved in either lower body strength, lower body flexibility or dynamic balance and agility; some improved in all three components!  Way to go Woodland! 

As a certified FallProof™ Balance and Mobility Specialist, I perform pre- and post-assessments on all class participants to provide objective data about the effect of participation on their fall risk: I test three fitness components associated with fall risk on the first and last day of class.    

Here are some of the noteworthy improvements from this group of 17 seniors:

• 81-year old gentleman improved lower body flexibility by 4 inches in four weeks!
• 87-year old woman increased lower body strength by 3, lower body flexibility by 1.5 inches and increased her dynamic balance and agility by 1.4 seconds
• 85-year old woman increased lower body strength by 2, lower body flexibility by 3 inches and dynamic balance and agility by 1.1 seconds. 
• 77 year old woman increased lower body strength by 5, increased lower body flexibility by 2.7 inches and increased dynamic balance and agility by 1.4 seconds.  

That’s just objective data.  I don't measure posture, confidence or vision and I can say that every single person in the class improved in all of those areas, too.  

I'm super proud of everyone of everyone in the class and look forward to my next session of Brains and Balance Training at the Woodland Community Center beginning June 5.  

Save your spot and register today!

Brains and Balance Training with Coach Kelly

T/Th, 1-2:30pm

June 5-June 28

8 sessions for $125 

Woodland Community Center

You're worth the investment. 

  

Increase Flexibility, Improve Walking Gait and Prevent a Fall

Lower body flexibility is one of the fitness and fall risk markers that I assess in my Brains and Balance Training classes.  Following standardized senior fitness testing protocol, I test class participants on the first day and again on the last day to measure efficacy of training intervention on reduced fall risk.

I've been implementing Senior Fitness testing on every person in every class since 2006;  I have 12 years of data to demonstrate the effectiveness of consistent brains and balance mobility training.  I can honestly say that class participants have improved in AT LEAST ONE of the three senior fitness tests /fall risk assessments in my twelve years as a balance and mobility instructor.

The class works when you do the assigned homeplay exercises.  These do not take much time but they do take effort.  Why should you care about lower body flexibility?

• Lower body flexibility is necessary if you want to walk without tripping over your toes.  
• Lower body flexibility is necessary if you do not want to shuffle.  
• Lower body flexibility is necessary if you do want to relieve low back pain.  
• Lower body flexibility is kind of a big deal for independence.

Every once in awhile I have a class participant who improves exceedingly above the average.  In the latest class at Del Webb's Retreat in Roseville, I had three participants who improved so much in their lower body flexibility that I wanted to write about it.

The guy who improved the most in his lower body flexibility gained 4.5 inches in five weeks.  Let me explain; on day one, his reach was nearly five inches from his toes.  On the last day of class, he could touch his toes!  This gentleman is 76 years old.

Close behind him was the 90-year old female participant!  Although she was still three inches from reaching her toes, she gained THREE INCHES in lower body flexibility during the five week training.  As a result of improved lower body flexibility, she walks more steady and balanced.

In fact, during the first week of class she held onto her husband's arm when doing walking gait exercises.  Let's just say that quickly changed!  Now she's walking independently, more steady, with more confidence and an upright stance.  100% improvement in her walking gait.

The third participant who made huge improvements in his lower body flexibility was her 91-year old husband.  On day one, he was two inches from reaching his toes.  On the final day, he was touching his toes.  This guy not only improved in lower body flexibility but also lower body strength; he was able to do six more chair stands on the last day of class!

I am so proud of everyone in this session of Brains and Balance Training with Coach Kelly at The Retreat in Del Webb; especially the couple in their early nineties.   It's so awesome to see everyone improve; by the second week, postural improvements are evident  By the third week, personal awareness of changes in daily activities are reported.  The fourth and fifth week solidify these improvements within the nervous system and the entire body moves better.

Increased lower body flexibility and stronger leg muscles are fitness components that all older adults need if they want to avoid an accidental fall.  These two fitness measures are essential for a healthy walking gait and independent lifestyle.

Train the brain to improve movement.
Movement is life; it's time to start living.

The Fall Prevention Lady, aka Coach Kelly

Coffee Talk with The Fall Prevention Lady

If you want to learn how to fight the affects that aging 

has on your balance and quality of life,

Mark your calendars: 

Tuesday mornings, April, 2018!  

7aPST/9aCST/10aEST

I'm proud to announce my Live Facebook show, "Coffee Talk with The Fall Prevention Lady!".

Starting April 3rd, I will be hosting a question/answer, exercise demonstration, and informal educational discussion on all things aging, balance and fall prevention!

Every Tuesday morning (7am west coast, 9am central, 10am east coast), I will be online to offer any advice or suggestions to help you improve balance and reduce the risk of a fall.

Where:  FACEBOOK.  My page, The Fall Prevention Lady.  Click here to like my page so you can be a part of the weekly coffee talk with The Fall Prevention Lady!
My Facebook page link:  Join Coffee Talk Discussions
My Facebook page address:  www.facebook.com/thefallpreventionlady