Parkside balance training results will blow your mind!

I just finished a four-week balance training class series at Parkside Community Church on the southside of town.  Becky Anton is the Parish Nurse and I have been working with her to improve quality of life for the community since my graduate studies in 2008.   Teaching fall prevention classes at Parkside is like going home; I lived in the area during my graduate studies and my passion for teaching older adults how to NOT fall down started in this very church.  Nearly ten years later, Becky is retiring and I'm still teaching!

This group was smaller than normal with five women between the ages of 67 and 76.  I was blessed to have former FallProof™research study participant and FallProof™ class attendee Pat (who is now 90 years old and no falls) join us on Thursdays.  She couldn't make Tuesday class because it interfered with her computer class at ACC!

The post-assessment results for this small group are HUGE!  Let's start with lower body strength, the number one indicator of fall risk.  While everyone improved in this area, some of the improvements were significant.  Pat, 90 years old, did six more chair stands and did not use her hands to get up.  That is amazing!  The sixty-seven and 68-year old participants did an additional 5 and 4 stands, respectively.  Huge improvements in the fall prevention muscles in only four weeks!

The average increase in lower body flexibility was between an inch and half an inch; you know the difference between tripping over the uneven sidewalk or not.  The ability to pick up your toes when walking and how you walk directly impact your risk of a fall.  We address both of these elements throughout this balance training series.  The 67 year-old retired teacher increased her lower body flexibility by three (3) inches.  Combined with increased lower body strength of 5 stands, she improved her dynamic balance over half a second.

Dynamic balance is the combination of both lower body strength and flexibility and this directly affects overall agility and ability to navigate obstacles quickly and safely. Dynamic balance score improvements were significant; our 68-year old who had prior left ankle and right shoulder fractures increased her dynamic balance and agility by 3.3 seconds!  Wow.  The tall, lanky 73-year old who recently had a left hip replacement improved her speed by 2.4 seconds.  Bam! Faithful Pat was one second faster.  This is wonderful news!

It may have been a small class but the results are HUGE!  The impact that these fitness parameters has on fall risk is astounding; these ladies now have stronger, more flexible legs that react quicker to external, environmental demands.  This is fall prevention in action!  This is successful balance training.  I am so proud of each and every participant for their time, dedication and energy.  Great class.

Next class at Parkside begins the Tuesday after Easter.  Visit my website for details. Website 

Follow my page on Facebook: The Fall Prevention Lady

Never too late, or TOO EARLY, to improve balance skills

When it comes to self-improvement, we always hear, "It's never too late" to improve this or that.  In the case of successful aging, it's been proven time and time again that 'It's never too late to IMPROVE YOUR BALANCE'!  

But what about too early?  Is it ever too early to begin an exercise and movement-oriented program to improve your balance and mobility?  The answer is a resounding NO; it's never too early to benefit from a multi-sensory balance training program designed to improve balance skills required in every day life!  I know because I have kept data on all class participants from every FallProof™ class that I have taught in the past eight years.

In fact, I have seen some of the most significant improvements in the three fitness components necessary to prevent falls among people in their 60s!!!  That's because Dr. Rose of the Fall Prevention Center of Excellence in Fullerton, CA designed FallProof™ classes for anyone over the age of 60 who is at high to moderate risk of a fall.

For everyone who has planned for their retirement years, congratulations.  You made it! Now that you're here, it's time to start planning for the next chapter of your life!  It's time to invest in your health and well-being for the years ahead.  And that includes long-term safety strategies to keep you in your home for as long as possible.  

In order to remain independent and doing the things you enjoy, consistent exercise and movement are absolutely necessary and it's never too early to improve your balance skills. The specialized training I offer challenges both the muscles AND senses involved in balance.  I also offer neural training to help break poor movement patterns that cause pain and result in weak muscles.    

Pain-free movement, improved balance and increased strength?  Absolutely.  Is this too good to be true? Nope.  Is it too early to start?  Heck no.  Too late to improve? Absolutely not!

Get started today!
The Fall Prevention Lady

WEBSITE

Older adult personal fitness clients increase strength and lose body fat!!!

As you may or may not be aware, I am a "Movement Re-Educator".  In other words, I help people break poor movement habits and re-learn how to move more efficiently.  When your body moves "efficiently", more muscle fibers are working and daily tasks require less effort.  Less work means you feel better, have more energy, and reduce your risk of a fall.   Not to mention, burn more calories which means you can occasionally indulge without guilt!

I work part-time at 24 Hour Fitness in Gold River, CA to help people of all ages reach their fitness goals.  Most of my clients are mid-60s and older and are dedicated to living life at it's fullest!  Everyone has different goals but the majority want to increase strength, improve balance, reduce pain and just feel better!

This week, I re-tested two clients to see if their workouts are helping them reach their goals.
Client #1, a 65-year old woman, lost a total of 4 inches of fat, mostly around her belly button and 2 inches below her belly button!!!!  Woo-hoo!  She met with me consistently twice a week for 6 weeks.

Her body is not only tighter but she is also moving better.  Even though she is on her feet all day at work, she reports less pain and her customers are starting to comment on how much younger she looks and asking how much weight she's lost.

Client #2 is an 82-year old gentleman who was 'sedentary' for about a year and hates getting old!  He is a former athlete and has always been "on top of his game" however persons in their 80s lose muscle mass much quicker than younger peers.  Even though he only came to see me once a week, he lost 3% body fat and reports that he "sees muscle definition again" in his thighs (our fall prevention muscles).  He did 2 more chair stands in 30 seconds and gained 1 inch in lower body flexibility.   Way to go, Bob!!!

I hope that you truly understand that it's never too late to improve your fitness; strength, balance, flexibility and endurance, not to mention your posture!  The first, and most important, step is to learn what you need to do and then get active.

If you're in the Sacramento region, I invite you to attend one of my Fall Prevention 101 workshops or enroll in one of my FallProof™ balance and mobility training sessions.  I offer them monthly at FIT4U in Carmichael, CA.  Visit my website: www.thefallpreventionlady.com for schedules.
If you prefer 1:1 training, come see me at 24 Hour in Gold River.

If you're not close to me, be patient!  I am developing an internet-based program that you will be able to follow in the comforts of your home so you can stay at home!!!

Never too late to change fat into muscle and thrive in life

I have been working one-on-one to provide personal training for 72 year-old woman at 24 Hour Fitness on Sunrise.  She came to me in March, recently widowed, looking for an outlet and way to get improve her health and fitness for her children and soon to be grandchildren.

She has always been an active woman who participated in three and five-mile walks with her husband.  Still grieving her loss, she decided to join the gym to keep her mind busy and to better herself physically.   She started off with a beginner package and her body responded immediately to these five one-hour sessions.  Noticing the results and enjoying the time we spent together, she decided to invest in herself with the (20) half-hour session package.

This is a bright woman who was was hurting deeply but knew that she had a choice; she could sit and cry about her loss or she could pick up her chin and keep moving forward, as her dearly loved husband would have wanted her to do.  She also understands that the vitality of her eighties depends on the choices she makes in her seventies.  She committed herself 100% to her health and well-being.
Three times a week for six-weeks, I greeted this remarkable lady at 8:30am and put her through a progressively challenging exercise program designed to help her reach her goals.  As her body responded to the various training methods, I pushed a little further.  We laughed some mornings and groaned others but her dedication paid off.

My 72 year-old superstar decreased her body fat percentage by 4% and increased her self confidence 100% and her posture exudes this confidence.  Her body now moves more efficiently as an integrated unit; using more muscle fibers and burning more calories throughout her daily activities.   She is energized and although she is still grieving, she is ready for the next chapter in her life.

Here she is doing a stability ball birddog exercise......perfect form!!! Way to go Eeeeds.