Goals #1 and #2 as certified Brain Exercise Therapist

As a health and fitness professional who studies the neuroplasticity of the brain and the enormous physical and mental benefits of brain activation, I have goals.  I want to make sure people understand the power of brain training and why they need to get started.

Kelly Ward, Brain Exercise Therapist 

I am an avid follower and studying practitioner of Dr. Eric Cobb's Z-Health Performance brain-based Solutions training and my number one goal is to "Re-educate those neural systems rendered dysfunctional from injury and disuse".   Dr. Cobb

Re-education of neural systems occurs via regular drills. Through comprehensive motor and sensory testing, I gather a picture of the brain's function and identify what needs more (or less) activation for optimal performance.

Once identified, I have my client do high pay-off drills frequently enough to make permanent changes.  It takes time to 're-educate the nervous system.  This requires behavior rehabilitation because a client has to do the exercises frequently and consistently to reap benefits on a permanent basis.

My second goal is to help you understand that big things come from little things.  I can guarantee that the drills you will do with me are new and unlike anything you have done with other trainers or health care professionals.  I do lots of 'sensory testing' and while these may not be huge "ah-ah"moments for you, I am gathering valuable data.

You don't have to have a background in neuroscience or know anything about the brain to work with me.  You'll probably hear me mumble things like 'right PMRF' or 'left saccule' or 'right side cranial nerve 7' but never mind me; I'm just gathering data.   The more sensory input, the greater the brain activation.  These little activations can have a huge impact on how you move.

As a certified Brain Exercise Therapist, I provide optimal sensory input to activate areas of the brain with decreased function.  These little drills add up.  When the brain feels 'safe' the pay-off is remarkable.  And pain-free.

Brain training. It's the future of fitness.  What have you got to lose?  Pain?  Poor posture?  Horrible balance?  Fading vision?  Yep, you can lose those things.

Let's re-educate your neural systems that have been injured or not used.  Subtle, small things can make a huge difference to your brain.  Let's get started!

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. 

  

Life is better after two cerebellar strokes with brain training drills

I met Don at the "Fall Prevention 101" workshop I presented for the Del Oro Caregivers at the Maidu Center in September 2017.  At the time, Don was struggling with severe balance issues related to inner ear canal dysfunction resulting from head injuries when he was younger.  Dizziness is a huge problem for people who have had traumatic brain injury, concussions, or any type of head injury.

Granted Don's head injuries happened many, many years ago but at age 74, he was not ready to accept life on dizzy terms.  He eagerly signed up for my Brains and Balance class at the Fair Oaks United Methodist church.  While he was able to do 75% of the exercises without getting dizzy, we quickly realized he needed more personalized training.

Cerebellum is the integration center of the brain

After several private training sessions, Don was making improvements but was still angry that he couldn't do what he wanted, when he wanted, how he wanted.  This is common as we get older; there comes a time when we have to accept 'new' limitations and treat those issues if we want to live better longer.   Needless to say, he wasn't pleased about this whole "aging" process!

I didn't hear from Don over the holidays then I got a call, "Can you come see me, Kelly?" Absolutely.  At our visit, he told me that he had two strokes in his cerebellum over the holiday and wanted my help.  He told me the physical therapist at Kaiser was good but she wasn't as good as me!  Flattered and having just completed Z-Health's doctoral level 9S Structure course, I felt confident in my ability to test and train his cerebellum.

I assessed and identified left cerebellum dysfunction, specifically in the mid-Cerebellum region, and prescribed drills for him to do several times a day.  Due to the cost of private sessions, I don't see him as often as I would have liked but yesterday, I got a call; "can you come see me?"

Yesterday I visited Don and could not believe my eyes; he looked AMAZING!  Everything about him was different; he was more calm, his eyes were relaxed, he was balanced and when we went through the drills, he did fantastic!  He said he felt better than ever and was pleased with the results.

I asked what he'd been doing and he said, "I've been doing all the drills you told me to do; I feel great and I wanted to thank you for saving my life"!   All the training charts were on the wall, he described his daily routine and said he wanted more drills!  The perfect client!

Don is living proof that doing drills to activate specific regions of the brain can have profound effects on the way you move, see, balance and behave.  Precise training gives you precise results but you HAVE TO DO THE DRILLS.

If you want to live better longer, contact me.
If you've had a stroke and want to activate parts of the brain to help you move better, contact me.
If you want to see better, balance better and move better, contact me.

If you have your reservation at the nursing home, do not contact me.

Movement is life; it's time to start living!
The Fall Prevention Lady

FallProof™ balance training improves coordination after a stroke

I teach FallProof™ balance and mobility classes throughout the Sacramento area and I currently have several class participants who are living life after a stroke.  Because the program I teach trains both the muscles and senses, some exercises can be especially challenging for these individuals due to motor sensory deficits.

Determined, these participants push themselves to do the exercises when the body doesn't respond as efficiently as it once did.  Dedicated, these participants are focused on getting the body to function like it once did.  Having had to learn to walk again after a near fatal car accident when I was 17, I feel their frustration but I am living testimony that impulses can return to normal.

Regenerating neural impulses takes time!  Rarely do I see marked improvement in four weeks but changes become noticeable after a six-week program.  That's why I'm excited when persons who had a stroke repeats my class.  I've been told repeating the FallProof™ program is like reading a good book; you learn something new the second, third and even fourth time.

One 89 year-old gentleman is currently repeating the six-week balance and mobility program.  Today was class #7 and he showed such a MARKED improvement in his walking gait and movement patterns that his classmates commented about his progress.  His gait is more steady, his movements are more efficient and his confidence has doubled.

Today he had a "lightbulb" moment that made me realize the importance of consistent practice.  After nine weeks of training, he finally understood the correlation between toes coming up and loss of balance!  Although he still needs work on his reaction strategy, he gets it!  This man is determined to improve and the results of training are starting to catch up.  The entire class applauded when he went through the obstacle course and he was grinning ear to ear.

A retired physical therapist who had a stroke, Christina is also starting to show significant improvement in her walking gait and reaction strategies.  Also a repeat student, she tends to 'overthink' things but when she relaxes and does the exercises, her body moves efficiently and she is more stable.   Yesterday was the fist day in seven weeks that she did not shuffle!  She took longer strides and you could NOT wipe the smile off her face when the class applauded her efforts.

I absolutely love what I do and I look forward to working with as many people as I can to improve coordination and reduce the risk of an accidental fall.

Blessings~
The Fall Prevention Lady