Eleven Seniors Get Up from the Floor in Workshop

47% of people over the age of 60 who fall cannot get from the floor.  As a health and fitness professional, that statistic alarms me.  I am well aware that one of the biggest fears facing older adults is falling and being stuck on the floor with no one finding them.  Are we so focused on preventing the fall that we forget to teach what to do after a fall???

Today I taught eleven older adults at the Woodland Community Center the skills they need to get up from the floor in my "3-Step Get Up" workshop.   I firmly believe that it's best to have a plan, one that you have practiced so if a traumatic event happens, you have a plan and feel confident doing it.

This group of older adults was excited about learning and did not hesitate to practice strength and flexibility exercises and get down on the floor so they could practice getting up again. 

The first step after a fall is to breathe.  Your brain needs oxygen now more than ever.  Focus on your body, breathe, relax.  A fall is a traumatic event.   We practiced breathing patterns and giving the brain what it needs for healthy function. 

I demonstrated several ways to get up.  It's important to see how to get up, to visualize yourself getting up, without injury, before doing it.  What's more important is to practice while you're able; before a traumatic event.   

Even though I specialize in teaching people how to NOT fall down, accidents happen.  I developed this workshop to teach older adults the skills they need to get up after a fall.   This is a lifesaving skill that everyone over the age of 60 needs to learn and practice now, before a fall.

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.

Comradery, socialization, better stability. the list goes on

Brains and Balance Training with Coach Kelly class participant shares how four weeks of brain-based training has improved her life.    This woman radiates confidence and joy as she reflects on the training process.

Benefits of Brains and Balance Training are everything you want:
1.  Socialization
2.  Noticeable Improvements
3.  Get Up Quicker
4.  Increased Stability
5.  Defensive Walking skills

This Brains and Balance Training class participant radiates confidence and joy as she explains the benefits of the 4-week class at the Woodland Community Center.

I love teaching small group classes and she nailed the reasons!  Comradery, socialization, sharing of struggles and seeing the improvements.  Knowing you're not alone in your fears is wonderful for emotional health.  Sharing struggles restores your sanity and seeing the improvements is beautiful.
Get Results.

Next class:
Woodland Community Center.
Feb.12-March 7
1:00-2:30pm

Invest in Yourself

Avoid Bumps and Dips in the Country and Prevent Falls

Holiday session "Brains and Balance Training with Coach Kelly" class participant shares her personal testimonial of benefits of the the brain-based training at the Woodland Senior and Community Center.

After four-weeks of brain-based balance and mobility training, she understands balance and knows what she needs to train.  In eight sessions, she learned how to train her balance.

This multi-sensory training stimulates the most neglected part of the brain.  As such,  the drills we do in class are new and unknown to the class.  Students learn how to train the vision and vestibular systems.

This student lives in the country and explains how the class has helped her avoid the "bumps and dips" when living on a farm.  The vision drills increased her awareness of surroundings and now she reacts quicker and knows how to react.

Increase balance confidence and DROP the cane at age 84!

I just completed a holiday session of "Brains and Balance Training with Coach Kelly" at the Woodland Community Center.  Everyone in the class improved in senior fitness tests but the greatest improvements can't be measured.  

Increased confidence and awareness, improvements in posture, quicker reaction times were some of the benefits mentioned in several personal testimonials.

I love it all and am grateful to be their coach, especially when they comeback!  The oldest member of the class repeated the training and the results were amazing!

84-year old explains how attending the 4-week "Brains and Balance Training with Coach Kelly" class at the Woodland Senior and Community Center taught her skills that have increased her balance confidence and awareness so much that she doesn't need to use her cane any more!

Her Pre- and Post-Senior Fitness scores demonstrated:
1.  Stronger legs
2.  Increased lower body flexibility
3.  Quicker reaction and agility speeds

Heck yeah!  Brain-based balance training works!

Next Class:
Woodland Senior and Community Center
February 12- March 7, 2019
1:00-2:30pm
Invest in yourself.

Brains and Balance materials are COPYRIGHTED

I have invested my entire professional life to learning how to improve balance in older adults.  Thousands of dollars, hundreds of hours and years of sacrifice to have the knowledge I have and the ability to change people's lives.  It's what health and fitness professionals do.

I would like people to know that I am an independent contractor; I do not get a paycheck from an employer for the hours I study, create and develop materials for my classes and presentations.  I do not work for a non-profit; I invest my own money in my professional development to excel my services.

Nothing bothers me more than lazy fitness instructors and personal trainers who ask class attendees for the my homework drills used in my classes.  The materials are given to people who paid for and attend the class.  All material in my Brains and Balance class is copyrighted and use without my consent is against the law.  

Not only are these lazy instructors and trainers breaking the law but also teaching beyond their realm of expertise.  They can cause severe vision and vestibular damage because they have not been trained in proper technique, what the drills do and what to look for.  For instance, if your eyes are moving when you do a pencil push-up, you have a mid-brain dysfunction that needs to be addressed NOW.

IF you're teaching your instructor a drill, they are not qualified and can cause more damage than good.  I am not responsible for the damage this person causes you.

To the people who get paid from an employer for teaching classes, invest in your education to become a better instructor, take a train-the-trainer course, don't steal.