Everybody can improve their balance
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Everybody can improve their balance, no matter what their starting point or their age.

Generally, it takes only 35 days of constant practice (5-6 times a week) to realise that you’ve already improved, for yourself.

Care should be taken to ensure that your surrounding area is free of potential hazards and if a supporting chair is being used, that it is completely stable.

If you are taking any medications that affect the inner ear, you should first check with your doctor.

Factors affecting balance are:
– Poor sleep – so try your routine early in the day, not last thing at night. Did you know your ability to balance can go down by 40% after a bad night’s sleep ?
– Certain medications – especially for cholesterol or blood pressure.
– A change of medication: it can take a couple of weeks for the body to acclimatise.

Did you know that loss of good balance is fast ? A few weeks indoors, or perhaps a lengthy illness, will mean your balance has deteriorated but as already stated, consistent practice most days will improve it quickly too.

Equipment:
You only need your body weight and maybe a chair/bench and a broom handle to get started:

– If possible, perform these barefoot.
– Move slowly and smoothly.
– Do not worry if you find the ‘straightening up’ movement more wobbly – this is normal.
– Equally if you wobble on one of your attempts but manage to steady yourself – that is also quite normal.

Making it ‘look easy’ takes practice. Top gymnasts practice balance.

Progressions/ number of repetitions:
– Start with 3 times on each leg, repeat 4 times to make a total of 12 on each leg.
– After 2 or 3 weeks, try 4 on each leg.
– For improvers, you are attempting 5 on each leg repeated twice – total of 10. You are aiming to do eventually do 10 on each leg, in one attempt.

YouTube links:

Basic Balance:

An extremely safe start for anybody no matter how ‘wobbly’ you might feel. Practice daily preferably as soon as you’re awake. 3 – 4 weeks should see improvement & confidence.

Move slightly away from the support only when you feel you are not relying on it.

 

Balance – essential start:
The basics to build better balance. Takes 2 to 3 weeks – mostly daily.

Stretching – lower back, hamstrings and quads
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Many commonly performed stretches become difficult or impossible to access as our knees or backs cease to bend as we get older. So we stop keeping these essential areas of the body mobile. In time this will impact on many factors of daily life. The three stretches below are versions that should be accessible to everyone. Use props where needed.

  • Move into each stretch slowly & smoothly.
  • When you reach the limit of your flexibility, settle there and breathe.
  • If the particular stretch requires nothing more, then relax there for longer than 30 seconds and simply breathe. 
  • Pay attention to ‘how’ you should unfold from the stretch and keep this smooth and slow.

Quad stretch – for tight thigh muscles and/or painful knees.

If the regular standing version of a quad stretch is not possible for whatever reason, try this floor version. 

If reaching your ankle is difficult you will need to have a strap/belt/tie to assist. 

If getting on the floor is difficult, do it on your bed (without a pillow under your head). 

Keeping your quad muscles stretched (long) will help if you have any knee aches or pains : the longer the quad muscles the less stress will be put on the knee/s joint/s. 

Use the video link below to guide you into and out of the stretch. Do this daily, but don’t do the ‘contractions’* every day.

Add in the ‘contractions’*  twice a week. 

The first ‘contraction’ is where you attempt to gently straighten the leg but do not move, breathing out over a count of 5. 

The second ‘contraction’ is gently attempting to press the thigh flesh (near the knee) into the floor. Again no visible movement.

Now slowly pull the foot closer to the buttock. A strong stretch should be felt in the quad muscle. Back off if there is any pain felt in the knee joint. Stay there at least a minute – breathing. 

Allow the foot to return to the floor very slowly.

Lower back and hamstrings stretches – seated version.

Very safe and easily accessible method, especially if getting onto the floor is difficult. Perform daily.

Lower back and hamstrings stretches – seated progression

Very safe and easily accessible method, especially if getting onto the floor is difficult.

This repeats the lower back stretch with less props being demonstrated. 

What follows is the twice weekly progression where a couple of ‘contractions’ are done to help lengthen the hamstrings.

You will need your chair on a wooden or tiled floor to be able to push it backward a small amount after the contraction as shown in the video.

I have taught this version to hundreds of over 70’s for nearly two decades now and it remains my favourite way to stretch these two important areas.

All these can be done first thing in the morning while you are still warm from being asleep. The daily seated versions can even be done sitting on the edge of the bed!  Make them part of your daily routine. 

Stretching your calves
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So overlooked, incredibly important, and so easy to get a good result/stretch.
Do this daily, preferably bare foot. Keep checking the alignment of the inner edge of your foot.

 

[kad_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/_dKWWIhtHR4″ ]

 

Calf Stretch – away from the wall:

Do master the calf stretch against a wall first. When attempting this progression keep checking the inside edge of your back foot. The benefits of this stretch are many.

 

FitPro magazine features Kate Davies this month !
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Shining the spotlight on a valued FitPro member. Today we speak to fitness instructor Kate Davies to learn more about her history and experience.

FitPro (FP):What was your route into fitness?

KD: While working initially in the computer industry in the mid-70s, I joined a gym in London and soon discovered the Dance Studio, Pineapple Dance and Lotte Berk. I tried everything. One snowy morning, while driving to an IT job in Stockport, I misjudged a motorway junction and ended up in a ditch – the job really was trying to kill me. Without any hesitation, I changed career and a year later gained a Distinction for my Certificate in Exercise and Health Studies run by the Physical Education Authority (PEA) at Bristol University. This was a thorough, in-depth course but, looking back, it was only the start of my fitness education. Joining FitPro was the icing on the cake. I attended every convention FitPro offered and added many of the AIM modules to my PEA certification. I would not be the instructor that I am without FitPro.

FP: Tell us more about your work as a fitness professional and any additional qualifications or training you have achieved.

KD: I taught ETM classes for 30+ years. A typical week would include aerobics, body conditioning, step, over 50s, helping young stroke sufferers and rehab clients in a chiropractic clinic, and sixth-formers in two local schools. This variety was essential in keeping me motivated and passionate. Also I have made many lifelong friends and had a lot of laughs.

Creating a fun, encouraging class atmosphere is perhaps the hardest to achieve and, in my opinion, the one that is the most worthwhile. To achieve this, you need to spend time before and after a class ‘socialising’ with members. It may only be a one-minute conversation but that will make such a difference to that member and not just during that one-hour class. When you have a class that is so chatty that it is hard to get them to start, you know you are winning.

More recently, I have concentrated on the over 60s – the baby boomers. I have run one particular class for over 15 years. Many are in their mid-80s, with the oldest man soon to be 91. They are a loyal, happy, chatty group and support each other outside of class. I have done all the research that I can find to create a safe and effective hour for them. As a result, because they trust me, I believe I get more from them, especially in the balance and cognitive elements. I continually praise them too. The fitness market/centres need more of these classes – but don’t make them too easy!

FP: What is your fitness journey highlight?

KD: The highlight of my fitness journey was approximately 10 years of teaching a weekly step class with 50 participants of all abilities – from literally first-timers to advanced steppers. To enable this, I used two steps to teach from, so that it did not confuse the beginners. Choreography was complicated and all my own. Sometimes my regulars would try to second guess where I might be going in the build-up – great fun! I, of course, was in step heaven.

FP: If there is one thing you could change about the industry, what would it be?

KD: Looking to the future, there are two tricks I feel the fitness market is missing:

  1. The 21st century lifestyle is having a profound effect on our posture and ability to move freely. I would like to see more effective stretch classes that counter the impact on our bodies of spending so much time in cars, sitting at laptops and peering at smartphones and game consoles.
  2. It follows that I am seeing a major increase in the number of youngsters with really bad forward head posture. Exercise regimes should not stop at the shoulders. We need a major programme to reverse this damaging trend right now and roll it out nationwide. Prevention is better than cure.

The fitness business is hard work and almost always involves working unsociable hours. It’s not well paid either. I wouldn’t change the last 35 years for any other career but I would wish that management would appreciate us more.

FP: What advice would you give to your younger self/someone just starting up in the industry?

KD: The best advice I can give to anyone starting out is to learn – and never stop learning. Listen to your clients. Laugh lots. Enjoy!