We have 4 areas of fitness that work in coordination for our physical daily function and our recreational ability. These areas are aerobic ability (sometimes called endurance), strength, flexibility, and balance.
Balance is the gateway to fitness, for without balance our ability to perform aerobic exercise through biking or walking/running are severely limited if not totally curtailed. So too, balance is the gateway to performing everyday functional tasks.
As a young person, we could count on having enough balance to do whatever else we wanted to. However, as we age, we must train for balance specifically, like we do for strength and flexibility.
You may ask: “Doesn’t balance get enough training when I’m building strength in the gym and walking for aerobic exercise?” While these activities certainly reinforce the balance you have and can help to maintain your balance ability, to train balance you also need to challenge it through narrowing the base of support, decreasing reliance on sight, and using other methods that enhance our balance ability.
An exercise class focusing on balance while building strength will be instructed by Dr. Elaine Cress. This class is intended for the vast array of abilities in older adults. This class is useful in recovery from hip, knee surgery or any other reason we may have lost fitness. It is not intended to replace physical therapy but to be a bridge after physical therapy or in conjunction with it. People who experience frequently falling or worry about falling should have another person with them when starting this class.
Here is what is needed: a chair (essential), hand weights or cuff weights (could be water bottles), elastic band or cord. Abdominal muscles are done from lying on a floor or bed.
The class is one-hour, held over Zoom, 2x/week (Monday & Wednesday), 1:00 PM. First class is on Monday, January 31st.
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