The Power Within… Just Change Your Mind

Were Not Falling Down!!

I had a revelation the other day while I was teaching the local Senior Exercise class at the Senior Center here in Estes Park. It happened when I was trying to hold my composure during some strong hip and balance exercises that I found myself leading the class through that day! Yes, if a teacher is a good instructor, they too should be feeling and suffering through class with the rest of you and ouch for the hips on that morning! Wait, wait, wait, suffering is not the right word to use. Lets use the word experiencing with the rest of the class. Much more positive since we always want exercise to be a positive experience!

I found myself trying to think through all the class participants that have been regular at experiencing these particular exercises with me over the last few years and I thought to myself; I dont think weve lost a single participant to a fractured or broken hip (or any other bone) in this class, ever! This is not a negative or morbid revelation because the number one injury in senior citizens is a broken hip due to an accidental fall. I cant think of a single individual who has left our class due to a severe fall of any sort, which supports my belief (and research) that those senior citizens who exercise on a regular basis will experience far less injuries due to accidents.

Now, dont think this is a small reference that Im pulling this local research from. Id guesstimate that this local class has about 35 regular members (men and women) that participate on a regular basis. Not to mention the numbers of seniors who have come and gone throughout my 10 years of teaching this class. Wow!

Its amazing to have a revelation like this in a little exercise program here in Estes. I know and preach on a regular basis how the benefits of exercise will increase the quality of our lives. We so often think about the day to day functions that we want to maintain and continue until were all pushing up daisies and thats the biggest part of it all! We want to maintain and to be able to take care of ourselves when we get older; there are no questions about this! Exercise will help you be able to do this.

For instance, in class we never sit on our chair without doing a couple of sets of practice sits! Yes, these are basic squats down to our chairs and then right back up again for 16 to 20 reps before well sit to finish our workout! Now, you tell me how important it is to be able to sit and even more important being able to get up from a sitting position. Its pretty important! I can think of a number of places on a daily basis where Ill need to be able to get myself up without having or needing someone there to pull me up. This is exactly what exercise does, gives you a better opportunity of being able to still do this simple movement for yourself when you are older than you might want to be.

Now back to those hip exercises and the balance exercises that I insist on at least two times per week in any Senior Exercise program. What takes more senior citizens to the hospital every year? Injuries due to slips and falls, which are directly related to balance issues and strength issues associated with the hips, knees, ankles and feet. Therefore, these parts of the body must be strengthened through basic exercises on a regular basis! Balance issues begin for all of us as early 25 years of age! The stronger you are and the body-parts that are associated with balance are, the better your balance will be. This is a fact! Therefore you must practice balance exercises and you must strengthen for balance.

I wish I could promise that this is all it takes, but I know that there is so much more to protecting against falls and injuries. The only thing that I can promise is that exercise will help and the Tri-Fit class here in Estes Park proves it!

Deborah Holmes

June 2, 2009