Wellness

[granddi]

Any U-Tube recommendations?

Are there other exercises that you do for balance?

[dsw503]

Look for Essentrics on YouTube. She does stretching and often talks about balance during the stretching routines.

[Q4u]

Tai Chi is excellent for building and maintaining balance.  

[1Snickers]

 @granddi  I'm unaware of u tube classes in tai chi. I've taken many at the local Recreation Center and YMCA.

  The movements are precise and much depends on the instructor.. I recommend a class or instructor because some is left to interpretation. You may need to try several instructors.

   I found 24 form the best for me. The instructor faces the mirror so we could follow and it helps seeing yourself. If the instructor faces you it's all backward. 
  One warm up exercise for balance is tai chi walking:
   Take a step concentrating on shifting your weight to the forward foot. Then slowly bring the other foot forward. Do it again across a room. I do this sometimes if there are gumballs or hickory nuts in the road. 

   Once you memorize the forms and practice then you can do a set smoothly without thinking. Energy flows smoothly through  your body and you even feel a "tingle in your hands" from releasing stress. (Just typing this I feel my shoulders relax. ) Tai chi can be done in your mind. It helps sleep at night.
   Doing tai chi outside has helped me during the pandemic. It helped me through my husband's cancer and death, as well as my dog's and sickness in another.

   I've done tai chi on cruise ships, joined a group in Spain while waiting for our bus, at my lake or boat dock. This morning after dog walks I did it in my driveway. 
  I've done aerobics, tennis, water & snow skiing, skating, dancing. jazzercise. Swimming and weight training etc. 

  Tai chi is the very best class and exercise I've ever done and I do it daily!🥰

[mom2four0418]

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@dsw503 wrote:
Look for Essentrics on YouTube. She does stretching and often talks about balance during the stretching routines.

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Essentrics has a channel for subscribers for $14.99 per month. They are currently offering a two week free trial. Essentrics dot com

[fancy pantsy]

i am following this thread @granddi , and thanks for asking.  i really need to do something to help my balance and i was wondering if yoga or tai chi would help

[granddi]

Thanks to all.

I will not be returning to my gym anytime soon.

So I will be doing all fittness on my own.

I am fortunate to have a treadmill, pilates, statonary bike, bands, weights at home. 

I work on cardio, weights, flexibility but do not directly address balance. 

[hckynut]

@granddi 

My sister has been teaching this for years and whatever levels instructors can reach, she is there. She showed me a few things when I tried to return to, most of my life on ice skates, only to find out I couldn't even stand up on them.

Didn't do anything for me, so I went go Balance Physical Therapy for 12 weeks. And also worked every day at home for 30-45 minutes on the days I didn't have PT.

Took a broken rib/broken nose and a hip bone bruise that took over a year to heal. I did however make it make to my type of hockey skating skill. 

Tai Chi, didn't work for me. She does however have many older clients for whom it works great.

hckynut 🏒

[Drythe]

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@granddi wrote:

Any U-Tube recommendations?

Are there other exercises that you do for balance?

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@granddi 

This may be too basic for you, but this is one I learned in class.

Stand within quick/easy reaching distance of a sturdy table/chair

Stand on one foot with your eyes closed (try for 15 sec.)

Then switch to the other foot, practice until you don't wobble, then work up to one min.

BTW, since your eyes will be closed, you must count the seconds.

*** edited to correct timing error ***

[hckynut]

Good morning to you @Drythe 

That balance exercise you mentioned here is more than many 20 year old kids could do. Standing on 1 foot, with the other completely off the ground surface, even with one's eyes open, for 15 seconds, is a feat.

Doing it with one's eyes closed for 1 minute? Maybe the Flying Wallendas can do it, but the average person, more specifically one over 60? I would have to see it to believe it. Once a person closes their eyes(other than a member of the above family), most have a problem with 2-3 seconds.

Basic Tai Chi? I will talk with my sis, who has been a Tai Chi instructor for a many years. Basic? Good luck to those that want to try it. If so, I suggest standing in a small shower, where both walls can easily be reached, that way you can use pressure before you start to fall.

I asked my skating friend, who I grew up with in the Projects, this. How long can you balance on 1 foot? He said only a few minutes.

Now he is an excellent hockey ice skater. Me! I laughed at him and said "give me a break"! Next time at the rink/shoes on, I said "Go" and timed him. Minutes? Nope, 11 seconds. Other leg, 17 seconds. Minutes? Not anywhere close. I did the same and after a minute and a half, on my weak leg, he said "ok,ok, I get it"!

How do I know this? Because I have been doing this exercise as part of my balance exercise routine since I got back to ice skating about 2 years ago.

I started it during my 12 weeks of Exercise Physical Therapy. My PT told me "if you can work up to 30 seconds, eyes open, your balance is way above normal with that drill.

Anyone here that wants to try just standing/ 1 foot completely off the floor/on a completely level surface/eyes open, using an analog clock. Think you are going to be in for a big surprise.

It not only takes balance, but a lot of leg strength. If you are say, 20lbs overweight/have done no leg resistance exercises/make sure you are close to something to grab.

If you make it 20 seconds, eyes open? Repeat with eyes closed. Good luck with it! If you have weak quads and/or a bum knee? Forget it!

Will talk with my sis about this soon and see if this is part of her Seniors Tai Chi Classes. If it is?

Stay well now and enjoy each day the best you can,

hckynut 🏒