SPONSORED
By Jason Greenspan
When we approach the 5th decade and beyond of life, maintaining or improving balance and increasing strength is a major priority.
According to research, 33% of people of over the age of 65 will suffer from a fall and 40% of those that suffer a hip fracture will die within one year of the fall. These numbers have made falling an epidemic in this country. So you can see why improving balance and stability is a major goal of most people over the age of 50 and especially over the age of 60.
Increasing strength as we age is also just as important as improving balance, as they both work together. After the age of 30, we start to lose muscle tissue and the rate of loss accelerates after the fifth decade of life. If you lose muscle, you are also losing strength, which will ultimately make everyday tasks harder as life moves forward.
See tips below to improve balance and strength.
Improve Balance
1. Improve Posture
2. Don’t look down as you walk
3. Don’t shuffle. Take a long stride and make sure your heel hits the ground first.
4. Check your eyes, ears and make sure you can feel the ground with your feet.
5. Build stability around your joints. Knee, hip, ankle or lower-back issues can alter your balance.
6. Work on increasing foot, ankle, hip, abdominal and lower-back strength. This can be done two to three times a week.
7. Perform static and dynamic balance exercises such as the one-legged stand and walking heel and toe walks. Incorporate every day for 5 minutes, or do it every other day.
8. Work on reaction time.
9. Learn how to fall or catch yourself when you think you’re about to fall.
10. Try not to multi-task and slow down.
11. Clear clutter from your home or office.
12. Improve flexibility — this will help improve gait and lift your leg when needed.
Improve Strength
1. Get on a regular strength program at least twice a week.
2. Make sure you gradually increase the challenge of the exercise. If not, the body will adapt and make no further improvements.
3. Focus on multi-joint exercises such as squats or sit-to-stands, stepping and lunge patterns, pushing and pulling movements, like rows and chest presses.
4. Make core work a priority. Try various forms of planking and bridging. This will help build your foundation, which will help you perform the above exercises correctly and avoid injury.
Silver Stars is dedicated to helping men and women over the age of 50 increase their fitness level by incorporating a simple but effective training model that incorporates several key components that will help to accomplish any fitness goal.
The studio setting allows each client to receive personalized attention and a higher level of customer service and quality control.
All staff including trainers and instructors are certified, experienced and specifically trained to work with the baby boomer & beyond client.
Services include Personal Training, Private Yoga and Pilates, Tai Chi, Massage Therapy by licensed therapists and Stretching. Small group classes are also offered such as Yoga, Tai Chi and a soon to be added to the schedule, a Balance/Total Body Strength class.
If you are interested in any of our private services, the first step would be to set up a free comprehensive consultation, which clients say is “one of the most informative and thorough consultations they have had.” If you are short on time, consultations could be done over the phone or by email.
In-home services are also available for those want can’t come to the studio or want the convenience of training at home.
Silver Stars Fitness main location
850 7th Avenue (West 54/55 st)
PH: 646-573-9724
EMAIL: info@silverstarsfit.com
WEB: silverstarsfit.com
Affiliate Location
West 72nd Street (Between West End and Riverside Drive)
No walk-ins – hours available to train: Wed/Friday after 4pm. Weekends- 9-7 pm.
