Try This Simple Tai Chi Move With Your Older Clients to Improve Their Balance

Try This Simple Tai Chi Move With Your Older Clients to Improve Their Balance

Try This Simple Tai Chi Move With Your Older Clients to Improve Their Balance
(this is the last in a series of guest blog posts on the benefits of Tai Chi)

So how can Tai Chi help your clients in their everyday lives? Let’s look at the move in the form called Pushing Chi. It is a really simple move. Here are the basics:

The most important thing about Pushing Chi is to learn to move from the dan tian. As you begin, with one foot forward, bring your hands to the level of your dan tian. As you bring your weight forward, let your hands drift out away from your body. As you bring your weight back, bring your hands back to the dan tian. Since the breathing is very easy to add to this movement, you can incorporate the breathing pattern right away and it helps to relax the body. Breathe out as you push away from your body and breathe in as bring your hands towards your body. Don’t allow your back heel to raise up off the ground as you push forward. Keep both feet grounded. This will challenge some people as they may have a very tight Achilles tendon. If you struggle with keeping your heel down, shorten your stance a little at first. You will be able to lengthen that stance as you develop some flexibility in your foot and ankle.

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You can teach a lot of things with this one move. The concepts of columns, substantial and insubstantial, energy flow, begin rooted and grounded, moving from the dan tian and breathing all come into play with this move. Of course, these concepts don’t intuitively transfer to the everyday lives of our clients.

Let’s look first at columns. With Pushing Chi, it is easy to help your clients understand how posture affects their movement. They can look in a mirror and see if their shoulders are staying above their hips. This is important because, as you know, some clients can’t “feel” if their posture is poor. They don’t connect with their bodies as easily as we might do so. But with Pushing Chi, they can visually check themselves and start the process of understanding how correct posture feels.

As a client moves forward and back in Pushing Chi, you can also explain how the concept of substantial and insubstantial is helping them with their balance. Ask them to lift the insubstantial leg and see if they can be balanced on one leg or the other. Obviously, if they can begin to understand how weight shift helps them be more balanced, they can start to translate this to their everyday walking.

Pushing Chi also helps to show clients if their stance is too narrow or too upright, they will be very vulnerable to falling. By teaching the concept of being rooted and grounded and lowering their center of gravity, clients can feel how much more balanced they become with a wider, deeper stance. Women in particular are hesitant to widen their stance. They feel if doesn’t look “lady-like” or it makes them look bigger. But once they feel how much more balanced they become, they want to try it with their regular walking.
Teaching breathing is actually a very difficult concept within Tai Chi. But it is easy for clients to practice with Pushing Chi. Once they understand and feel comfortable with this simple movement, they can start to concentrate on slowing down their breathing and coordinating with the movement. You breathe in as you come towards your body with your hands and you breathe out as you move away from your body with your hands. Clients get a sense of how deeply they can breathe as they do this movement and many of them have never felt the calming sensation that accompanies slow, deep breathing! Tai Chi has been proven to lower blood pressure, stress and anxiety and the breathing component is key to accomplishing these health improvements.

Become a Certified Tai Chi Instructor and take your exercise programming to the next level! Click HERE to find out more!

Dianne Bailey is an experienced martial artist and Tai Chi instructor. She created the Open The Door to Tai Chi certification program so that more fitness professionals can quickly and easily learn how to integrate Tai Chi into their exercise programs to improve balance, strength and cognition with their older clients.

 

The Best Balance Advice I Ever Heard

Cody Sipe shares our holistic approach to balance training that we also use in our Functional Aging Institute Certification.  He points out that the simplest advice is often the best.  He shares a story about a collegue that had a client that needed work on his balance.  He said that he had fallen many times over the past year and that he was afraid of becoming injured in the future.  Cody’s collegue gave him advice to help prevent a fall from happening and later what happened when he did later trip and prevent his fall from happening.  In addition, Cody also shares some other helpful suggestions you can recommend to reduce falls.

8 Elements of Functional Aging Training Program Design

8 Elements of Functional Aging Training Program Design

When it comes to program design, there are many factors to consider. As we say, program design is an art and a science. Here are 8 elements to consider when creating programs for your mature clients using our Functional Training model:

1. Focus on Functional Tasks your clients need to do on a daily or weekly basis. For example, movements could include tasks like carrying groceries, laundry, or household items; picking up items; climbing stairs; putting something on a shelf; or looking under the couch for the darn remote.

2. Think about What your Client Can Do and less about what they can’t do. Focus on strengths and abilities not just limitations. Design your sessions for success.

3. Focus on Balance Challenges your client might face on a weekly or monthly basis: navigating a parking lot, stops, starts, turns, stepping over a parking block, stepping up or down a curb, changing terrains from grass to dirt to pavement. Tasks inside could include stairs at home, stepping over pets, changing flooring from hardwood to carpet, or catching your foot on something.

4. Ask yourself, “What can we do that is fun?” Be sure your session has some fun activities; give everyone a reason to smile at some point. Exercise should be enjoyed!

5. Include an obstacle course or balance game. Maybe play red light/green light or get out the agility ladder. You could set up a pretend creek with various colored stones to get across without getting wet. Play with balloons or Nerf balls. The possibilities are endless!

6. Do get down on the floor. Whether it is for push-ups, bird-dogs, or planks, be sure to incorporate some floor training.

7. Remember to think about all 6 Domains of Human Function from the Functional Aging Training Model: Musculoskeltal, Cardiovascular, Balance, Mobility, NeuroMuscular, and Cognitive/Emotional.

8. Lastly and most importantly, Care about your Clients: call them by name, ask them about their lives, or give them high fives and hugs. Be the best part of their day. Enjoy being with them and appreciate them . . . you might be the only one that does all day.

Tips to Help Your Clients Keep Away the Winter Blues

Tips to Help Your Clients Keep Away the Winter Blues

by Dan Ritchie

Let’s face it, some of us are experiencing long, gloomy days this season, and sometimes they can bring on sadness, fatigue, and even seasonal depression. We know that eating smart, helping others, exercising, and getting outside are a few things that can help. A Harvard study in 2005 showed that getting outside for a brisk walk can help improve symptoms. But what if it’s not easy to exercise outdoors? What can we do in our facilities to boost mood and change things up until spring? Here are 6 ideas to try:

Set New Goals Yes, it’s time for New Year’s resolutions, but help your clients make new, achievable goals.Chunk them into mini milestones so that clients can see progress and feel encouraged. By the time spring is here, they will feel stronger and more confident, and remember, your support is vital.

Get Together Many times we find ourselves isolated when it’s cold or snowy outside, so encourage your clients to try group training. The camaraderie and socialization aspect of exercise is valuable.

Try Something New Introduce a cognitive fitness game, a new balance circuit, set up an obstacle course, create an indoor hiking challenge – the possibilities are endless!

Mix Charity with Movement Have a fundraiser for a local charity and incorporate an exercise challenge. For example, at my studio Miracles Fitness in West Lafayette, Indiana, we’ve done a Fitness for Food Finders challenge, which raised $2000 and equaled 6000 meals for our community.

Turn it Up! Music can boost mood, so switch up the tunes you play in the gym and put on some summer songs. Try some Beach Boys, Jimmy Buffet, The Go Go’s, or DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince – nothing speaks summer like some of their songs! For ideas, search for the top 50 best summer songs.

Most Importantly, Check In!Take a moment to look your clients in the eye and see how they are doing. Kindness goes a long way, especially for some of our mature clients who may be more socially isolated.

A Healthy Eating Strategy that Stimulates Weight Loss and Improves Health

A Healthy Eating Strategy that Stimulates Weight Loss and Improves Health

By: Mitch Kahn – Plant Fueled Trainers

 

What if I told you that there is an easy way to lose weight and get healthier?

And you don’t have to purchase any expensive foods, shakes, supplements, or pills.

 

You might be a little skeptical – right?

Let Me Share My Experience

I know I was a little skeptical at first.  But a couple of years ago, when I was diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer, I was guided to the works and research of Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn Jr., Dr. Michael Greger, and Dr. Colin Campbell. I learned about the overwhelming scientific evidence that showed eating a whole-food plant-based diet led to tremendous wide-ranging health benefits from weight loss to reversing heart disease. And all I had to do was eat delicious and filling vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grain carbs!

​I know what you might be thinking – there’s no way this works – especially if you have been lured by the fad diets that promote low carb intake. Well, I’ve seen it work firsthand, not just on me, but on other folks as well. For me personally, I lost about 12 pounds fairly quickly and have seen no further progression of the cancer.

I can’t emphasize enough how powerful a tool this way of eating is. Hopefully by now I have at least piqued your curiosity. If so, read on to learn how a whole-food plant-based diet might help you lose weight, help you feel better, and even help you live a longer life.

What is a Whole-Food Plant-Based (“WFPB”) diet?

A WFPB diet is more of a lifestyle than a diet.  It is centered around eating minimally processed vegetables, fruits, legumes (beans and peas), whole grains, nuts, and seeds.

Meat, chicken, fish, dairy, eggs, and refined grains (e.g., white bread, white rice, white flour, etc.) should be avoided altogether.  Junk foods like soda, candy and fast food are eliminated. Refined foods like sugars and oils are also minimized. Personally, I avoid all oils, even olive oil. My wife and I use vegetable broth or water to sauté and we always avoid eating fried foods. The only sweeteners we use are either date sugar (which is made from pulverized dates) or Grade A organic maple syrup (but we use this sparingly).

​You’ll find this way of eating to be filling, satisfying, and most importantly, a powerful weight loss tool.

A WFPB Diet Not Only Helps You Lose Weight, It Can Improve a Number of Health Conditions

When you transition to a WFPB diet, you are positioning yourself for weight loss and better health. There is an abundance of scientific studies that show this type of eating lifestyle is beneficial for weight loss, keeping weight off long term, and lowering your risk for certain chronic health conditions.

You can avoid obsessing over calorie counting by eating a WFPB diet. You just need to focus on the quality of the food you are eating rather than the quantity. When you focus on quality plant-based whole foods, you’ll be eating a balanced and nutritionally sound diet. Plus, you’ll get the benefits from eating foods that are high in fiber (fiber fills you up and makes you regular) and contain important vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients, while for the most part being low in cholesterol and fat (keep in mind that avocados, nuts and seeds will have higher fat content).

Eating a WFPB diet helps reduce inflammation, promotes the healing process within the body, and helps improve blood glucose levels (important if you are either prediabetic or diabetic). Additionally, because these foods are full of fiber, they help with digestion and gut microbiome issues.

​Research has shown that by eating this way, you can positively impact health conditions like:

  • Coronary heart disease
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Improved immune function
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Irritable bowel diseases
  • Some forms of cancer

Are You Ready to Improve Your Health?

All you have to do is take the next step. And, it’s okay if you want to gradually transition to a whole-food plant-based diet. The results will be well worth it!

The 5 Big Things Coming in Fitness over the Next Decade – And How You Can Be Ready

The 5 Big Things Coming in Fitness over the Next Decade – And How You Can Be Ready

From population trends to technology, countless factors affect the fitness industry. Still, anticipation is key to business success, and we’re predicting the top five trends coming in the next year. Here they are, followed by tips on getting ready.

 

No. 5

Brain Fitness Comes of Age

Our active aging demographic is concerned about dementia and other cognitive decline. And we are already seeing greater awareness of this simple fact: People need to exercise more to maintain their brain health.

What We Can Do

Get certified in brain health, Tai Chi, Ageless Grace or other related activities that engage the memory and other cognitive function. Start talking about these issues with clients, prospects, fitness peers, and healthcare professionals. Distinguish your business as a unique local source of information and referrals.

 

No. 4

The Rise of the Fit Senior

You probably know some rock stars of aging – and more are coming. We’re living longer, staying healthier, and extending the boundaries of aging and physicality. Lifelong athletes never stop. Remember the 13,000 athletes at the National Senior Games.

What We Can Do

We have to train aging clients for what they want to do as individuals. Swimming is a great exercise, but will it help someone devoted to, say, archery?  Position yourself with doctors and physical therapists for more referrals for “brain health” and “balance training” instead of “strength training for seniors.”

 

No. 3

Our Population Is Aging Fast

The Baby Boomer generation began in 1946, so its members begin turning 80 in 2026. They will change the world’s ideas about what it means to reach that milestone. We’ll see more and more outstanding athletes in that category. But we’ll also see increasing burdens on the healthcare system, with frailty and risk of falls rising among people after they hit 80.

What We Can Do

Train clients for strength, balance, motor control and reaction time. We need to use the best fitness assessments in our evaluations of prospects and clients. Also, remember that Generation X is moving into our target demographic already, and they want something different than what they’ve been doing, like intense boot camps.

 

No. 2

Group Training Lives!

When people say group training is dead, don’t believe them. It will keep growing and growing – and, no, you won’t have to undersell it, either. But we will have to diversify our offerings even more.

What We Can Do

Learn about supplementing your brick-and-mortar with online training, apps and other technology. Online accountability and support will help you engage clients when they’re not in the gym or studio with you – and bring in extra revenue.

 

No. 1

Expect More Competition

Large and small health clubs, boutique studios, super-cheap chains, Pilates… the list goes on and on. And senior fitness franchises are coming. At FAI, we already have two licensing models, Fit Body Forever and Ageless Fitness.

What We Can Do

Keep standing out from the crowd. No one does what you do. Be unique, be focused, and use better content and storytelling to let your community know what you’re all about. Use a professional content service, like Prime Fit Content, which helps you reach the over-50 market.

 

For more on our predictions – and the role you can play in the changing landscape – watch this video from the 2018 Functional Aging Summit.

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