Better Movement Studio

The "core" refers to the muscles of the abdomen, lower back, hips, and pelvis. These muscles act as the body's foundation and provide stability for almost all movements.

Benefits for Seniors:

• Improved Posture: A strong core helps maintain proper spinal alignment, reducing slouching and the strain on the spine, which can alleviate chronic back pain.

• Reduced Risk of Back Pain: Weak core muscles are often a primary cause of lower back pain. Strengthening these muscles provides better support for the spine.

• Enhanced Functional Movement: Daily activities like bending, lifting, reaching for items, getting in and out of a chair, or carrying groceries become easier and safer with a strong core.

• Better Balance and Stability: The core muscles play a central role in stabilizing the body, which directly translates to improved balance and a reduced risk of falls.

• Injury Prevention: A strong and stable core makes the body more resilient to injuries from everyday movements or unexpected stumbles.

• Improved Mobility and Flexibility: Core exercises can increase flexibility in the trunk and pelvis, leading to smoother and more fluid movements.

Balance training focuses on exercises that challenge and improve an individual's ability to maintain equilibrium and control their body position.

Benefits for Seniors:

• Fall Prevention (Most Critical): Falls are a leading cause of serious injuries, hospitalizations, and even fatalities among older adults. Balance training significantly reduces the risk of falls by improving coordination, proprioception (awareness of body position in space), and reaction time.

• Increased Confidence and Independence: A fear of falling can lead seniors to limit their activities and become more sedentary. Improved balance boosts confidence in movement, encouraging greater participation in social and recreational activities and maintaining independence.

• Enhanced Mobility: Better balance allows for more fluid and confident movement, making it easier to walk, navigate uneven surfaces, and perform daily tasks without assistance.

• Improved Posture: Balance exercises often go hand-in-hand with core strength, contributing to better overall posture.

• Cognitive Benefits: Engaging in balance exercises challenges the brain to coordinate movements and process sensory information, which can have positive effects on cognitive function, including spatial awareness and memory.

• Better Joint and Bone Protection: By reducing falls, balance training indirectly protects bones from fractures and joints from injury.

Resistance training involves working muscles against a force (like weights, resistance bands, or bodyweight) to build strength and muscle mass.

Benefits for Seniors:

• Combats Sarcopenia (Muscle Loss): As we age, there's a natural decline in muscle mass and strength (sarcopenia). Resistance training is the most effective way to counteract this, preserving existing muscle and stimulating new muscle growth, even into advanced age.

• Increased Bone Density (Fights Osteoporosis): Weight-bearing and resistance exercises put stress on bones, stimulating bone-building cells and helping to maintain or even increase bone mineral density, significantly reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.

• Improved Metabolism and Weight Management: Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue. Building muscle through resistance training can boost metabolism, help manage weight, and improve insulin sensitivity, which is beneficial for managing or preventing Type 2 diabetes.

• Enhanced Functional Strength: This translates directly to easier performance of daily activities like carrying groceries, getting up from a chair, climbing stairs, or lifting grandchildren.

• Pain Reduction: Strengthening muscles around joints can alleviate pain associated with conditions like arthritis by providing better support and stability.

• Better Balance and Stability: Stronger leg and core muscles directly contribute to improved balance and reduced fall risk.

• Improved Cardiovascular Health: Resistance training can contribute to lower blood pressure, improved cholesterol levels, and overall heart health.

• Boosted Mood and Cognitive Function: Exercise, including resistance training, releases endorphins, which can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, improve sleep quality, and enhance cognitive function.

• Increased Energy Levels: Stronger muscles mean less effort is required for daily tasks, leading to more energy and reduced fatigue.