"Promise me you won't lose the ability to sit like that," said my lovely client as she was doing pelvic roll-ups on a mat next to me on the floor. I was sitting in a very similar position to the one I am in, pictured above, except my spine was straighter and I was propping myself up with one hand, the other one resting on my shin. I was taken aback and confused. What did she mean by that? After all, I was just sitting on the floor! A 73-year-old cancer survivor, she went on to say that sadly, she couldn't sit comfortably on the floor anymore and warned me that it's the simple movements we take for granted that can be lost as we age. This was about 18 years ago now and at the time I couldn't ever imagine myself not being able to sit comfortably on the floor. Well, 18 years down the track I completely understand what she was talking about and have experienced what it's like to lose some simple movements firsthand. When the world was thrown into chaos in March 2020, like many people, my daily routine went out the window, including my own regular Pilates classes. Now, I still practiced Pilates but in a different way than I had previously. I also had the stress of scrambling to reconfigure my physical PIlates studio into a virtual Pilates studio during lockdown to ensure my clients who were recovering from pain or injury could continue their much-needed sessions. Then, less than a year later, my Mum encountered some health issues and for the next 2 plus years my attention was on helping her regain her health and fitness. I still practiced Pilates but I had to become expert at slotting in sessions when the opportunity arose and in general my sessions were shorter in the post-pandemic world. Interestingly, the words of my lovely client came to mind as I suddenly noticed some simple Pilates movements were slightly more challenging than they had been in the past. Fast forward to the present and I've actively worked to regain my ability to perform these movements again, I can write the whole experience off as an interesting movement experiment. If, like me, you couldn't imagine losing the ability to perform simple movements, think again. Unless you are practicing these simple movements, one day you will find you can no longer do them, just like my lovely client. So let's take a look at some essential movements that you need to ensure you maintain so you can move with ease as you age.
Being Able To Raise Your Arms Overhead
It's quite possible to go through your day without raising your arms overhead and many people do. You wake up and go to a job that requires you to sit all day working at a computer maintaining a similar shoulder position throughout your day. You go home, cook dinner, put your feet up and unwind by watching some television. Even if you walk your dog, weed your garden or pay bills online you still aren't taking your arms overhead. However, activities like washing and blow drying your hair and reaching for items on the top shelf of your pantry do require you to take your arms overhead. Our shoulders are designed for this overhead movement and when we rarely do it this, it can lead to compensatory movements and muscle imbalances, which can lead to postural issues and pain. Keeping your shoulders mobile and strong is vital for preventing shoulder injuries. Regular overhead movements help lubricate the shoulder joint, preventing stiffness and reducing the risk of conditions like frozen shoulder or impingement syndrome. By strengthening the muscles in your upper body you are not only supporting your shoulder joints but this will also help you with tasks that require upper body strength, such as lifting and carrying. Overhead movements involve a coordinated effort between different muscle groups and joints which helps improve your overall balance and coordination, reducing the risk of falls and injuries. Maintaining this movement can expand your ribcage and improve lung capacity. This is especially important for proper breathing, oxygenating your body, and reducing the risk of respiratory issues. Think about how often you lift your arms overhead in a day and if necessary think of ways you can incorporate this into your exercise program. PIlates is ideal for including overhead arm movements and I ensure all my clients incorporate this into their programs.
The Simple Squat
Being able to squat is an essential movement that you use in daily activities, such as sitting down and standing up from a chair, getting in and out of a car, or picking up objects from the ground. Preserving your squatting ability allows you to maintain functional independence and perform these tasks with ease. It involves the movement of multiple joints, including the ankles, knees, hips, and lower back. Regularly squatting helps keep these joints mobile and prevents stiffness and discomfort that can occur with age. Squatting engages several major muscle groups, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and lower back muscles. These muscles are essential for maintaining lower body strength, stability, and balance, all of which are vital for preventing falls and maintaining mobility. It's also highly beneficial for bone health as weight-bearing exercises like squatting can help improve and maintain bone density. This is especially important as we age because it reduces the risk of developing osteoporosis and improves your bone density if you already have this condition. Being able to squat ensures that you can participate in various recreational and leisure activities, such as gardening, playing with grandchildren, or traveling comfortably which helps to preserve your independence. Regular squatting can help to reduce and overcome pain and prevent it from reccurring in the future.
The Ability To Sit Comfortably On The Floor
In order to sit comfortably on the floor 2 things are required - the ability to get down on the floor to begin with and then the ability to get back up to standing again safely. Just as my lovely client warned me all those years ago, if you don't actively maintain this ability you will unfortunatley lose it. I had a client many years ago who hated getting down onto the floor in the stidio. She was a larger woman in her late 40s with a knee issue and felt very self-conscious trying to get onto the floor. I told her she was far too young to be avoididing this movement and she was limiting herself too early in life. She thought about it and asked me if we could work on this skill, which we did. She had a lot of fear around getting on the floor and was scared of losing her balance on the way down. Over time she became more confident with getting onto the floor, sitting and then getting back up again. One day she came into her session beaming. As a medical practitioner she was required to complete First Aid and CPR training. In the past she was given special consideration because she couldn't get down on the floor but this time she did it! She confidently and comfortably got down onto the floor to perform CPR on a dummy and at the end was able to come back up to standing again. If you have lost this ability you can relearn how to do it. I've helped many people regain this skill sucessfully over the years. I have a 65 year old client who is the only one in her group of friends who can get down on the floor and sit comfortably at a picnic and get back up again. The others sit on folding chairs. It's also a safety issue because If you can get down to the floor and sit comfortably, it can be easier to navigate your environment safely. For example, it can help you get down to assess and clean up spills, retrieve items from low shelves, get on the floor with your grandkids or exit a room in an emergency. You never know when you will need to be able to do this so maitain it or relearn it while you can.
If you need help maintining these and other essential movements as you age, my online Pilates program can be adapted to your own individual needs and adjusted along the way as your needs change. If you have any questions about how Pilates can help you take control of your own health and fitness as you age email me at [email protected] . Alternatively, if you would like to begin your Pilates journey book your in-depth Initial Assessment with me via Skype. or work independently at your own pace through my library of on-demand videos. Take the free 10 day trial and start now. It would be my pleasure to assist you!
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