Balancing act

Not too long ago, Kim had me sign up for a class on better balance that was being offered at the Davidson County Senior Center.

This made sense to me on a couple of different levels.

 First of all, it always makes good sense to listen to Kim – even though it's taken me 46 years to figure that one out.

Secondly – not that I've been toppling over or anything – but I have noticed that as I travel deeper and deeper into my silver years, my sense of balance has become more and more suspect.

I hold onto railings as I climb – or descend – stairs. I usually have to lean against a wall or something to make sure I really don't tip over when putting on my socks or stepping into my shorts. I occasionally bump into doorways for no apparent reason. Even something as second nature as walking now requires more of my attention to make sure I'm not zigging and zagging down the sidewalk. (Just in case you're thinking that I need to cut back on the sauce, well, I already have. There's a point where you realize that the aging process is already screwing with your head, why compound it with alcohol? It was either that or have a serious talk with my inner ear crystals).

So I signed up for the class. It was only 15 bucks for 10 consecutive hour-long sessions (or $1.50 per session. Senior prices.) every Thursday from now until October. There's not many deals like that in this economy, so what the heck?

(Click on chart to enlarge)

 I didn't know what to expect going in. Was it going to be exercises? Were there going to be discussions about aging? About balance? Did I need to take notes? Kim and a few of my friends wanted me to show them what I was learning. It was like being back in school. The pressure was on.

Right from the start, it was about exercises. We started off by marching in place for a few minutes. Then there were some foot-to-foot weight-shifting drills, followed by some heel-and-toe rocking and hula-hoop maneuvers without the hula hoops. Pretty easy, huh?

Then came the fun stuff. 

"Okay, now I want you to stand on one leg," said the instructor. "Lift the other leg and extend it forward, and hold it for 20 seconds. You can grab onto your chair if you need to."

There were a couple of variations on this exercise, each one requiring that you raise one leg, extend and hold, before switching to the other leg. I didn't use a chair. But I couldn't go more than a few seconds of one-leggedness before I felt myself about to fall over. My ear crystals were laughing at me. Next week, I use a chair.

I later found out that some of these exercises incorporate the principles of Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese martial art designed to strengthen not only balance, but the inner core as well, while utilizing calm, relaxed breathing. That's not easy to do when you think you're falling over and you go into panic mode.

I reckon we did about 25 or so two-minute exercises within that hour. I started looking at the clock with about 20 minutes to go and wondered if this was ever gonna end. I even worked up a little sweat. Why did I think this was going to be easy? I'm 75 years old, for crying out loud. Three quarters of a century. I deserve easy.

Even the next day I had a few sore muscles.

The concept here is that you're supposed to take some of these exercises home with you and use them daily, but, me being me, that's not likely to happen. Too much like work. I did show Kim a few of the drills to give her an idea of what I'm doing. Plus, all you have to do is Google "balance exercises" and all this stuff comes up on YouTube anyway.

Nevertheless, I will continue to take this course. There are 14 of us, including two men, and I wonder how many of us will still be interested by October? So there's a challenge in that.

And I do see the benefits: in stress relief, in joint mobility and in heart health. For a person of my mature years, it's probably a good thing. On balance. 

 

 

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