Uncategorized – Page 33 – Mile High Pilates and Yoga

walkingenioropti8116 — It’s Never Too Late

Peg Ryan
Mile High Pilates and Yoga

For the past 6 months or so I have been leading exercise classes at two local assisted living facilities for older adults. Mostly we sit in chairs, move arms and legs, add in some stretching and do simple strength-building exercises. An endurance factor is also included as most of the exercises involve a number of repetitions. At first this was tricky for many of the participants. It had been so long since they had moved this way that they found it difficult to follow along. There is a certain degree of cognitive impairment in some participants that may make understanding the instructions unclear. Hearing loss can also present a problem with following instructions. But as we have continued practicing over time I have been surprised to see how little cognitive issues actually affect performance. In fact, a participant with diagnosed Alzheimer’s Disease participated in a recent class and had no trouble mimicking the movements at all. The more we practice, the easier it is for participants to successfully complete the class. A further surprise has been how much change I’ve seen even though these classes are only held once per week. I had been told that the participants would not remember what we had done within a short period of time after each class ended. That may be true, but there is no denying that over time they have learned the moves and shown increased ability to perform them. We can now string multiple moves together (e.g. bicep curl and overhead press) and even incorporate some aerobic movements like lifting opposite arm with opposite leg. A few can now do some standing exercises and most at least try to get out of their chairs without using their arms.

Although this is a small population making generalizations difficult, it has also been interesting to me to see that the majority of mobility limitations seem to be in the shoulders, not the knees, legs or hips. Let this be a lesson to those of you who spend significant amounts of your day hunched over computers or steering wheels ignoring all those pains in your neck and upper back. For many of us the muscles in our upper backs and cervical spines (neck region) have become so weak that imbalances in muscle function have been created. Often this manifests as pain in the lower back due to the increased load those muscles must absorb. But the effects can also extend to the hips and leg muscles. Our bodies are an amazingly complex construction of interrelated systems that depend on each other. We need all of our body parts to work in together in concert for optimum function. The longer we let these imbalances persist, the more widespread the stress becomes.

But here’s the good news: it’s never too late to stop the decline and even begin to turn this around. According to the National Institute on Aging “For the most part, when older people lose their ability to do things on their own, it doesn’t happen just because they have aged. More likely, it is because they have become inactive.” We assume that disability and pain are part of the aging process. Research is now showing that this is not necessarily the case. An article in Medpage Today cites a study in which even seniors with some mobility disabilities who participated in a regular exercise program were “more likely to maintain their ability to get up and move around”.

None of us can stop the aging process. It begins at the moment of birth and seems to accelerate with the passage of time. Modern public health improvements have increased human life expectancy. As a result, quality of life has become an increasingly important consideration. It’s one thing to live for 90 or 100 years but if you can’t experience the simple pleasures of life those years can be more of a burden than a blessing. Movement is so important to overall health and well-being. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to make a difference and experience benefits. A little goes a long way. But it does take motivation and that can be a struggle. It’s amazing how easy it is for some of us to come up with all kinds of reasons not to exercise. Think of every time you’ve made a resolution to move more and quickly got derailed by one thing or another. Everything that gets in the way becomes more important. But remember that with every excuse you are putting your health on the back burner. You may think you’re getting away with the neglect, but it will catch up to you eventually. Medications can only go so far. At some point we need to take responsibility for our own bodies. Although aging will happen no matter what we do, most of us can improve our mobility at every age.

Fitness has been defined as “the ability to life your life without feeling fatigued.” This may seem like a tall order to some of you. But if you think of minimizing fatigue rather than eliminating it, the concept becomes a realistic goal. The next step then is to eliminate the barriers that you construct for yourself. Examine those barriers and you may find that they are really based in fear – mostly fear that you won’t be able to live up to your own (or some else’s) expectations. Throughout these blog posts I have stressed the need to let go of those fears and all expectations and take that first dangerous step in the direction of the unknown. Dangle the potential benefits in front of you like the proverbial carrot. Start slow and back off. Even 5 minutes of walking is a great start! But then keep at it. Five minutes a day can lead to 10 minutes and so on. Getting started is the hard part. After that it’s all about practice. Be patient and kind to yourself. Eventually you will see the difference. Remember all those seniors. If they can improve, so can you.

The power of community is both humbling and inspiring. Each of us has our own special individual gifts to offer the world. But when we join those gifts together an energy is created by the group that can be much greater than the capacity of the individual parts.

This past weekend I had the great pleasure of participating in the inaugural edition of the South Dakota Yoga Conference. We live in a rural state with a low population scattered over a large geographic area. Yet the human resources available here are world class. Presenters with expertise in a wide variety of mind-body disciplines came from all over the state to gather with a group of enthusiastic attendees from multiple states. There were an amazing 33 sessions available over two full days. The variety of topics and expertise of the presenters made it difficult to chose among them. In the end all choices were good. A total win-win for everyone! In the past I’ve attended national conferences with “name-brand” yoga teachers. This quality event was every bit as impressive as any of those – maybe even better since it was right in my own back yard. No planes or passports required. Dates for next year’s conference have already been set (last weekend in July 2017) so mark your calendars!

If you are reading this blog from outside South Dakota, take heart. Of course, you are welcome to come here and attend also. But if that is not possible for you, my point about community is that it can be found anywhere. Sometimes where you least expect it. This conference was conceived by three friends who saw the need and took the chance that others would recognize that need. They are 3 fabulous and energetic ladies (Scottie Bruch, Jillian Anawaty and Cheri Isaacson) but I’m sure they won’t mind me saying that they have no particular special powers. What they do have is a passion for spreading yoga and all related health promoting and life enhancing practices. My point is that any of us is capable to putting together a community. It requires a passion for learning and sharing and a willingness to take that first dangerous step into the unknown. When these women began this quest, they did not know what the outcome would be. But they believed in the concept and in the power of community. Wonder or wonders the community responded! A call for presenters was put out and the rest is history.

There was a preliminary session at the conference which was open to all current or aspiring yoga teachers and anyone else interested in participating in this gathering. This became an opportunity for us to share challenges, successes and ideas with others engaged in both similar and different pursuits. Here in the Black Hills we are fortunate to have a wonderfully supportive and close-knit yoga community yet we have never had an opportunity like this before. The seed has now been planted so the possibility exists for something else of value to grow from this experience.

Even though many of us are in different work and/or life situations, it was interesting to see how much we could each benefit from the experience of others. This is actually not such a surprising result. In fact, it is yet another benefit of community. We learn that others are going through or have gone through similar situations to our own. It’s easy to feel isolated in today’s world where so many of the institutions we used to rely on are no longer working. Our society often places a value on being independent. We perpetuate the myth that we should all be capable of solving our own problems. Yet human beings are by nature social creatures who are drawn to groups. As the song says, “no man is an island”. The fact is we all rely on others in many ways whether or not we realize it. When you become isolated, you might feel like your thoughts or problems are unique and insurmountable. It can be so comforting to learn that you are not alone. By becoming part of a group you may be surprised to find that there are others who are or have been where you are and can show you by example that change is possible.

There are opportunities for community everywhere. Anyone feeling lost or alone can look for them. Or create one yourself based on your own passions and interests. It may surprise you to find that there are others out there who share your interests. Whatever you have learned will be different from what they have learned so the sharing can begin. All that’s required is an open mind and a willingness to take a chance. If you’re afraid to join an existing group, give it a try. If it doesn’t work out the first time, try again. Maybe try a different group. When you start a group or become a member of an existing group you will derive many benefits. But it is helpful to remember that the goals of the group are not just about you. A group provides a larger vision of what can be accomplished when people join together. Although what each individual contributes is valuable, what can be achieved as a whole is what’s important. So offer your expertise and be willing to give freely but let others provide theirs as well. We all gain when we all contribute. No matter what your intention, though, don’t give up. Keep trying. You never know when the right circumstances will arise.

Time for yourself has its value and everyone needs to be alone sometimes. But community can be a magical and powerful force capable of transforming lives. Keep your mind and heart open and release your expectations. Just let it unfold organically without trying to force it. The result may be totally different from what you thought might happen but you may just get what you need.