Why is balance so important? Having poor balance is the biggest risk factor of falling. Here are some interesting stats found by Kin (2022).
-About 36 millions falls are reported amongst older adults each year.
-Over 30% of people aged 65+ experience at least 1 fall per year.
So what can you do to prevent falls? Stay active, but most importantly, do balance training.
Have a read through these balance guidelines:
*How often: at least 3+ times per week.
*Where: Anywhere
*How: Come to the gym and speak to one of our trainers.
Here are some examples of balance exercises:
*Squats
*Single leg and tandem balancing
*Sideways walking
*Zig Zag walking
*Crossover walking (grape vine)
*Sit to stands (no hands)
*High knee lifts
In summary. balance:
*Prevents falls
*Reduces risk of injuries
*Improves the ability to perceive space &
*Improves joint mobility.
So think about including a few balance exercises into your next training session.

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According to World Health Organization (2021), the term Rehabilitation is defined as ‘A set of interventions designed to optimise functioning and reduce disability in individuals with health conditions in interaction with their environment.’ Research has shown that 2.4 billion individuals living with a health condition benefit from some type of rehabilitation (Cumberland, 2020).
In basic terms, rehabilitation helps any individual recover from any type of injury or sickness and allows them to complete everyday tasks or activities and facilitates participation in work, social aspects and meaningful life duties.
There are 4 different stages of rehabilitation that are important to know about and follow.
1. The Recovery stage – This stage is considered the most important stage of rehab and can sometimes be called the longest depending on how serious the injury or illness was. The main goal of the recovery stage is to rest, recover and allow the body to heal. It is important to be patient in this stage and not return to exercise too early as this could lead to further injury and take longer to recover.
2. The Repair Stage – After the body has done its thing and the healing has finished, after consulting with your GP or doctor, the next stage is where you regain mobility and movement. The main goal of this stage is to work the body back to the pre-injury state of range of motion (ROM). Activities of high importance include soft tissue and gentle ROM exercises as well as flexibility exercises to prevent the aggravation of the injury and any long-term effects.
3. The Strength Stage – Once the body has recovered all its ROM and flexibility back or as close as possible, it is vital in most cases to recover the strength lost and restore the muscle lost from the injury/illness. During the rest and recovery period of rehabilitation, the muscles become weak which leads to them wasting away which in science terms is called muscle atrophy. By utilising resistance training and endurance exercises, the body can reduce and minimise the effects of muscle wastage and return to the strength and endurance it was previously at.
4. The Function Stage – The last step of rehabilitation is to be able to restore full function to the body and most importantly the injured area. Treatment and screening will outline any problems or deficiencies in functionality and determine what approaches and methods are best to bring these deficiencies back to pre-injury levels. Some of these capabilities can include;
– Coordination – Change of direction – Agility – Balance – Stability.

The rehabilitation of an injury or illness can be a lengthy and sometimes draining commitment but seeing it through its rewards and benefits including the ability to regain and perform everyday tasks and activities, which can include playing with your children/grandchildren, interacting with friends and family and being able to participate in life’s meaningful obligations.
Here at R8 we can help you with your rehab, if you have seen a physiotherapist, exercise physiologist or any other ailed health professional who has prescribed you exercises, bring those exercises in and we can motivate you to keep going.

Here at R8, we really do want to see individuals being the best version of themselves and often this may mean just being able to do everyday tasks.
This type of training for older adults assists in muscle imbalances, and trains the body in the way that they move in everyday life.
The ability to function independently is an important health issue that has consequences to both the health and the quality of life of older adults.
Copeland et al., (2019) state that functional fitness may influence health directly due to the increased muscle mass. This in turn can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Here are 5 examples of essential movements for functional fitness (Langdon, 2011).
1. BEND & LIFT. In the gym we call it squatting. In everyday life its about getting out of the chair or lifting the shopping.
2. SINGLE-LEG. In the gym we call it lunging. In everyday life its about walking and climbing or descending stairs.
3. PUSHING. In the gym we call it overhead press or a pushup. In everyday life its about opening a door or putting something on the shelf.
4. PULLING. In the gym we call it a row or a pull-up. In everyday life its about pulling the car door shut or pulling a suitcase off the floor.
5. ROTATION. In the gym we call it a wood chop or shadow boxing. In everyday life its any movement you make reaching across your body or twisting your spine.
Now on Friday mornings at the gym, Erin will be adding functional movement exercises into the circuit classes. Come by and join either the 8.30am or 9.30am classes and improve your functional fitness.