Club Blog

Did you know that 1 out of 3 older adults (65+ years) fall each year? And, after you fall once you are at greater risk of future falls. Some people might think that falling is a normal part of aging. But, this is NOT true. Falls are preventable; the following simple steps can prevent you or a loved one from falling:

1. Physical Activity:  Balance, flexibility, and strength training reduce the risk of falling. It is never too late to begin an exercise program. Start simple with weight shifting, low impact exercises, and don’t forget to stretch.
2. Medical Management: Talk to your doctor. Medications and especially combinations of medications can make us dizzy which can increase risk of falling. Also, have your vision checked. Changes in vision and inner ear functioning can directly effect falls.
3. Home Modification:  Installing grab bars and even removing floor clutter can reduce the risk of falls. Adequate lighting and bathroom modifications are important to stay on your feet.
4. Get informed:  There are many fall prevention local resources available. Go to www.sandiegofallprevention.org and check out the resource guide which lists local fall prevention resources.

 Remember, falling is not a normal part of aging. Stay independent, active, and aware.  La Jolla Sports Club has many programs to help people of all ages be healthy, active, and fit.  Building a strong body and mind are key to maintaining health.  See what La Jolla Sports Club has to offer today!

1. Exercise 

• Regular exercise provides many of the same benefits as sound nutrition. When coupled together perfect health is not far behind.

1. Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup at all costs
   1. HFCS is a modified fruit sugar that serves no purpose in the body. It is processed by the liver and stored as subcutaneous fat.
   2. HFCS is also thought to be the leading cause of syndrome X that consists of obesity, insulin resistance and Type II Diabetes.
2. With Fruits and Vegetables aim for the Rainbow
   1. Choose fruits and vegetables try to eat the colors of the rainbow.
   2. Different color fruits and vegetables represent differing vitamin and nutrient content.
3. Eat a Daily Multi-Vitamin and Mineral
   1. Even with a balanced diet, a Daily vitamin and mineral supplement should be used as insurance.
4. Develop informed nutrition strategies that become habits for life!
   1. Old habits die-hard, which is especially true for eating habits.
   2. It takes about 3-weeks of effort to begin breaking old eating habits and replacing them with new healthier eating habits. Hang in there!

 Working out, especially with friends, is a great tway to maintain your body and your health.  Conditioning keeps you going with increased levels of energy and muscle mass.  

• Body Conditioning: Full body workout using, hand held weights, body bars, balls, and your own body weight for resistance training. Abdominal and stretch exercises included.
• Bosu Abs/Core Training: A thirty minute condensed CORE strengthing class with special emphasis on intense abdominal and core conditioning using the Bosu Ball, Exercise Ball, and Pilates based exercises.
• Bosu Pilates/Function Fitness: A class dedicated to total body muscular and strength training by applying a variety of modalities such as Bosu Ball, hand weights, fitballs, bands, and body resistance. Floor exercises inspired by the work of Joseph Pilates that strengthen your body’s core muscles. Pilates exercises strengthen the body from the inside out.
• Conditioning with Bosu Ball: This class is 20 minutes cardio, 20 min conditioning, and 20 minutes of abs. All work is done on the bosu ball.
• Extreme Legs: A patented strength and conditioning class targeting legs, glutes, and abs.

According to Eric Villiagran, cardiovascular training provides a good foundation when it comes to exercise, offering benefits in weight control, endurance, and overall cardiovascular health. Unfortunately, as we age, cardio exercises alone can’t help us preserve precious muscle mass. Check out what Eric has to say about the combination of both cardio and strength training in his blog below.

Your Beatin’ Heart

Cardio training is an essential form of exercise for overall health. Typically, we picture cardio as hours on a treadmill, but it’s possible to achieve a good cardio workout from walking, sprinting, swimming, or La Jolla Sports dance.

Heart rate is the number of contractions the heart makes in one minute, and this is measured in beats per minute (BPM). Knowing your BPM is integral to cardio training, because as you exercise, your body speeds up its demand for oxygen. In turn, the heart increases its BPM, allowing more oxygen-rich blood to travel through your body.

Periodically taking your pulse at the wrist or gently pressing on the side of your neck allows you to monitor your BPM. Count the beats for ten seconds then multiply by six (e.g., 20 beats per 10 seconds x 6 = 120 BPM). There’s also an easy formula for determining your ideal heart rate or BPM: from 220, subtract your age (e.g., 220 – 40 = 180).

Gauging your heart rate will not only prevent you from overexerting, but also determine the type of workout you’re getting. For example, doing cardio for 30 minutes at 170 BPM will provide you with aerobic conditioning, while exercising at the same BPM for 15 minutes will provide you with fat burning/body building benefits.

Muscle Mass and More

While strength training with resistance is known to build muscle, it is also beneficial for improving range of motion, flexibility, posture, and tendon strength. In addition, it reduces the risk for injuries like back problems. For starters, stay with basic muscle building movements such as bench presses, lateral pulldowns, shoulder presses, and leg presses. You can experience great results doing these movements on machines and, consequently, eliminate the chance of injury that may occur with free weights.

Muscle atrophy (the loss of muscle) is a major concern not just for people over 40, but also for sedentary persons of any age. Women, who generally have less bone density and muscle mass than men, are more prone to muscle loss as that age. Dr. Miriam Nelson, Associate Director of the Human Physiology Laboratory at Boston’s Tufts University, stresses the importance of non-aerobic strength training for preserving bone and reducing muscle loss.