3-Step Fitness Training Process for Older Adults in Santa Barbara

“First move well and then move often.”

– Gray Cook, Physical Therapist

My Personalized 3-Step Fitness Training Process

Safe and effective movement/physical training is dependent on the adequate function of our muscles, joints and nervous system working together – call this trio our movement platform or foundation. Older adults often have movement platform dysfunction from deficits in joint mobility & stability, muscle flexibility, balance or neuromuscular control/coordination. The best path to older adult functional fitness is to establish a sound movement platform with fundamental movement skills & body control before developing other “regular fitness” aspects like strength, power or endurance. This concept of first establishing a sound movement platform is nicely expressed by physical therapist Gray Cook’s famous twin axioms “first move well and then move often” and “don’t add fitness to dysfunction”. I follow an individualized 3- step process to make “first move well” a reality for you.

HEALTH HISTORY AND FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT

Establish & document your goals/issues/concerns and assess your individual movement platform characteristics, movement ability, current functional status and physical challenges

IMPROVE YOUR MOVEMENT PLATFORM & FUNDAMENTAL MOVEMENT ABILITY

Supportive exercises and methods to develop a better movement platform by improving joint mobility & stability, muscle flexibility, balance/postural control and other fundamental movement/body control skills

DEVELOP INTEGRATED FUNCTIONAL FITNESS PARTICULARLY OF THE LOWER BODY

Older adult functional fitness is frequently about lower body fitness – we must train our “wheels” or we will not age well – the lower body is so often where we find the most glaring functional deficits. So, we prioritize from-the-hips-down functional fitness that incorporates aspects of strength, power, global movement ability, core stability and body control. Our objective is to help you reach your personal physical goals while simultaneously improving your functional capacity for movement and elevating your physical reserves & resilience (bounce-back ability) to optimize aging ability