Better balance for seniors and those with limited Mobility

Please begin your practice here …

Welcome to Better Balance classes! My intention in offering these classes is not only to give you better balance physically, but to also recognize all the ways in which we create imbalances in our bodies and in our lives, that then affect our sense balance. This includes monitoring and reducing our stress level, helping ourselves to rest more efficiently, and to both strengthen and stretch our bodies to improve balance and possibly regain some range of motion.

If you truly want to improve your balance, I recommend following these guidelines and maintaining a regular practice in all areas, stress reduction, spinal movement, balance classes and stretching.

Below you will see a variety of videos…

I recommend you try to do the Spinal Movement Series video 2-3 days a week. Lack of mobility and strength around the spine it one of the top causes of feeling imbalanced and experiencing back pain. Moving your spine as we do in this series is perfect for improving mobility and strength. Please do the Spinal Movement Series prior to doing any Better Balance Class.

Three minute or mini meditations are included here to help reduce your stress level. Holding stress in our muscles not only feels uncomfortable, but it creates instability in our joints. Stress is also distracting and being distracted can lead to falls and injury, If you take just 3-5 minutes daily to sit back and relax, you can reduce your stress level. These short, guided practices can give you helping hand if you find sitting quietly on your own a bit challenging.

The Better Balance Classes. I encourage you to do a Better Balance class at least two times a week, and three if possible. You will have ongoing, unlimited access to any existing and any new classes that I will regularly to this page. You are welcome and encouraged to repeat classes that you find the most beneficial. Please note, the Better Balance classes are a great compliment to Chair Yoga and Chair Pilates classes, so you might do a Balance class once a week and another Chair Wellness class once a week as well.

Don’t forget to stretch after your Better Balance Class! The stretch videos which are included which will guide into a 5-8 minute stretching practice that I suggest doing after your Better Balance class or whenever you feel tight. This is important to keeping your muscles healthy and reducing your stress level. You are more than welcome, and encouraged to do the stretches even on the days that you don’t do classes.

If you have any questions about anything please don't hesitate to contact me.

Enjoy your classes,

~ Brigitte

- Balance Classes
• 2/1/25
Better Balance | Move Your Joints

It is a well Known and proven fact that regularly moving our joints helps to keep us healthy, feeling good and to maintain our independence. This seated joint practice will help you to move every joint in your body, in every direction it moves! Done regularly, it will also help you to regain lost range of motion and improve mobility.
- Balance Classes
• 1/14/25
Better Balance | Focus: Abs and Back Body

While abs and back body practices for better balance are often considered to be more strenuous class, they are also essential to your balance practice. They are also a key part of continuing to expand your balance practice as you grow stronger.
- Balance Classes
• 12/30/24
Better Balance | The Importance of Shoulder Health

When practicing for better balance, it is important to think of the balance of your overall state of being. This practice focuses on shoulder health. In order to stand tall, as well as walk and move with greater balance, we must work to both strengthen our shoulders, as well as not allow our shoulders to round forward when we stand and walk. This short practice will give you simple and easy to remember exercises to improve your shoulder health.
- Balance Classes
• 12/2/24
Better Balance | Standing to Improve Balance

It goes without saying, that to improve our balance, we have to do some standing exercises. This practice is just that and one that you will want to practice again and again.
- Balance Classes
• 11/11/24
Better Balance | Practicing with More Instability

Standing on uneven surfaces or on some kind of cushion, can be challenging, but can also significantly improve your balance. Take a few minutes to sit quietly, then move your spine. Then, grad a towel and add a little more instability to your practice.
- Balance Classes
• 10/20/24
Better Balance | The Importance of Stretching While Strengthening

As I often mention, a practice of better balance means bringing balance into everything we do. When we work to strengthen our core for better balance, it is also essential that we work to improve flexibility and range of motion in our joints.
- Balance Classes
• 10/13/24
Better Balance | The Benefits Stronger Knees

Healthy, strong and stable knees are essential to better balance. In this class, we focus on all the muscle groups that help to keep the knees strong and stable. (Note: if you haven't exercised these muscles in a while, be gentle with your practice today.)
- Balance Classes
• 10/6/24
Better Balance | 10 Things to Improve Your Balance

While it is important to do regular exercises to strengthen the core for better stability, here are 10 simple practices that you can do daily or regularly to help enhance your balance classes.
- Balance Classes
• 9/27/24
Better Balance | The Strength and Know-How to Get Up

If we fall, we need to have a strategy to get back up and we need to practice that strategy often. Knowing key things, such as your stronger side, how to remain calm after you fall and how to use something like a chair or table to get up is important. There is also the added benefit that these practices also build stronger muscles for better balance as well.
- Balance Classes
• 9/21/24
Better Balance | Knees Up

One of the keys to better balance, is doing practices that help us to avoid falling. Tripping because we are not lifting our feet when walk is very common in older adults. Today we will practice to build strength and muscle memory to get our knees up when we walk. If we are getting our knees up, then we are picking up our feet.
- Balance Classes
• 9/15/24
Better Balance | Strength for Better Balance

Achy back and shoulders, accompanied by poor balance, are signs that we need to work on strength to improve not only our balance, but improve shoulder and back health. This class is all about building strength!
- Balance Classes
• 9/2/24
Better Balance - Introductory Class

New to my Better Balance classes? Start here! This video will start you off with basics and the props you need and then give you a nice all around balance class. THIS CLASS IS LEVEL 1 FOR BEGINNERS
- Balance Classes
• 9/6/24
Better Balance - A Standing Practice

While we can sit and improve core strength, if we really want to improve our balance, we have to do some standing practices that will challenge our balance. That's exactly what this class does! And in addition to challenging ourselves, we are telling our body and our nervous system that it's okay to be a little imbalanced, we just want to make sure we are being safe when we are!