Welcome to my newsletter! As I get established here in Corvallis, I hope to keep in touch and share ideas with you. I'm excited that many people learned about this approach to moving younger at the recent Health & Fitness Day sponsored by the Chintimini Senior Center. I hope to see you again soon!
If there's a movement topic you're curious about, please let me know. In the meantime, enjoy your summertime activities!
Marg
Brain Neurobics
We're all familiar with aerobics and that aerobic exercise is good for our brains as well as our bodies. But have you heard of neurobics? As defined in a recent article titled "Train Your Brain" in the March, 2013 issue of Swimmer Magazine, neurobics are exercises for the brain that involve doing something differently -- and thinking about it. This sounds like what we do in Awareness Through Movement® classes. Doing something new, especially if we pay attention, results in new brain connections and cell growth. Rather than relying on habit, we are "exercising" our brain! So, go ahead, do something differently. Use your other hand, write your name upside down, shake up your daily movement routines, walk backwards now and then (carefully of course!) Your brain will thank you for the extra stimulation.
Tip for Easier Sitting
Here's a chance to think about something we do all the time. I shared this tip at the recent Health and Wellness Fair at the Corvallis Senior Center.
1. Sitting in a chair, feet flat on the floor and your back away from the chair back: sense your sitting bones. You could even slide your fingers underneath them.
2. Begin to roll forward and back on your sitting bones, feeling the curved bones on your fingertips. After a moment, remove your hands and continue rolling, noticing the curving backward and then inward of your lower spine. Allow your entire spine to follow that forward and backward movement so your head moves, alternating looking up a bit and down toward the floor in front of you.
3. Sit quietly, balanced on those sitting bones.
4. if you have a tendency to roll back toward your tailbone: take a small hand towel and fold in quarters. Roll it up using the smaller side. Place the flattened roll underneath your tailbone to provide a little support. Your sitting bones are in front of the towel. If too high, unroll the towel a bit. Sitting on the unrolled part helps hold the roll in place.
5. You now have three "legs" of support and can relax in sitting.
After you've tried this out, let me know how it felt for you!
Summer Class Schedule
Move Younger: Tune up your Torso
Tuesdays 10:30 - 11:30 am June 11-Aug 6 (no class July 2)
Cost: $38 resident $48 Non-resident $8 drop-in (five-class card also available)
Chintimini Senior Center
2601 NW Tyler Ave. Corvallis
Phone: 541-766-6959
We'll focus on movements of the spine, ribs, shoulders, and hips that allow us to enjoy summertime fun--outdoor activities, gardening, hiking, traveling. Let me know your specific interests and I'll include it! Bring a blanket or mat please.
Awareness Through Movement®
Tuesdays 12:00 noon - 12:45 pm June 18-Aug Aug 27
$88 for series; $10 drop-in
Yoga Center of Corvallis
111 NW Second Street (at Monroe)
Phone: 541-757-3704
Ingenious combinations of movements within a comfortable range increase ease, flexibility and confident action for people of any age and fitness level. I am happy to respond to your interests!
