Dear Exercise Friends,
Please forgive this overdo newsflash! We finished taping 20 new episodes in August and are now knee deep into the editing process. I finally have the energy to reach out to you and update you on our progress. Truly, it is thoughts of you that uplifted me throughout this “labor of love” process. I’m excited to tell you about the new series! Read on….

They say a picture is worth a thousand words so I thought it would be fun to capture screenshots from the new programs, taped this summer, and share the highlights with you. What makes this Sit and Be Fit series a little different is that we incorporated more guests than usual. Along with my daughter, Gretchen, we had five other special guest instructors you will meet in various segments throughout the series. I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce you to them, one by one.

I was first introduced to Dr. Emily when I signed up for one of her online continuing education classes through ACE (American Council on Exercise).  Among other things, Dr. Emily is a human movement specialist, podiatrist, and fitness instructor.  On somewhat of a whim, I reached out to her toward the end of our shoot and invited her to tape some segments. To my delight she said, “Yes!”, and flew across the country from New York to spend a day with us. I’m so excited to share her expertise with you. Because her visit came about at the last minute, and at the very end of the shoot, it has been a real puzzle to figure out how to fit her segments in. But, miraculously, it is all coming together and I think you will really enjoy her.

The next guest instructor I am pleased to introduce to you is Tino. Tino has been teaching fitness and specializing in Tai Chi classes here in Spokane for as long as I have (I won’t give away my age by saying how long that is, but suffice it to say it’s been a very long time!) As colleagues in the fitness world, we have run into each other on and off throughout the years.  After receiving many letters and calls from viewers requesting that we incorporate more Tai Chi into the program, I reached out to Tino. It was so much fun to be following along with him from the seated position during two different standing Tai Chi segments. I know you will really enjoy it too!

The third guest instructor I’d like to introduce to you is my granddaughter, Maddie, an accomplished dancer, who is now specializing in Flamenco Dance. Her natural grace and elegance are captivating. I am always riveted watching her dance, not just from a “proud Grandma’s” point of view but through the lens of a fitness instructor as well. In the new series Maddie leads a segment based on Flamenco Dance. She also helped us behind the camera as part of the production team. What a joy to have her on set with us. She did a wonderful job!

Another wonderful instructor who appears in one of the new episodes is my neighbor, Toni, who teaches fitness classes at a local studio. I just happened to run into Toni before the shoot started this summer and ended up talking about posture.  She showed me some of the cues she uses when she teaches her students how to strengthen their postural muscles. I was so impressed with her technique and the way her scapula movements were perfectly articulated to demonstrate her instructions. Happily, I was able to recruit her to lead one of our weight segments!

The final guest instructor I’d like to introduce you to is Bradie Mae, the daughter of our Director, Angelia. Bradie Mae grew up exercising with Sit and Be Fit and is one of our biggest fans. Though she comes in a small package, she is as confident and composed as any adult. She choreographed five specific movement patterns and put them into a 3-minute exercise segment. It makes me smile every time I see it. During a follow-up interview I asked Bradie Mae why she thinks exercise is so important. It was heartwarming to hear her express how exercise lifts her spirits. Because of time constraints we won’t be able to include the interview in the series but hope to share a link with you in the next newsletter! I know her bright little spirit will put a smile on your face as well!

Along with our five guest instructors, Diana, a physical therapist joined us on an episode dedicated to lymphatic health. As a lymphatic specialist she was able to give a brief overview of the lymphatic system, in layman’s terms, and clarify the important role it plays in our overall health. I am grateful for her willingness to share her expertise with us.  As you can see, there are some exciting new episodes coming up soon. Expect to see them on-air later this year. I hope you enjoy them! Thank you, from the bottom of my heart to all of our faithful supporters who made this series possible with their generous donations. We truly could not have done this without you!

Season 14 DVD! The complete 20-episode Season 14 DVD is is a great way to add 20 full episodes to your Sit and Be Fit library! This 4-disc set is loaded with fun exercise routines designed to help you feel and function better. Click here for more information: https://www.sitandbefit.org/product/season-14-dvd-box-set-new/

Thank you for taking the time to read our NewsFlash! Wishing you all the very best always, Mary Ann Wilson, RN

Dear Exercise Friends ,
Signs of spring are finally here! If you live in a climate that has a full-blown winter, as we do in Spokane, I’m sure you’re more than ready to see the snow melt away and the spring flowers pop up. You’ll be happy to know that we’ve been busy over the winter completing the 1700-1800 series (twenty episodes total) and putting together some new resources. Next month we will be releasing a DVD and exercise guide focused on helping the estimated 20 million Americans managing some form of neuropathy. We are excited about the results. Read on to hear more about it!

The feet are our foundation. They’re the most important source of mobility. They play a critical role in helping us maintain balance which affects our ability to walk or run. The individual foot is much more than a group of 26 bones, 33 joints, 19 muscles and 107 ligaments. The feet are rich in nerve receptors, especially the skin on the bottom of the foot. This is important because these small nerves are sensitive to texture, vibration, pressure, and skin stretch, helping us to control our movements. Below is a series of daily exercises to warm up the feet. They will benefit anyone, not just those managing neuropathy. These exercises are best done with shoes off to stimulate the many nerves on the bottom of the foot. We’ll begin with one of the exercises Dr. Emily taught us called Short Foot. Before you begin, sit toward the front edge of a chair with bare feet flat on the floor, hip width apart. Check your posture and keep it maintained throughout the exercises.

Exercise #1 – Short Foot Picture the bottom of your foot as a tripod. Draw an imaginary line between the big toe, little toe and heel. Press the big toe, little toe, and heel into floor. Notice that you have created an arch in your foot. Release and repeat several times. Do this exercise one foot at a time.

Exercise #2 – Foot Slides Starting with the feet together, slide the feet forward and back, one at a time, as though gliding. Practice 6 times, back and forth, to help improve tactile stimulation.

Exercise #3 – Toe Spreads Rest the heels of both feet on the floor. Lift the toes and spread them as far apart as possible. Return the feet to the floor and repeat 4 times.

Exercise #4 – Toe Presses Lift the heels and press all the toes of both feet into floor. Hold and repeat 4 times.

Exercise #5 – Foot Rocks Rock both feet from one side, back to center, then to the other side and back to center. Repeat 4 times.

Sit and Be Fit Neuropathy DVD and free exercise guide If you would like to be notified next month when the Neuropathy DVD and free electronic copy of the Neuropathy Exercise Guide and informational brochure are released, please send a request to sitandbefit@sitandbefit.org and we will add you to the list!

Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter. Until we meet again, wishing you the very best in health and happiness, always! Mary Ann Wilson, RN

Exercising the feet not only helps improve balance and stability but plays a special role in managing conditions such as neuropathy. Here are five exercises for the feet that you can easily integrate into your daily routine. Try practicing them regularly while you’re watching television. The goal of these exercises is to increase circulation, range of motion, strength and improve sensation on the soles of the feet.

Getting Started: 

• Perform these exercises seated. If cramping occurs, or if any movement causes pain, stop the exercise for a moment and let the foot relax. Resume the exercises only if they can be done without pain.

• Practice these feet exercises with bare or stocking feet, if possible.

• Sit toward the front edge of a chair and firmly plant the feet on the ground. 

• Begin all exercises with good postural alignment. Below are links to other Sit and Be Fit blog posts that feature exercises to improve posture. Generally speaking, you want to sit up tall, lengthen your spine, and take your shoulders back and down.

1) Short Foot 

Picture the base of the foot as a tripod with three points: 

•big toe      •little toe      •heel

At the same time, press all three points (the big toe, little toe, and heel) into the floor. The arch of the foot will lift. Continue pressing for several seconds or as tolerated. Repeat the exercise several times before changing feet. Finish by practicing the Short Foot exercise with both feet together at the same time.

2) The “V” 

Place your feet together on the floor. Lift all ten toes up as high as possible and turn the ankles outward. Return the toes to the floor so that your feet form a “V”.  Lift the toes again and turn the ankles inward, bringing the feet back together. Return the toes to the floor and back to the starting position. Repeat the exercise as tolerated.

3) Foot Somatosensory Exercise 

Roll a small ball under the feet for several minutes. A textured object, such as a stress ball, works well with this exercise. Begin by pressing lightly through the base of the foot and toes. Add pressure only to the point of comfort. This “self-massage” stimulates the sensory receptors on the soles of the feet.

4) Slides 

With your feet flat on the floor, slide one foot forward and one foot back at the same time. Maintain contact with the floor and continue sliding the base of the feet back and forth as tolerated.

5) Point and Flex 

Straighten the right knee, and lift the right leg 1-2 inches off the floor. Point and flex the right foot 5-10 times. Repeat the exercise with the left foot.

Links to related Sit and Be Fit Blog posts:

Sit and Be Fit Balance Tip: Posture

Posture Exercises

Feet Exercises

Feet Exercises with Towel

Here are several Sit and Be Fit Workouts that include exercise segments designed to give the feet some special attention.

Tips To Make Standing Up From a Seated Position Easy

For many people, the simple act of getting up from a seated position to a standing position can be a challenge. The ordinary activities of standing and sitting are so basic that we take them for granted…until the day when we have to push, and push, and push again before achieving “liftoff”.  Difficulty in standing up from a chair can be due to a combination of reasons:

• weakness of the legs
• stiffness in the back
• poor balance
• fear of falling
• lack of flexibility in the ankles
• lack of range of motion in the knees
• tightness of the hamstring muscles on the back of the thighs
• improper technique

Here are some easy tips to practice to help you rise up from a seated position.

1. Slide your bottom all the way to the front edge of your chair.
2. Now that you’re at the edge of the chair, sit up straight.
3. With your knees bent, pull your feet back under the front edge of your chair underneath you.
4. Place your feet flat on the floor, shoulder width apart.
5. If you have armrests on your chair, place your hands near the front of the armrests. If you don’t have armrests, place your hands beside your thighs at the front edge of your chair or on the tops of your thighs.
6. Lean forward from the hips, keeping the back straight. This step is very important! If you lean forward far enough, gravity can actually help you stand up! Your head should move forward during this step.
7. As you are leaning forward, press your heels into the floor as you push yourself up with your legs and with your arms.
8. Straighten your legs. Lift your head up to straighten your hips. Now you’ve done it! You’ve achieved liftoff!

Another easy tip to help you stand up from a seated position is to consider the type of chair you sit in. Switching from a soft squishy chair to a strong, firm, armchair will give you more support as you stand up.

Use the same technique outlined above when getting out of or into a car. Again, the step that most people have trouble with is leaning far enough forward. By bringing your feet back underneath your body and leaning forward, the body’s center of gravity shifts toward the front of the feet.  This allows gravity to help you rise up from a seated position.

A good way to help increase leg strength is to practice standing up and sitting down as an exercise 5 times at every meal. It’s also very important to do exercises for back, leg and ankle flexibility.  

Related Blogs:

Sit to Stand Training to Help Achieve Lift Off

Sink Exercises for Leg Strengthening and Balance

Recommended DVDs:

By Mary Ann Wilson,RN

The simple act of moving from a seated position to a standing position requires the cooperation of several muscle groups working together. Pelvic mobility, trunk control, sensation in the feet, core and leg strength, as well as lower body flexibility, all contribute to maintaining this functional sit to stand skill. The following exercises will help train your body to accomplish this movement with ease. Remember to begin each exercise with good posture.

Pelvic Mobility

Starting position – seated

• Imagine that you are sitting on a large clock.
• Circle your hips all the way around the chair, trying to touch each of the numbers on the clock.
• Circle 3 times to the right. Reverse direction and circle 3 times to the left.

Back Extension

Starting position – seated or standing

• Place hands on the small of the back with fingertips pointing toward each other.
• Lift the chest; gently pull elbows back and put a tiny arch in the back.
• Release and repeat the exercise 2 more times.

Ankle Dorsiflexion

Starting position – seated

• Lift one foot slightly off the floor.
• Flex the ankle, then point the toes. Do this 3 times.
• Repeat the exercise with the other foot.

Feet Sensation Stimulator

Starting position – seated

• Rest feet flat on the floor.
• Wiggle the toes several times.
• Alternately lift the toes and balls of the feet up and down several times.
• Alternately lift the heels up and down several times.
• Rock one foot from heel to toes several times, making firm contact with floor each time. Repeat other foot.

Torso Strengthener

Starting position – seated

• Walk forward in your chair until you are close to the edge of the chair, alternately lifting the hips and thighs each time.
• Walk all the way back in the chair again lifting hips and thighs until your spine touches the back of the chair. The object of this exercise is to actually lift the hips to create the movement. Avoid scooting or sliding along the chair surface.
• Repeat the exercise moving forward and back 3 times.

Sit to Stand Back/Leg Strengthener

Starting position – seated

• Sit at the edge of the chair with feet flat on the floor and slightly under the chair.
• Rock forward and back 3 times.
• Repeat rocking 3 more times, pressing the heels into the floor each time you rock forward.
• As you rock forward and press your heels into the floor, lift your bottom off the chair. Push with your legs and come to a semi-standing position. Slowly return to the seated position.  Repeat the same sit to stand movement except this time stand all the way up.
• Repeat this sit to stand exercise 3-10 times daily as tolerated.

Related Blogs:

Rise Up: Tips To Make Standing Up From a Seated Position Easy

Abdominal Exercises In A Chair

Sink Exercises for Leg Strengthening and Balance

Recommended DVDs:

The sooner you begin treating carpal tunnel syndrome proactively the better your chances for a complete recovery. These simple wrist stretches will help. Because they take less than one minute to complete, and can be done anywhere, it’s easy to practice them regularly throughout the day.

Wrist Flexion Stretch for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

1. Sit or stand tall and take several deep breaths.

2. Extend one arm in front of the body, no higher than shoulder height.

3. With the palm facing down, flex the wrist so that the fingers point to the ground.

4. Use the other hand to gently encourage the stretch.

5. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds and repeat on the other side.

Wrist Extension Stretch for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

1. Sit or stand tall and take several deep breaths.

2. Extend one arm in front of the body, no higher than shoulder height.

3. Begin with the palm facing down, extend the wrist so that the fingers point up to the ceiling.

4. Use the other hand to gently encourage the stretch.

5. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds and repeat on the other side.

Finishing Touch

After completing the stretches, relax the arms to the sides and shake the wrists gently. As often as you can, throughout the day, check to make sure your wrists are staying in good alignment with your forearms. Pay special attention to your wrist position if you spend time at a computer. Don’t allow them to sink down while your fingers are typing on the keyboard. Rather, find something to support your wrists so they can stay in good alignment while you work.

To the extent that you can, make it your mission to identify and avoid repetitive wrist movements. Most importantly, don’t let symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome go unchecked. Remember, exercise is an important part of any treatment plan. Seek the advice of a physical therapist or occupational therapist. They will provide you with additional exercises to help. Wishing you success and good health, always!

Related Blogs:

About CTS and How To Avoid It

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Exercises

Recommended DVDs:

Functional Balance Testing

Reduce Fall Risk with this Easy Assessment Tool

By Mary Ann Wilson, RN

Functional balance assessments  tell us if we’re at risk for a fall. They also give clues about what skills we can practice on our own to improve balance. This is relevant because falls are dangerous and costly.  On an average year, 300,000 older adults end up with a fractured hip because of a fall. For many of them the injury sets in motion a downward spiral that leads to loss of independence or even life. Hence, it’s well worth our time to improve functional balance and to do what we can to avoid falls.

We use 8 functional assessments in the Sit and Be Fit Balance Enrichment Training (BET) course to help participants become aware of their fall risk.  All 8 assessments are taken from either the Senior Fitness Tests developed by Dr. Jessie Jones and Dr. Roberta Rikli or the Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB) Scale developed by Debra Rose, PhD.

In this blog post we’ll take a look at an assessment that involves reaching forward with one hand to retrieve an object. The results will give you an indication of whether or not you can keep your “center of gravity over your base of support”. In other words, it will tell you if you can keep your balance when there is a forward directional shift in your upper body.

Reaching Forward to Retrieve an Object

Equipment: Pencil, 12 inch ruler

Set up: Stand with your feet hip width apart and lift your arm forward, to shoulder level. Using a ruler to measure, have the person who is testing you hold a pencil 12 inches in front of  your fingertips  Bending forward from your hips, try to retrieve the pencil and return to the starting position without moving your feet.

Results: If you aren’t able to retrieve the pencil without moving your feet then you know you should be practicing this skill on a regular basis until you can execute it with ease. Find things around the house to reach for. Begin practicing at distances that you feel comfortable with and work up from there. Be sure to keep your back straight and bend from the hip joints.

Another way to improve performance of this skill is to strengthen your toes with toe gripping exercises. An easy way to challenge the muscles of the feet and toes is to practice the Forward Tree-Sway Exercise (below).  Practice twice a day while you are brushing your teeth in the morning and at night.

Forward Tree-Sway Exercise

You may remember Barbara Walters asking people she interviewed, “If you were a tree, what kind would you be?” Think about your answer. Now pretend you are that tree. Imagine the wind is blowing you from behind. Gently sway forward keeping your body upright in one solid unit like a tree trunk. Grip with your toes to keep yourself firmly planted. Lean as far forward as you can without moving your feet. Then shift back to center and repeat several times. This toe strengthening exercise will help improve your balance so you can be steadier on your feet!

Related Blogs:

Leg Strengthening for Balance

Gait and Balance

Balance Exercises

Recommended DVDs:

Strong shoulders begin with flexible shoulder joints. The following exercises will keep your shoulder joints flexible and healthy. These movements can be performed lying down on a bed or floor. You can also adapt them to a standing position by placing your back up against a wall.

Straight Arm Stretch Exercise for the Shoulders

• Lie on your back with knees bent. Feet should be flat on the bed or floor with arms by your side.
• Slowly raise one arm to the ceiling with the palm facing the body. Keep the neck lengthened and try not to lift the shoulder toward the ear.
• Concentrate on keeping the shoulder blades together while keeping both shoulders on the bed or floor.
• Return the arm to the starting position and raise it three more times.
• The last two times continue to raise the arm, according to your comfort level, until it rests above the head.
• Try to touch your thumb to the bed or floor, staying within your own range of motion. If there is any pain, back off.
• Repeat the exercise with other arm.

Two Arm Reaches into “Flags Up” Exercise for the Shoulders

• Lie on your back with knees bent.  Feet should be flat on bed or floor.
• Starting position: arms by your side with palms facing the body.
• Raise both arms to the ceiling with palms facing the body.
• Return to starting position. Raise both arms directly overhead keeping the shoulders in contact with the bed or floor.
• Go only as far overhead as comfortable, staying within your range of motion. Repeat several times.
• Return to the starting position.
• The next time, take both arms overhead and bend the elbows, sliding them along the bed or floor until they are in line with your shoulders, creating a “flags up” position. The palms should be facing forward.
• Extend the arms overhead by sliding the elbows back along the bed or floor. Slide the elbows back down into the flags up position and repeat several times.

Related Blogs:

Exercises to Strengthen the Shoulder Rotators with Band

Shoulder Range of Motion Exercises

Recommended DVDs:

Seven Exercises to Help You Keep Your Driving Skills Finely Tuned

By Mary Ann Wilson, RN

While we’re all attentive to keeping our vehicles in good working order to avoid break downs, few of us give much thought to tuning up the many areas of our body that contribute to safe driving. The good news is that there are a variety of easy exercises you can incorporate into your daily life that will improve your driving performance. Here’s a list of the types of exercises that can strengthen our driving skills:

1) reaction time exercises

2) hand/eye coordination exercises

3) peripheral vision exercises

4) brain exercises to improve processing time

5) neck and upper body flexibility exercises

6) vestibular system exercises

7) lower body strengthening exercises

Reaction Time and Hand/Eye Coordination

While you’re watching television there’s a simple way to work on both reaction time and hand/eye coordination. Using a ball, piece of fruit or balloon, play toss and catch with yourself during commercial breaks. Throw the ball upward in all different directions and at different heights to challenge yourself.  Practice this game seated and standing. If someone else is in the room with you get them involved by tossing it back and forth.

Peripheral Vision

Practice the same ball toss game above but this time keep the head and eyes looking forward. Intentionally challenge yourself by throwing the ball off to the sides. The object is to see the ball in your peripheral vision and react by catching it while still looking forward.

Brain

Slowly, with one hand trace a square in the air and with the other hand trace a circle. After giving it a good try, switch so that the hand that was originally tracing the circle is now trying to trace the square and vice versa. This forces the two different sides of your brain to work together in new ways.

Neck and Upper Body Flexibility /Vestibular System

The most important area to focus on with regards to upper body flexibility and the vestibular system are the muscles and movements of the neck. Begin in a seated position. As with all exercises start with good postural alignment. Rotate the neck to the right and then to the left slowly as if watching a tennis match. Keep the eyes forward as the head is moving back and forth. Next, with the same head movement follow with the eyes. Finally, lean forward slightly from the hip and look behind you in one direction. Sit back up. Lean forward again and look behind you in the opposite direction. Repeat several times.

Lower Body Strengthening

This exercise can be done from a chair using an exercise resistance band. Place the band under the right foot and hold the ends of the band in both hands. Slowly bend the right knee and lift it so that the right foot comes off the ground. Extend the leg slowly working the quadriceps muscles. Repeat 8-12 times on the right leg and change legs. If you don’t feel enough resistance, tighten the grip on the band or increase the resistance of the band. This a great exercise to do every day either when your watching television or when you are working at your desk. Keep the band next to your chair so you can remind yourself to do the exercise.

Related Blogs:

Move To Improve Your Brain

Leg Strengthening for Balance

Recommended DVDs:

Abdominal Work from the Chair

By Mary Ann Wilson, RN

Sedentary lifestyles are robbing us of good health! Recent studies have shed light on the magnitude and long term costs of this behavior. We, here at Sit and Be Fit, have a remedy. Sit, but don’t sit still. There are many many ways to exercise throughout your day while you sit at your desk working. In this blog post we will show you one easy exercise that can be done anytime, anywhere, to work your abdominal muscles from a chair.

Seated Abdominal Exercise

You will begin this exercise seated toward the front edge of your chair with your feet firmly planted on the floor. When doing this exercise for the first few times, it’s a good idea to place a pillow behind your lower back for additional support.

Check your posture before beginning. Make sure your upper body is in good alignment with shoulders back and down, spine lengthened, and chin slid back so that the ears are directly over the shoulders.

Step 1

1. Hold the sides of the chair and engage the abdominal muscles by tightening (contracting) them. Hold the contraction and take a moment to become aware of what this feels like. Don’t hold your breath! By simply engaging the core muscles, holding the contraction, and releasing them, you have learned one easy exercise that can be done throughout the day. Tip: To become familiar with what it feels like to engage your abs, imagine you have a corset on and it is being laced up tightly. Another suggestion is to imagine you are bracing yourself to receive a punch in the stomach.

2. With the core muscles engaged, brace with the arms and lift the knees. This motion will elevate the feet off the floor. Slow down the movement as you progress to add more challenge to the exercise. Tip: The knees don’t have to be lifted as high a shown in the photo. If you have osteoporosis see the warning below.

Step 2

1. With the knees lifted continue the movement by gently swinging them over to one side. Use a slow controlled motion and don’t let momentum take over.

Tip: Make sure the core muscles stay engaged. This will protect the spine and lower back. If this step is too advanced and you are not able to keep your core muscles engaged then modify the exercise by keeping the toes in contact with the floor at all times. Slide them lightly from the center position to one side. Pause and return them to center and then to the opposite side.

2. Gently touch the toes to the ground (off center in one direction). Tip: Use your arms to brace yourself during this movement. Remember to breathe and maintain good postural alignment.

Step 3

1. Keep the core engaged and lift the knees back to the center position (see step 1 photo). Continue the movement by moving the knees through center and over to the other side. Gently touch the toes down as described in step 2. Continue with this back and forth pattern.

3. Do as many repetitions of this exercise as tolerated. If at any time you feel your core muscles are not supporting your spine and lower back, stop or modify the exercise.

Warning: For those with osteoporosis use the modified version of this exercise (see step 2). Keep the toes in contact with the floor at all times and don’t lift the knees. Tip: The knees and feet should stay in alignment. Move them together as one unit from side to side. The movement can be small. Focus on the keeping the core muscles engaged and maintaining good posture.

RELATED BLOGS

Abdominal Strengthener with Band

Abdominal Exercises on the Floor

RECOMMENDED DVDs: