The City of Wilton Manors Launches "Brains and Balance Past 60"

WILTON MANORS, Fla., May 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is commentary from program participant and Wilton Manors resident Benjamin Little:

I'm never going to set the beach afire, but after five weeks of Brains and Balance Past 60 I've found it's much easier to get there.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140515/88185

Brains and Balance Past 60, a new program launched by the City of Wilton Manors, is a special exercise program held every Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the Hagen Park Community Center. The exercises and activities, designed to aide the mind and body, are deceptively simple, but a great deal more difficult than one would expect – from walking on unstable surfaces to fighting a big rubber band around your hips - backwards and forwards. All of it gives the body a workout, not only strengthening the muscles that provide physical stability, but it also increases blood flow circulation to the brain.

One main goal is to increase lower and middle body strength to help those past 60 claim small victories – getting in and out of a chair or a bathtub using only leg strength is one of the most important. Young drama students learn that to play a character of "advanced age," they need to act as though they have difficulty getting out of chairs and push off with their arms.  As I grew older I would find I wasn't acting when I had to use both hands to get up. Now, thanks to this program, in part, I'm back to where I was in college, even if it is just a small part.

But what good is strength if you can't stay on your own two feet?

Brains and Balance Past 60 also focuses on balance so you're less apt to fall, which is a huge issue for the over 60 set. In the event we do fall though, we're also taught how best to do it so we don't break a hip or worse.

At the start, I did not have high expectations, but I'm showing a lot of progress, as are the other participants.

I find "down" escalators a challenge.  You have to balance on one foot while landing on a moving target with the other.  I look for the elevator.  I am confident that this program will fix this problem.

As for the brains part of the program – which focuses on memory, reasoning, conceptualization, language and problem solving skills, I can see where this would be helpful to people.  These exercises range from "Name the actor from 40 years ago" to math and word puzzles, some of them devious.

The class is led by Guy Andrews, of Exercise ETC, Inc.  He is well attuned to the capabilities of each of the participants and is always in the right place should someone be having difficulty.

To sign-up for Brains and Balance Past 60, call the Wilton Manors Leisure Services Department at 954-390-2130.  The class is free for Wilton Manors residents and $3.00 for non-residents.

ABOUT THE CITY OF WILTON MANORS
Wilton Manors was laid out in 1925 by Edward John "Ned" Willingham, a land developer from Georgia, as an upscale residential community.  It was recognized as a Village in 1947 and incorporated as a City in 1953. Today, the City of Wilton Manors offers all the benefits of a big city from shopping, to hip restaurants and bars, a burgeoning arts community and tons of community events, yet still maintains a cozy, community-feeling offering miles of natural waterways perfect for kayaking, paddle boarding and other outdoor activities. Recently named the "Second Gayest City" in the United States, the City of Wilton Manors celebrates a diverse population of approximately 12,000 residents.  To learn more about the live, work and play opportunities in Wilton Manors call (954) 390-2100 or visit www.wiltonmanors.com

CONTACT: Laurie Menekou, (954) 271-4666 (or) [email protected]

SOURCE City of Wilton Manors