Dynamic Aging for All Ages – When we think of aging, we think of rounded spines, shorter strides, maybe shuffling feet, weaker upper body, our head out in front of our body, poor balance. But this doesn’t have to be our future. This workshop starts with spinal alignment basics, then provides a series of foundation exercises to incorporate in everyday living to change the habits of how we move, and ultimately, how we age.

Simple Exercises for Whole Body Mobility – This is a tour around our bodies to provide a foundation for our everyday movement, from our toes to our nose (or rather, our chin). These daily corrective exercises can reboot our brains to rethink the ‘new normal’ in our alignment practices, whether standing, walking, sitting or laying down. Changing how our bodies feel comes from changing our daily habits. But it doesn’t have to be complicated or hard.

Stand Taller, Feel Stronger, Look Younger – This is a Dynamic Aging class specifically focusing on bringing ourselves back towards our original height. We look at what alignment habits we have that are pulling us forward, putting more pressure on our lower back, knees and feet. We will bring our ears back over our shoulders without thrusting our rib cage or arching our back, and learn corrective exercises to increase strength to keep us upright.

Make Gravity Your Friend – Weight bearing activity has been the keystone of strong bones and strength building. But we don’t need to carry weights to get stronger. Let’s align our spines, then let our body weight do the rest. Just moving your pelvis and femur over your heels as you climb stairs can be an amazing butt building exercise, our body’s powerhouse muscle. Learn lots of gravity-based exercises to make the most of your movement, all day long.

Alignment Matters! – This workshop is based on the primer written by Katy Bowman during the first five years of her blog posts, Katy Says. We’ll start with our feet, up through our legs, our spine, our head and change how we stretch, how we strengthen and how we move. Read the book Alignment Matters and all Katy Bowman’s many books, at her bookstore or at any major bookseller.

Bone Up Bone Density – We have four potential ‘break’ areas of our bones as we age. This class will focus on movement practices that can strengthen and add flexibility and mobility to our wrists, ribs, vertebrae and hips.

We’re Not Too Old to ‘Get Up, Get Down’ – Getting down to the floor and getting back up is a fantastic whole body exercise. Learn multiple techniques for all ages for comfortably getting down to the floor and getting back up, regardless of fitness level. And watch your life expand as you rethink how you garden, play with your grandchildren, or play with a puppy.

Shoulder TLC – The ability to move our shoulders is dependent on the alignment of our spine and our rib cage as well as the tension in our neck, arms and hands. This class gently breaks up parts of the motion of the shoulder, and gives us feedback on when we are outsourcing that movement to our spine and rib cage. As we increase true range of motion, we can reduce shoulder tension and discomfort.

Balance: It’s an Inside Job – We don’t have to lose our balance as we age. The number one reason for falling is loss of muscle tone. We’ll work on our lateral hip muscle and our butt muscle strength and our core.  As we practice balance throughout a variety of corrective exercises, our balance and stability will return and we will lose our fear of falling.

Liberate Your Hips – This class will focus on lengthening and strengthening vital thigh, lower leg and butt muscles necessary for walking and squatting. Each time we sit and stand up can be our new best exercise, if done properly.

Liberate Your Shoulders, Hips & Spine – The ability to use our shoulders depends on the alignment of the rib cage and the pelvis, as well as tension in the arms and neck. We will break up the parts of the shoulder girdle, find our shoulder motion, then use biofeedback techniques to tell our brain that this alignment is our ‘new normal’.

Fabulous Fit Feet – We have 33 joints in each foot, and 25 percent of the muscles and bones in the body are from the ankle down. One quarter of the positions available to our body starts in the feet. Our feet are our foundation for our movements and lack of flexibility will limit our movement. Even better news: a foot class is almost as good as a massage and will last a lot longer!

What’s Pulling You Forward? – Muscle tension in the chest and shoulders will help gravity pull you forward. But it’s weak posterior muscles that are unable to hold your spine, head and shoulders in position. This class will strengthen back muscles, especially between your shoulder blades.

What’s Slowing You Down – Tension in our lower legs and feet cause the upper body to accelerate faster than our lower body. We will work on alignment while standing, especially focusing on alignment on one foot, which is essential to gait. Walk easier, stand taller!