I used to lead kids through various exercises. In one exercise, kids walked on a low balance beam. Depending on their ability, students were allowed a certain number of falls to accomplish the level. I’m not sure how this started, but many of the students began referring to the number of falls as their number of lives–like it was a video game.

This video game analogy got me thinking about the impact of falling. When we are very young, we fall a lot. If you’ve ever watched a toddler learning to walk, you know that their first attempts are full of falls. However, they are usually able to pop right back up without injury. Things change as we age. We often become more sedentary and begin to lose the strength, coordination, and flexibility that helped us recover so quickly when we were younger. While it’s not uncommon for a toddler to stand back up after three seconds, a fall in our golden years is a completely different story. They can be fatal, and unlike a video game, we can’t get a fresh start right where we left off. 

The good news is that strength, coordination, and flexibility can all be enhanced with a well-balanced exercise routine. If you aren’t already, I encourage you to invest in your future by starting a balanced exercise program now. If you need some assistance or are not sure where to start, feel free to reach out to a fitness professional. 

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a safe and healthy month.