Better Balance for Life: Banish the Fear of Falling with Simple Activities Added to Your Everyday Routine

by Carol Clements, Dr. Jon LaPook (Foreword)

“Falls can kill you. Here’s how to minimize the risk. . . . Get Carol Clements’s new book,  Better Balance for Life , that details a 10-week plan for improving stability.” — Jane Brody,   The New York Times

Improve your balance in just ten weeks without breaking a sweat

As you age, stumbling blocks are the bottom step, the roadside curb, and even the living room carpet. But you don’t have to live in fear of falling. With Better Balance for Life , you will learn all-new, simple activities to help you build strength and increase flexibility to improve your balance! In this ten-week program, personal trainer Carol Clements shows you effortless moves to slide into your everyday routine. With four new activities each week, building better balance is fun and easy. By the end, you, too, will be marching with your eyes closed!

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Self Help

208 pages, Paperback

Published November 20, 2018

Reviews

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Balance only turns on when a person is standing. In the modern world of smart phones and Uber, people mostly sit. Without regular practice, balance is lost. Better Balance for Life details easy exercises to be done while also doing daily tasks that will prevent this decline in balance.

With literally no time spent, the exercises in this book will prevent falls both now and in later life. Stand on one foot while brushing your teeth and curve like a rainbow while waiting for an elevator are just two of the imaginative exercises here. The exercises begin simply and get progressively more difficult. Four exercises are added each week. Most of the exercises sound deceptively easy but are somewhat challenging like patting your head and rubbing your stomach. However, all are fun.

Better Balance for Life is an enjoyably way to prevent breaking a hip when older. It would make a great gift for a grandfather or an elderly aunt. 4 stars!

Thanks to the publisher, The Experiment, and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm half the age of the youngest of the target audience for this book, so I feel a little strange rating it. But it caught my eye when the library where I work got a copy today, and I read through it.

This book, as you might gather from the title, contains a variety of activities to help improve balance. They start out very basic and gradually build up in difficulty, and they are presented in a way that makes them easy to add into your daily routine. But it doesn't just tell you how to do them; it often explains why. What you're strengthening, how this applies to improving your balance. It also tries to help you increase understanding and consciousness of your body and how it's working in your daily activities. I think these things are valuable.

The exercises are described in clear, ordinary language, avoiding unusual anatomy or exercise terms that someone unfamiliar with the subject might not recognize. The illustrations are basic but helpful, and they give a good idea of what it might look like for a real person to do the various movements and stretches.

[Noema · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great, accessible guide for preventing the most common and serious injuries among older adults. And, in fact, it could be very useful to anyone of any age who has legs and needs to walk (in my early thirties I fell down a flight of stairs and am still paying for it--this book could have saved me).

I also love that the illustrations are of older adults. I don't love that they are all white people though.

[Sugarpuss O'Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not quite the target audience age-wise, but it's never too early to work on your balance. Most books list a bunch of movements and let you fend for yourself. This one has a nicely laid-out program that builds from one week to the next. It should be interesting to see how it works out.

[Roe · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who suffers from neurological balance issues due to MS, I found this book very interesting and informative. The exercises and illustrations are easy to follow and can be done in the comfort of your home.
I was familiar with some of these exercises, but plan on incorporating others to help with my balance. I also plan on telling my doctor about this book so others may benefit as well.

[John Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carol Clements has been a personal trainer, yoga instructor, and dance and movement specialist for over forty years. So she knows what she is talking about. This book could be a lifesaver if you can't afford a personal trainer or hate gyms. Many people with a sedentary lifestyle and older people develop balance problems that can limit their activities and risk serious injury. The activities in the book are relatively easy to master, illustrated, and explained well and can be incorporated into daily routines. Several skills, such as brushing teeth balance, have several steps and pages labeled your walking stride that I would prefer to be grouped together to see the progression of improving balance. If you need to improve your balance and live a better life, it will require dedication and hard work, but this book has the basic blueprint to follow.

[Daniel Christensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very much about mixing easy balance and movement cues into your day to day life.
Balance on one foot while burgling teeth, build in a few stretches first thing in morning, last thing at night, that sort of thing.
Not every single suggestion stuck with me, but feel like I got good value.
Was reasonably unique in just how clearly structured it was, although I still used a reminder system as well.

[TRESA A. REED · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple and quick ways to get better balance. Anyone can do it!

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

And excellent book for all ages, about gaining and maintaining better balance and posture. The exercises are easy to follow.

[Pam Lauman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book I need to purchase in order to do all the exercises. Great resource and program if you are feeling unsteady.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book with lots of helpful information. After borrowing it from library, I bought several copies to give as gifts and one to keep.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great guide and explanation of balance with easy to understand instructions and diagrams for exercises.

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Many ideas for incorporating balance exercises into your everyday tasks included, some with helpful illustrations.

[Nancy Higgs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great resource for balance exercises.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this book for my Mom after she suffered a couple of falls. Great daily activities to keep you strong and balanced. I hope I remember this book in 20 years!

[Pamela Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I pay $14 for a 50 minute Pilates class. I think this has everything Pilates has plus some information on how to minimize damage if you do fall.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book and ordered one for my personal use. If my balance gets better, I am sure it will be a 5 star book for me.

[Two Readers in Love · Rating 4 out of 5]

The secret of youth is a long front body. Several practical movements you can incorporate throughout your day to improve your balance and your movement patterns overall. For all ages and abilities.

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even the ratings of fewer than 5 stars are from people who rave about the book, so I don't understand their ratings. This book is excellent, so don't go just by the number of stars.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a simple book, but it gives a great explanation for each section. It also provides excellent drawings to help you understand each exercise. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is wanting to improve their balance!