The Foundations of Balance and Fall Prevention Series includes two books, which can be purchased online or locally in Ottawa. More details can be found below. View the free workouts for these books here and here!
The Ultimate At-Home Toolkit for Seniors to Regain Balance, Build Strength, and Prevent Falls!
As we age, maintaining our independence and mobility becomes a top priority. The fear of falling can quickly lead to a sedentary lifestyle, which only causes our muscles to weaken and our joints to stiffen further. But it doesn't have to be this way!
The Foundations of Balance & Fall Prevention series provides a comprehensive, gentle, and highly effective roadmap for older adults to fall-proof their bodies. Created by Ottawa-based fitness professional and older-adult exercise specialist Amanda Sterczyk, these books take the intimidation out of fitness. You don't need special equipment, a gym membership, or prior experience—just a sturdy chair and a desire to take back control of your health.
Book 1: Balance and Your Body The perfect starting point for anyone looking to break the fear-of-falling cycle. This guide focuses on functional fitness and everyday mobility.
Book 2: Balance 2.0 Taking your stability to the next level, this follow-up focuses heavily on combating sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss) through targeted strength training.
Whether you are starting from scratch or looking to advance your current stability, the Foundations of Balance & Fall Prevention series will give you the tools, confidence, and strength to tackle your bucket list. Remember: practice makes progress, not perfect!
The Ultimate At-Home Toolkit for Seniors to Regain Balance, Build Strength, and Prevent Falls!
As we age, maintaining our independence and mobility becomes a top priority. The fear of falling can quickly lead to a sedentary lifestyle, which only causes our muscles to weaken and our joints to stiffen further. But it doesn't have to be this way!
The Foundations of Balance & Fall Prevention series provides a comprehensive, gentle, and highly effective roadmap for older adults to fall-proof their bodies. Created by Ottawa-based fitness professional and older-adult exercise specialist Amanda Sterczyk, these books take the intimidation out of fitness. You don't need special equipment, a gym membership, or prior experience—just a sturdy chair and a desire to take back control of your health.
Book 1: Balance and Your Body The perfect starting point for anyone looking to break the fear-of-falling cycle. This guide focuses on functional fitness and everyday mobility.
- Learn the Three Pillars of Balance: Understand how your visual, vestibular, and somatosensory systems work together.
- Lubricate Stiff Joints: Master Controlled Articular Rotations (CARs) to naturally increase joint mobility and ease of movement.
- Master Active Sitting and Standing: Discover how to turn everyday posture into a core-strengthening, bone-loading habit.
Book 2: Balance 2.0 Taking your stability to the next level, this follow-up focuses heavily on combating sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss) through targeted strength training.
- Adaptable Workouts: Features brand-new exercises categorized into standing, seated, and lying-down routines to accommodate every ability level.
- Brain-Body Visualizations: Employs unique mental imagery cues for each movement to improve coordination and control.
- Real-World Success: Built around the exact step-by-step exercise plan the author used to help her 80-year-old father safely regain his strength and independence after a series of hospitalizations. Includes a built-in training log!
Whether you are starting from scratch or looking to advance your current stability, the Foundations of Balance & Fall Prevention series will give you the tools, confidence, and strength to tackle your bucket list. Remember: practice makes progress, not perfect!
Balance and Your Body: How Exercise Can Help You Avoid a Fall
WHERE TO PURCHASE?
Pick up your copy today, or online at Amazon.
Available in Ottawa, Perth, and Renfrew: You can purchase at Indigo Kanata, 400 Earl Grey Drive (Unit 1), Re-Read Used Books, 7-160 Blanca St., Gloucester, ON, Spark Books and Curio, 76 Foster St, Perth, and In a Bind: Valley Refinery and Bookstore, 158 Raglan St S, Renfrew
Pick up your copy today, or online at Amazon.
Available in Ottawa, Perth, and Renfrew: You can purchase at Indigo Kanata, 400 Earl Grey Drive (Unit 1), Re-Read Used Books, 7-160 Blanca St., Gloucester, ON, Spark Books and Curio, 76 Foster St, Perth, and In a Bind: Valley Refinery and Bookstore, 158 Raglan St S, Renfrew
Balance 2.0: Preventing Falls with Exercise
WHERE TO PURCHASE?
Pick up your copy today, or online at Amazon.
Available in Ottawa and Perth: You can purchase at Coles Carlingwood, 2121 Carling Ave., Indigo Kanata, 400 Earl Grey Drive (Unit 1), Books on Beechwood, 35 Beechwood Ave., and In a Bind: Valley Refinery and Bookstore, 158 Raglan St S, Renfrew
Pick up your copy today, or online at Amazon.
Available in Ottawa and Perth: You can purchase at Coles Carlingwood, 2121 Carling Ave., Indigo Kanata, 400 Earl Grey Drive (Unit 1), Books on Beechwood, 35 Beechwood Ave., and In a Bind: Valley Refinery and Bookstore, 158 Raglan St S, Renfrew
Balance and Your Body Book excerpt:
Clock Toe Taps
Clock toe taps are a transition exercise to help you incorporate static balance with a degree of coordination as you move one leg away from your body and return it back to the centre. This exercise is more dynamic than the last balance challenge, but not as involved as a fully dynamic balance exercise.
To start: Stand near a counter, wall, or sturdy chair, and hang on with your left hand. You will be working the right leg first, so make sure there are no obstacles in a cir- cle near your right leg. Imagine that there’s a clock face on the floor and you’re standing in the middle of it. The goal is to tap each hour on the clock from 12 o’clock all the way to six o’clock, and then repeat the toe taps in the opposite direction back to 12 o’clock. Try to do this exercise three times on each leg. Here’s how it works:
1. Twelve o'clock: Reach your right foot forward with a straight leg and gently tap your big toe at the 12 o’clock position, then return it to the ground beside your left foot. Keep your weight on your standing leg, and gently but quickly tap your toe on the ground.
2. Moving around the clock: Continue tapping your toe around the imaginary clock, always returning to the centre between each “hour” and placing your foot on the ground before continuing to the next “hour.” If a particu- lar position feels too difficult or uncomfortable, don’t reach as far. Instead of tapping the toe on the ground, just lift the leg in that direction and return it to the centre, beside your left foot.
3. Switch legs: Once you have finished the exercise with your right leg, turn around and hold on to your sup- port with your right hand.
4. Repeat: Repeat the toe taps with your left foot, be- ginning at 12 o’clock and working backwards from 11 o’clock down to six o’clock. Repeat in the opposite direc- tion, returning to 12 o’clock.
Do you need to make it easier? Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair and perform the toe taps from 12 o’clock to three o’clock on the right leg, and from 12 o’clock to nine o’clock on the left leg. Start by doing the exercises once on each leg, and gradually work your way up to three repeti- tions.
Are you ready to make it harder? If you feel strong and stable enough, try a few clock toe taps without holding on to your support.
Image: Copyright Emily Sterczyk, 2019, All rights reserved.
Text: Copyright Amanda Sterczyk, 2019, All rights reserved.
Clock toe taps are a transition exercise to help you incorporate static balance with a degree of coordination as you move one leg away from your body and return it back to the centre. This exercise is more dynamic than the last balance challenge, but not as involved as a fully dynamic balance exercise.
To start: Stand near a counter, wall, or sturdy chair, and hang on with your left hand. You will be working the right leg first, so make sure there are no obstacles in a cir- cle near your right leg. Imagine that there’s a clock face on the floor and you’re standing in the middle of it. The goal is to tap each hour on the clock from 12 o’clock all the way to six o’clock, and then repeat the toe taps in the opposite direction back to 12 o’clock. Try to do this exercise three times on each leg. Here’s how it works:
1. Twelve o'clock: Reach your right foot forward with a straight leg and gently tap your big toe at the 12 o’clock position, then return it to the ground beside your left foot. Keep your weight on your standing leg, and gently but quickly tap your toe on the ground.
2. Moving around the clock: Continue tapping your toe around the imaginary clock, always returning to the centre between each “hour” and placing your foot on the ground before continuing to the next “hour.” If a particu- lar position feels too difficult or uncomfortable, don’t reach as far. Instead of tapping the toe on the ground, just lift the leg in that direction and return it to the centre, beside your left foot.
3. Switch legs: Once you have finished the exercise with your right leg, turn around and hold on to your sup- port with your right hand.
4. Repeat: Repeat the toe taps with your left foot, be- ginning at 12 o’clock and working backwards from 11 o’clock down to six o’clock. Repeat in the opposite direc- tion, returning to 12 o’clock.
Do you need to make it easier? Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair and perform the toe taps from 12 o’clock to three o’clock on the right leg, and from 12 o’clock to nine o’clock on the left leg. Start by doing the exercises once on each leg, and gradually work your way up to three repeti- tions.
Are you ready to make it harder? If you feel strong and stable enough, try a few clock toe taps without holding on to your support.
Image: Copyright Emily Sterczyk, 2019, All rights reserved.
Text: Copyright Amanda Sterczyk, 2019, All rights reserved.
Balance 2.0 Book excerpt:
Clams
The clam exercise strengthens the hip muscles on the outside of your legs, a muscle that is often neglected but is also beneficial in preventing falls.
To start: Begin by lying on your left side on your bed or on the ground. Support your head on your left arm or with a pillow. Bend your legs, pulling your knees in front of your torso, with your right leg directly on top of your left. Your heels, hips, and shoulders should form a straight line. This will be your starting position.
1. Keeping your feet together, lift your right knee upwards, directly above your left knee.
2. Pause at the top of the movement for one to two seconds.
3. Lower your knee to the starting position.
4. Repeat eight to 10 times.
5. Roll over to your right side, and repeat steps 1 to 4.
Visualize: Your knees are the centre of a clam shell that is opening and closing in the water. Your hips and feet are the edges of the shell, controlling how much the shell can open.
Do you need to make it easier? Don’t lift your knee as high.
Are you ready to make it harder? Keeping your heels together, lift your feet off the bed or floor. Follow steps 1 to 4 with your feet in the air. Roll over and repeat steps 1 to 4 on the other side.
Image: Copyright Emily Sterczyk, 2020, All rights reserved.
Text: Copyright Amanda Sterczyk, 2020, All rights reserved.
The clam exercise strengthens the hip muscles on the outside of your legs, a muscle that is often neglected but is also beneficial in preventing falls.
To start: Begin by lying on your left side on your bed or on the ground. Support your head on your left arm or with a pillow. Bend your legs, pulling your knees in front of your torso, with your right leg directly on top of your left. Your heels, hips, and shoulders should form a straight line. This will be your starting position.
1. Keeping your feet together, lift your right knee upwards, directly above your left knee.
2. Pause at the top of the movement for one to two seconds.
3. Lower your knee to the starting position.
4. Repeat eight to 10 times.
5. Roll over to your right side, and repeat steps 1 to 4.
Visualize: Your knees are the centre of a clam shell that is opening and closing in the water. Your hips and feet are the edges of the shell, controlling how much the shell can open.
Do you need to make it easier? Don’t lift your knee as high.
Are you ready to make it harder? Keeping your heels together, lift your feet off the bed or floor. Follow steps 1 to 4 with your feet in the air. Roll over and repeat steps 1 to 4 on the other side.
Image: Copyright Emily Sterczyk, 2020, All rights reserved.
Text: Copyright Amanda Sterczyk, 2020, All rights reserved.