I’m looking for new ways to help an 83 year old out of shape male learn how to get up from the floor
This client walks and does basic upper body exercise, plus some Qigong. Besides general lower body and core conditioning, figured I’d teach how to move from seated position in chair onto one knee (with other foot planted flat)and upper body partly supported on chair, to quadruped position,then reverse sequence to get back onto chair. Also will teach how to roll over from supine and press up to quadruped, then step one foot forward similar to above. Any other ideas?? Thanks!
What you are doing, teaching the gentleman a sequence and method of getting up off the floor, is a good idea. The necessary move from there is to make sure the individual has enough strength and balance to execute what he’s learned, which you are doing.
General strength training supplemented with balance training should be on the menu. So much of what people term a “lack of balance” is often a lack of strength.
I’ve trained quite a few people in this age group, and have employed ball squats or simply getting up and down from a chair as lower body conditioning exercises, and the individuals have gained significant confidence and ability from them.
I think the BOSU will be your best friend in this, as balance is very important in that whole process. I’ve also used a smith machine bar to work with modified pushups and pullups, as many seniors don’t have the strength to do them with just their bodyweight; seniors need the strength to push from the floor and pull themselves up from off of it. Good luck!
Can he do wall pushups to increase his upper body strength?
I have my clients start by sitting on two pillows and learn how to get up from them.
It seems the floor is daunting to some
Once they do two, they sit on one then finally the floor.
The methods you describe are right on actually.
Possibly practicing on the pillows will help with his technique in the long run.
Have you googled “ground to stand” patterns or used that as a search term on youtube? Nick Luciano has a bunch of developmental ground to stand patterns; I saw them via a training through the institute of Motion, but they might be available as free content if you do a search. Nick’s stuff might give you additional ideas, starting from the very simple to the very complex.
The thing that keeps running through my mind is a phrase from Gary Gray. “The exercise is the test, and the test is the exercise.” Training specific muscle groups is helpful and I like your thinking. Do those movement patterns map closely to situations that he will be in in his life? IE, if his greatest fear is getting up from his living room floor, what would have have access to in his living room to help him get up?