It’s the changing of the seasons and we know HRM is notorious for its leaf greasy and slush slippery sidewalks that strike us every fall/winter. It is also a time that wrecks the most havoc on our primarily de-conditioned bodies, i.e. we slip, fall, and end up injured for several weeks. So what can we do to prevent those nasty spills and avoid getting laid up unnecessarily? The number one way is to be in good enough physical condition to ‘catch’ ourselves if we do slip. So how can we do this you ask? In your existing fitness program incorporate some balance and agility conditioning. I know it sounds a little daunting but it is not. Balance is like all things in regards to our physical being- it is an asset that is like everything else in physical capabilities- unless we use it, we lose it! Here are some action items to help you better yourself in this area. If your routine has squats- incorporate single leg squats while holding on to a stable item (a chair for instances). Simply hold the back of a chair, balance on the outside foot and lower yourself until you are challenged, then raise yourself back up, do this ten to twelve times and repeat on the other legs, do twice per leg. Another great conditioning exercise is one leg jump-ups on to a step or phonebook. Briefly – to start- balance on one leg with your foot beside the phonebook or step, flex at the knee and jump up on the step while remaining on the single leg, regain your balance and then jump back down. Do 10-15 repetitions per leg, twice per leg. This may seem difficult at first but with practice you will improve quickly. In reality doing any exercise where you normally stand on two feet and changing it to standing on only one foot is very beneficial to dramatically improving your balance quickly – try it- even a simple barbell curl for your arms done while balancing on one foot becomes more beneficial and challenging as it is now working to whole body as a unit. Also, most exercises that condition your core is also very helpful to improving balance as a strong, conditioned core keeps you upright and more reactive to sudden changes in your center of gravity- as in a slip. As conditioned as you may be many injuries occur during the actual slip when you try to prevent the fall, i.e. you stick your arms out to catch yourself. It is at this point where you can injure, or break, a shoulder, arm, or wrist. The only way around this is if you can ‘roll’ into the fall. That is, turn your body into the fall, keep your arms in close to the body and hopefully fall on your side and back and again hopefully minimize the damage. Some other important points would include being more aware of your environment. Look ahead when walking to see what is coming up for conditions and adjust your pace if you see leaves or slush in your path. Be aware of what kind of walking surface you are encountering- mall floors are notoriously slippery when wet, so use extreme caution when entering a mall from the outdoors on a wet and slushy day. And finally one thing you should always do is wear the appropriate footwear. Forget style and go for something with good thread and traction. Following these helpful hints should make this season safer and more enjoyable. Be wise, slow down a bit and be good to yourself. - Words from the trainer.