- Hello, I'm Cassy.

Welcome to my Quick Fit balance series.

Today, we're starting the intermediate level.

As we progress through these levels, you'll be seeing measurable improvements in your balance in no time.

We don't need any special equipment today, but I do suggest you set your feet free from shoes so the sense receptors on the bottoms are in direct contact with the floor.

Let's get started.

[gentle music] All right, now we're at the intermediate level.

It's very similar to the last progression with our feet shoulder-width apart.

Push up onto your toes, just like last time.

But this time, you're getting the ball of your foot off the floor.

That means your toes are still touching.

Take your time; you're probably a bit wobbly, and that's normal.

Let your body stabilize.

Think about something else like breathing and your posture.

Feel your weight shift entirely to your standing leg so that your toes are just skimming the floor.

But you can tell they aren't supporting your weight.

You may not be able to move past this stage for another week or two.

You'll probably need to be in this class for several weeks because I have a few progressions built right into this stage.

If you aren't stable with all of your weight on one leg, then don't move ahead until you can remain stable.

With your toes just barely touching the floor, there's no weight going down through them.

In about a week, you should be able to move on.

If you're stable, then you can lift your toes ever so slightly off the floor for three seconds.

Once you're able to do that with control, meaning you decide when to put your toes down, then you can move on to five seconds.

You lift, count to five, put 'em down.

Once you've succeeded with control to 10 seconds.

And while you're doing that, experiment with small movements of the arms.

Then I'd like you to continue with this class for another week or so, gradually adding time before moving on to part two of this intermediate level.

Very good, now let's do the other leg.

All right, feet are shoulder-width apart.

You'll shift your weight entirely onto your other leg.

Get the ball of the foot off.

Your toes are touching, just skimming the floor, but there's no weight going down through them.

I know your standing foot is probably wobbly.

Allow your focus to glaze over.

Take that posture inventory, head and neck, shoulders, our back, lengthen your spine, abs are in.

If you are now at the stable stage, it's time for you to barely lift your toes off the floor.

There's almost no movement because you already had all your weight shifted, right?

Just a little toe flex for three seconds.

If you've become stable with the three seconds, then you'll be ready to move on to a controlled, five-second lift.

Got that mastered, then you're ready for 10 seconds and a slight lift of the arms, like this.

The goal is 20 seconds of control with consistency before moving to the next stage of this Quick Fit balance series.

[inhales] Remember, stick with part one of this intermediate balance series for the next few weeks, or however much time you need to become stable at each time increment.

Be patient with yourself and keep in mind that jumping ahead before you're ready can hinder your progress.

Just log back on to pbswisconsin.org/quickfit to improve in easy stages, so by next season, you'll be much more confident in your balance reflexes.

Know someone who could use this class?

Share it with them so they too can age well.

Until next time, keep on moving.

- Announcer: Funding for Quick Fit with Cassy is provided by Focus Fund for Wisconsin Programs and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.