Category: Hiking in Napa Valley

Why Strong Knees and Ankles Matter More Than You Think

The knee and ankle are commonly overlooked contributors to mobility, strength, balance, and coordination.  Walking, climbing stairs, hiking a trail, or participating in recreational athletic physical activities such as tennis, golf, or pickleball all depend on the seamless relationship between these two joints. When they move well together, life feels fluid. When they do not, …

Continue reading

Variety in Movement Helps the Body Age Better

“I’m trying not to get old,” Nero responded after I asked how he was doing at the beginning of his training session. Nero is one of our veteran personal training clients with an animated sense of humor who uses physical activity as a key tool to empower his life. As a gentleman in his early …

Continue reading

Core Strength Assists in Everyday Function

Sometimes, the gold standard of “a strong core” can be visualized as a picture of Brad Pitt’s abs in his appearance in the classic movie Thelma and Louise.  After taking his shirt off in a display that swooned viewers who were observing a specimen with the muscular body, structure, and proportions of a Greek god, …

Continue reading

One More Step Every Day

“I took a spill the other day,” commented my friend Marion.  After a look of concern hovered over my face, Marion continued to say, “Not really sure what happened.  I was taking my usual morning walk after I read the newspaper and, the next thing you know, I’m on the ground.”  He pointed to his …

Continue reading

Maintaining Strength and Muscle with Age

Sarcopenia can be defined as the loss of muscle during the natural aging process.  As people age, there are usually changes in their psychological, emotional, and physical health.  Shifts in family life, interpersonal relationships, or career settings create stimuli that prompt people to adjust to various demands as we age.  Along with matching the pace …

Continue reading

Strong and Healthy Feet

“Oh my goodness, those shoes are adorable.”  This is one of the many comments I hear when I eavesdrop on conversations among patrons and passersby when I’m out to dinner or grocery shopping with my wife.  Indeed, she is a true fashionista at heart, and you’ll usually find her dressed to the nines seven days …

Continue reading

Consistent Exercise Helps Reduce Joint Pain

Recreational physical activities bring joy to our lives.  If we have kids or grandkids, sporty physical activities such as heading out to the field to play catch or getting down on the ground on the hands and knees to interact with a 6-month-old infant, require the confidence, coordination, and strength to bend the knees, move …

Continue reading

Exercise and Enhancing the Journey as we Age

As the Earth circles the sun, it adds another year to its portfolio of time in its resume of existing in the universe.  Humans on Earth enjoy the ride, experiencing everyday interactions with friends, family, and co-workers.  Every year, we observe the weather becoming cooler or warmer, the sun rising earlier or setting later, and …

Continue reading

Staying Active During the Less Sunny Months

As the Napa Valley enters October, we see a few leaves on the trees beginning to transition to shades of amber, brown, and yellow, and fall to the ground.  Sounds of leaf blowers and rakes start to fill the air.  The hills begin to morph into a darker green and brownish hue as the trees …

Continue reading

Using Exercise to Adapt to Changes in an Aging Body

After a three-hour competitive pickleball session with a few of my pickleball peers, we sat on the bleachers outside Vineyard Park in Yountville. Covered in a fine coat of sweat and sunscreen, we admired the picturesque landscape to the east.  Miles of trellised grape vines paved a vibrant green blanket of grape leaves and native …

Continue reading