About DJ Lipton
I've been loving dance and movement ever since I took my first dance class
at age 4 and I've studied and performed
Cuban Orisha
and Folkloric
Rumba in the Bay Area,
and studied several African dances, including Congolese,
Haitian,
Cuban
Folkloric Orisha, as well as modern, ballet, salsa and ballroom.
I practiced Chinese Kenpo Karate for four
years back in my twenties and
was a coxswain on a rowing team in high school when I wasn't dancing on the
Modern Dance Team.
These wide varieties of movement have given me a deep
understanding of the body's abilities, as well as a wide range of
movements to use in
working with my clients. As I've gained in years (I'm 55), my desire has increased to
work with
people who were also aging and to pass along my love of movement.
I keep in mind the increasing limitations
we can experience as we age, but also know
that muscles can be rebuilt for increased strength, stability and stamina,
and for
osteoporosis and injury prevention. In addition keeping active can delay and
diminish the effects of many other diseases such as Alzhiemers and Parkinsons.
I'm now an Official Zumba Level Two, Zumba Toning and Zumba Gold Instructor,
and I'm certified through American Fitness and Aerobics
Association as a
Personal Trainer and Group Exercise Instructor;
and I'm also certified through
SCW-FITT in Weight Management and Balance and Fall Prevention for the
50+ populations, and
I've had many hours of
continuing education in elder fitness.
My Mother's Story
One of the main reason for my inspiration for developing this fitness practice
came from watching my mother
weaken as she aged, with serious consequences to
her well being and quality of life. She developed severe
osteoporosis, and later in her
life she also has contracted Parkinson's Disease. She began falling, but because of
the osteoporosis, the falls resulted in painful compression fractures in her spine. She passed away peacefully last March, 2008, after spending the last 5 years of her life completely
bedridden, and in continuous pain. As osteoporosis can be prevented by weight bearing exercises,
this may have
be avoided if she had been more phyically active during her life.
My desire is to work with others and provide support and encouragement needed to become and stay strong -
and
avoid these painful debilitations. Even if we do become ill, having strong muscles and bones
will delay the worst
effects for a lot longer. My program is designed to help others avoid these more
serious effects of aging through
joyful movement and bone building exercises!
Remember: Reduced mass or atrophy of our muscles is not a direct result of aging, but is from to under-use
of the muscles due to our sedentary lifestyle. Aging can accelerate the process of muscle and bone loss, but
exercise can prevent and even reverse it. And, it is NEVER too late to start !!
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