Falling down can actually kill you.

That's what David Brinkley, Dr. Robert Atkins, Kurt Vonnegut and George Burns all had in common, according to balance expert Betty Perkins-Carpenter, author of a book with the catchy title, "How To Prevent Falls" (Senior Fitness Productions, Penfield, N.Y.). All four of them suffered a fall, didn't break anything, but died soon after from a traumatic brain injury. Mrs. Perkins-Carpenter, an Olympic diving coach at one time, has been studying balance for many years, but the real tipping point for writing her book was when she realized how terribly afraid seniors are of falling.

They should be. But improving balance and learning how to fall, isn't just for the ancient and the wobbly. It's for young, healthy, active people too because falling down is a risk in so many sports: skiing, basketball, bicycling, skateboarding ... you name it. If you're not falling, you're probably not trying hard enough. Whatever your sport, if you play it with good balance, a strong core and a precise understanding of what it means to move from your center, the better you'll do it and the safer you'll be.

Mrs. Perkins-Carpenter's six-step system for improving balance and preventing falls was recently featured in Consumer Reports on Health — a must-read in my bathroom — and I want to pass along a few of her better ideas:

— Stretch in bed when you first wake up, when you're relaxed and your muscles and tendons are warm. Stretching (all over, just use your common sense) wakes up your sensorimotor system and your gross motor system, and the more engaged they are, the better your balance.

— Do simple balance exercises a few times a week. My suggestions: stand on one leg, foot slightly raised. Switch legs; Stand on one leg, rest the opposite heel on the inside of your thigh. Switch legs; Practice a zillion things on a balance ball. Balance is a skill you must work on. Use it or lose it. Abandon your expectations when you practice. Balance using a chair, or the wall, whatever it takes. It always takes focus. And time. Build your balance from the bottom up, and if you're at a loss of where to start, think yoga.

— Learn to fall correctly.

This is such great advice, whether you're climbing rocks or slipping on ice. Practice what Betty calls "The Slump." Hang loose and slump into a chair, she says. When you get into bed, slump onto your side. The idea is to prepare your body to automatically let loose and relax when you fall, instead of stiffening up. Stiff bodies break; limp bodies bend and roll.

STRENGTH TRAINING 101: WHAT MATTERS MOST, LIFTING OR LOWERING?

Lifting weights — using dumbbells or resistance machines — is a sure-fire way to build strength. But lifting the weight is only half the equation. For best results, you want to be very mindful about lowering the weight too. Lots of people don't know that. I see them in the gym all the time. They jerk the weight up and then let gravity take over until the weight returns to the starting point. WRONG!

First, some basic lingo. Raising the weight is called a concentric (positive) contraction. Lowering the weight is an eccentric contraction. They are both equally important when it comes to building strength.

So, next time you lift a weight — let's say you're going to do a bicep curl, using a five to 15 pound dumbbell — initiate the curl in a forceful but controlled way. Keep your elbow at your side. Don't jerk the weight up. It may look cool, but it's cheating. Exhale as you lift. Focus your attention on the muscle you're working and give it a nice little squeeze-and-pump as the weight is raised.

As you lower the weight, resist gravity. Keep some steady tension on the muscle all the way down to the starting point. It helps to lower (and raise) to a slow count of four or more. The slower the count, the greater the effort involved. Some people do super-slow strength training to a count of 10 or more. It's not for everyone — difficult and boring come to mind — but that super-slow technique it can be a remarkably effective way to build strength.

ENERGY EXPRESS-O! RESILIENCY BRINGS BALANCE TO LIFE

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." — Confucius

Marilynn Preston — fitness expert, personal trainer and speaker on healthy lifestyle issues — is the creator of Energy Express, the longest-running syndicated fitness column in the country. She welcomes reader questions, which can be sent to MyEnergyExpress@aol.com. To find out more about Preston and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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