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COG – Center of Gravity
When you begin to learn about the Center of Gravity or COG whether you are standing or sitting, you will learn how many small movements contribute to your COG and how they awaken the spine and your feet as the foundations for your COG.
You learn:
- how to sit properly on your sit bones vs. slouching and how this affects your posture both sitting and standing. If you slouch when you sit, you will most likely slouch when you stand. This
means learning to keep the belly button pulled in, shoulders square, a long spine and open chest (no slouched shoulders or shuffling when walking). - the importance of eye and head movement to sound balance. Most people do not “think” about how eye and head movement affect the body’s everyday functioning. This is especially critical as we age.
- the relevance of sensing your ankle, arch, heel pad, the ball of your foot, and be able to differentiate and move the five toes, which many people never think of doing.
Because the feet are the Foundation for the COG, weight shifting – both standing and dynamic (walking, running, cross training, etc), and learning to work your 
heels and toes together are paramount to healthy gait and balance. This applies whether one is aging, recovering from an injury/surgery or extended time off of the feet due to illness.
Understanding this leads to the comprehension of how these individual systems tie into “proprioception” or knowing where your body is in space. The sensors engaged by this proprioception are in each joint, the bottoms 
of the footpads, the visual and vestibular (inner ear) system as well as touch. For example, proprioception not only helps with daily direction-finding, but also is essential to becoming a beautifully expressive dancer or gymnast, successful professional golfer, or runner.
Together these sensors help to provide information about the environment that we see daily and that the muscles are engaging in judging the height of 
a step, the distance to the rail or ball, the depth of the curb, or the placement of the foot as a turn or a yoga stance is executed.
Learning to stretch and strengthen these muscles, their respective systems and their correlating movements on the non-compliant surface of an Original SANDDUNE™ makes it easier to do on solid ground. Why is it easier? You are not trying to balance your body on the ground as you do on the mirror resisting exercise produced by the Original SANDDUNE™. Referenced from Miriam Tate’s findings and class development.
Fall Prevention *Call to Action*
Granny @ 86 yrs Young!
Our goal is to provide people who are “at risk” for falling, a unique device that WILL adds a valuable new dimension in your desire to help others or yourself, achieve greater balance, coordination and strength as a greater confidence to participate in life with less fear of falling is realized.
With more nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities reporting increases of people being admitted who have fallen, this fact is creating a “call to action” nationwide, to develop Fall Prevention and fitness programs that are effective and enjoyable while creating a community of support for those who need to embark on a renewal of fitness and vitality.
Letting physical vigor and productivity drop because you have retired, and ignoring the signs of loss of balance and strength can lead to falls and the chances escalate that you will continue to fall without some sort of intervention in the form of a fitness program to strengthen balance, gait and flexibility. Look for signs of everyday activities that require sitting and standing as a normal part of day, becoming more challenging. 
With over 8,000 people per day turning 65, it is alarming that one-third of this demographic are injured due to falls. Make it a personal “call to action” to start a fitness program or keep your fitness on a level that is compatible with your capabilities, age and health.
Create a list questions for discussion with your doctor to develop an exercise regimen and review diet. Join a club or a group to help motivate and energize you as you begin your new path of better fitness and vitality. Get Moving Again Get Back Into Living Life with Zest and Zeal!
The SANDDUNE’s Goal
Our goal at the Original SANDDUNE™ is to provide orthopaedic and neurological patients of all ages from kids to grandparents, as well as dancers, golfers, and athletes from other sports, the benefit of working out on this challenging and effective apparatus. It will add a valuable new dimension to the goal of helping reestablish greater balance, coordination and strength to those coping with the fear of falling due to injury, illness and recovering from surgery.
The distinctive properties of the SANDDUNE also lends itself to athletes striving to increase coordination, greater flexibility in their joints, core strength, a more responsive musculature, and balance components critical to sound fitness and successful athletic performance.
Jack’s 5 minute testimony
Mighty Dancer!
Cardio Burst Squat Run
How does the SANDDUNE help with balance and strength?
Eagle’s Lost Focal Point!
The SANDDUNE™ simulates walking in loose sand at the beach. It challenges your body to find its center of gravity. The natural phenomenon of neuropaths being re-activated after lack of activity caused by injury, illness or sedentary lifestyle, causes your muscles to react to signals from your brain, which begins a process of strengthening those muscles which are necessary to restore and maintain good balance.
For example, people with strong balance can try this Spine Stretch exercise described below on the SANDDUNE to really build and challenge their balance. From there progress to positions like the Eagle pose in Yoga. Make sure you have someone present with you to spot if this is new for you. If not, have a barre or something sturdy and stable to assist you should you loose your balance – wall or sturdy chair for example. Make sure there are no sharp object around you.
- Center yourself on the SANDDUNE with a small ball if you like, weighted or not, in your hands, with arms bent so that the ball is at your neck just below your chin.
- Stand straight, tailbone tucked with bellybutton pulled back toward your spine so your core is engaged and active. Remember as you increase your flexibility you are increasing your core strength on this apparatus.
- Before you begin your roll down, pick a focal point on the floor to maintain your balance once your eyes meet the floor.
- Now, imagine peeling an orange, trying to keep the peel in one piece as you prepare to begin a roll down similar to what is done when doing a seated spine stretch. If you are not an orange lover, then think Slinky toy and their fluid motion.
- Tuck your chin close to your chest resting it on top of the ball in your hands as you begin to slowly drop your head onto the ball in your hands and start to descend into your stretch. SLOWLY is the key word here. Your eyes focal point should follow the movement of your head.
- As you roll down, your head, hands and the ball will come into line with your waist. This is when you begin to uncurl your arms, keeping them close to your body and drop the ball slowly as you stretch the ball toward your feet. As Martha Graham, the great American Dancer said, “When you extend your arm, it doesn’t stop at the end of your fingers.”
- When you reach your feet, mindfully relax for a count of what is comfortable for you if this is your first time so that you can understand your body’s adjustments to being on a moving surface. A count said out loud of 1001, 1002, 1003 is a great way to gauge what your body’s balance can handle. Another quote from Martha Graham put this into perspective. “First we have to believe, then we believe.” “The body never lies.”
- At the end of your count, roll back up to standing in the same slow, fluid manner that you descended to your feet.
- I like to do this 10 to 20 times unless I want a deep stretch and am trying to tuck my fingers under the SANDDUNE to increase stretch.
Eagle Focus Found on The SANDDUNE!
Fall Prevention “Call to Action”
With more nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities reporting increases of people being admitted who have fallen, this fact is creating a “call to action” nationwide, to develop Fall Prevention and fitness programs that are effective and enjoyable while creating a community of support for those who need to embark on a renewal of fitness and vitality. People like Jack LaLane, Lilias, 
Billy Blanks, Jane Fonda, Joseph Pilates, and Rodney Yee have created fitness communities that can be embraced at all fitness levels with proper guidance – from kids to grandparents. Letting physical vigor and productivity drop because you have retired, or have reached that “age” that the “norm” says you can let it all hang out, creates the chances of becoming a candidate at risk for falls. Many people hit age 50 and decide I have had enough of sweatin’ to the oldies and runnin’ on empty. My feet hurt and now I can sit back relax and gather some moss on the stone that has stopped rollin’. But, hey look at the Rolling Stones – no moss is gathering there! Ignoring the signs of loss of balance and strength can lead to falls. The chances escalate that you will continue to fall without some sort of intervention in the form of a fitness program to strengthen balance, gait and flexibility. The increasing difficulties of getting out of the car or your favorite chair are a couple of signs to be aware of.
Since the Baby Boomer population began hitting age 65 in 2011 at a rate of 8,000 per day, it is alarming that one-third of people over 65 are injured due to falls. Make it a personal “call to action” to start a fitness program or keep your fitness on a level that is compatible with your capabilities, age and health. Some will have greater capabilities than others and that’s fine. It’s all about taking care of your health and fitness. Start really enjoying your grand-kids or kids in some cases. Take the time to talk to your doctor about exercise and diet. Join a club or a group around the corner at a recreation center. 
Cardio Burst Workout
Cardio Work on the Original SANDDUNE™ for athlete or fitness buff.
To warm up – pad slowly for 1 minute. Do not get your heart rate up. When padding, your feet should barely come off of the pads.
- Run for 2 minutes as fast as you can.
- Pad slowly for 2 minutes
- Run for 30 seconds as hard as you can.
- Pad slowly for 2 minutes.
- Run for 30 seconds as hard as you can
- Finish with a 2 minute cool down.
- Step off the SANDDUNE and orient yourself on level ground. Walk around for a couple of minutes.
Do this workout 3 times a week. Within a two week period you should be able to realize a doubling of your cardiovascular capacity, and an increase in quad and core strength as well. This workout is equal to 3 hours of cardio work a week. Try this instead of your run, elliptical or stair stepper segment of your workout.
Squat Run position. Do not arch your back and only drop as low as is comfortable in the squat position.
Upright running position. Lift your knees as high as is comfortable.
I feel unsure of my balance…
I feel unsure of my balance and need a walker or a cane for support now. My friends tell me that I shuffle my feet. How can the SANDDUNE™ help me?
Working out on the SANDDUNE™ both strengthens and conditions the muscles and the joints of the lower body because it engages them more fully in the process of walking. It involves muscles of your abdominal core as it activates the hip chamber and psoas muscle which is weak in many people who have reduced or stopped physical activity and are not able to lift their legs properly when walking, thus shuffling their feet.
It Wakens Your Body!
This is an incredible apparatus. Andrea and I just purchased one, and we’re hooked. It strengthens your core, without any other gadgets. It starts with balance, then it teaches you about your body, by making your legs sing like they have been asleep. It wakens your body, and it is so simple, it seems like magic. Check out the site, you will thank me, honest. Kirk Wassell
Younger Dance Students
…I have found it great to use with my younger students who 1 – lack coordination 2 – don’t understand the idea of engaging all muscles and 3- need to work on balance, control and core engagement. I would be happy to share my process with anyone interested. This tool is really making a difference in the kids training- would really love to utilize it with classrooms of kids instead of one on one.
Jen ~ Artistic Fusion Dance Academy
Original SANDDUNE™ 