PROMPTED by a deeply personal experience, a Cudal gym owner is offering free Safe Landing classes to help older people prevent severe injury from falls.
Greg Wiltshire, owner of the Cudal Gym, has partnered with the Safe Landing Academy to host the weekly sessions.
The program seeks to teach practical methods for controlling a fall and getting back up safely.
Classes take place every Friday at 8am at 4 Naylor Street, and Mr Wiltshire invites anyone aged 50 or older to participate.
Mr Wiltshire, who has 20 years of judo experience, said his mother’s recent fall made him realise how valuable the skills could be for older people.
“I lost my mum last year after her hip broke,” he said. “Twenty years of judo, I never thought to teach her how to fall safely if she had to.”
He is now dedicated to sharing these essential techniques with community members proactively.
The Safe Landing initiative places strong emphasis on key areas, including improving balance, regaining stability after slipping, mastering safer landing methods, and practicing floor recovery strategies.
Although falls are often viewed as an inevitable part of growing older, Mr Wiltshire points out that acquiring effective fall-response skills can boost confidence and significantly lessen injury severity.
Designed specifically for older adults, the sessions require no prior experience in judo or martial arts.
Mr Wiltshire said the goal is straightforward: to equip attendees with practical skills that can have a meaningful impact.
“Our plan is for it to be every Friday,” he said. “Anyone over the age of 50 should come along.”
The Dynamic Balance for Life initiative, developed by the Safe Landing Academy, combines fall-prevention research and judo-based techniques with balance and falls-management instruction.