Exercises To Improve Balance
Here’s an ongoing collection of our favorite exercises to improve balance …
Some of these you might find quite easy, while others are a bit more challenging. Of course, it will depend on how good your balance skills are to start with. If you’re at all unsteady on your feet, be sure to take precautions, like standing next to a sturdy object like a table or sink or heavy chair so you can prop yourself up if need be …
Athletes, some of these exercises are great warmups for agility and sports drills. Since balance skills are such a crucial part of sports performance, you should build in time several times a week to focus on your balance abilities.
This section will continue to grow as we add more exercises, so be sure to check back often!
Sideways Stepping
This is a great beginners balance exercise, but you make it more challenging if you wish …
The principle behind this exercise is to help with your lateral balance. Think about it … most of our movement is forward. We don’t often move side to side, and that’s where falls tend to happen when we suddenly need to maintain our lateral balance, like when the wind is blowing strongly for example …
Step One: Stand erect with your feet close together but not touching. Now, with your left foot, step sideways about two feet. Then, bring your right foot over near it and lightly tap your right foot. Then reverse it … step over about two feet with your right foot, then bring your left foot over near it and tap your left foot.
It’s kind of like a dance step. Yes, it’s easy, but ideal for beginners. To make it more challenging, don’t tap the foot, just hover it over the planted foot for three or four seconds. This will really work your balance as you’ll be standing on one leg. Prograssively increase the time one foot hovers over the other.
The Sobriety Test
This is a great exercise to improve your balance skills that you can do just about anywhere (except maybe in the middle of a busy street!). It’s called The Sobriety Test since it involves walking by placing one foot directly in front of another. Basically, pretend you’re a gymnast walking on a balance beam and you’ll get the concept.
This is good for your balance skills because normally you’re walking with your feet further apart, which gives you a wider center of balance. With a narrower stance, i.e. walking one foot directly in front of the other, your mind and muscles need to focus much harder on keeping you erect.
To make this more advanced, do the same thing with your feet but put small books or hand weights in each of your hands and hold them out directly to your sides at shoulder height. Not only will the balance aspect of the exercise become more challenging, you’ll improve your posture and give your shoulders a little workout too!
