How To Improve Balance

If you're interested in improving your physical balance skills, there is good news. Simple yet very effective exercises can dramatically increase your ability to balance. Let's take a closer look ...

Can You Train For Better Balance?

First, let's examine what balance is. Basically, it's a learned skill that improves with practice. We will use a few real life examples to illustrate.

Think back to when you were a child. You were likely able to do all sorts of physical feats like cartwheels, hop scotch, and even hand stands. All of these required good balance skills, but you probably never gave it a second thought.

Can you do cartwheels and hand stands now? If the answer is no, there's a good reason. The part of your brain that coordinated the actual physical activity is rusty, so to speak. You are out of practice and so is your brain.

Now think about gymnasts. They are consistently practicing maneuvers like hand springs, vaults, tumbling, and more. Not only are their bodies in top shape but so is their brain. The part of the brain that controls balance is communicating seamlessly with their muscles, and the end result is fluid, almost effortless movements.

Exercises For Balance

First of all, we recommend balance boards to really improve your skills. They are designed specifically to help you utilize all your muscles and joints involved with balancing, as well as sharpening your brain.



But for now, let's focus on three simple exercises as a good starting point.

One Legged Stands

As the name suggests, try standing on one leg without holding on to anything for support. You will find that one leg is easier than the other.

Try holding the stance for 10 seconds at first, gradually working your way up to 30 seconds or more. A good tip is to focus on something directly ahead of you, but over time, you'll be able to balance on one leg and look anywhere around the room.

On Your Toes

Another good exercise is to stand on your toes and balance for a determined length of time. This is easier than one legged stands but it is still effective, particularly with those who are struggling with balance.

This exercise also helps strengthen your calf muscles, which are important not only for balance but overall mobility as well.

Heel Stands

This is a variation on the previous exercise, and a bit more difficult. In bare feet or wearing socks, rock back on your heels and hold your stance. The weight will be on your heels and you'll need to focus to prevent tipping over backwards.

This is an excellent exercise for equilibrium and helps your brain focus on balancing.

Summary

While we recommend balance boards for truly effective training, you can perform some simple exercises in your home to improve balance skills.

If you perform each exercise a few days per week, you will notice significant improvement within two to three weeks. You'll have better posture, better balance, and a sharper mind!

Would you like to improve your physical balance skills? It is not out of reach for anyone, no matter your age or fitness level. You can perform simple exercises at home and then progress to balance boards for optimal results.

For no nonsense answers, tips, and resources on how to improve balance, visit us at: How To Improve Balance

If you're a participant in any type of board sport, like wake boarding, surfing, or snow boarding, you may know that excellent balance is your most crucial skill for success in your sport. In order to be proficient, you need to work on improving your balance. Here are the top three ways board sporters can enhance their balance skills ...

First of all, the key to proficiency in any board sport is to have what insiders refer to as a "quiet upper half". Translated, that means your torso should remain static, or without motion as much as possible.

Your legs and to a lesser extent your core muscles should adjust with the changing terrain or water. Watch a world class gymnast as an example. Proper gymnastics form requires a still, even upper body while the legs do most of the work.

In board sports, the same holds true. In order to maintain good balance, you need to train yourself to use your legs and core muscles instead of your arms and torso.



Here are the three best ways to improve your balance for board sports:

Fitball Balance Discs: A fitball balance disc is an inflatable piece of fitness equipment that is usually about 18 inches across. The bottom of the disc is flat and grounded, while the top is semi circular and unstable.

The purpose of this equipment is to help you maintain your posture and balance on an unsteady surface. Because they are quite small, they are ideal for apartments and tighter living quarters. You should use the disc with one foot or both, and attempt to stay atop it for progressively longer periods of time. It will usually take you several minutes to become acclimated, so don't worry if you can't master the exercise right away.

In addition to working on your balance, using a fitball disc is a great way to train your core muscles for board sport movements.

Balance Boards: A balance board is probably the single best training tool for board sports. It basically replaces and simulates your snow, wake, surf, or skate board. There are several different sizes available, with models designed for specific board sports.

Typically, the board is mounted on a roller or a sphere. The object, of course, is to stay atop the board and maintain your balance. Board sport enthusiasts are amazed at the almost exact level of simulation, and it's an ideal training method if the weather is uncooperative for outdoor activities.

Pilates And Yoga

There's a reason why both pilates and yoga have exploded in popularity over the last ten years. Not only do both forms of exercise work on stretching and leaning out your body, they rely on balance skills to do so. Further, they are totally non impact while providing a stimulating and challenging workout.

Pilates in particular are perfect for board sport participants. The emphasis on core muscles and balance skills translate perfectly to the actual sporting activity.

Summary

If you participate in board sports, it is important to continually work on improving your balance. The best way to do so is to use specialized fitness equipment and exercise programs. Fitball discs, balance boards, and pilates and yoga are far and away your best choices.

We are often asked, "What's the fastest and easiest way to dramatically improve balance skills?", and without question, the answer is using a balance board. Balance boards are designed to train and focus your core and leg muscles on significantly improving your balance skills in just minutes a day.

There are a number of balance exercises you can do, as explained in this lens. However, most if not all of these exercises involve a constant element ... flat and sturdy ground. Let's take one legged stands for example. One legged stands are a great beginner exercise for balance without a doubt. During the entire exercise though, you have one leg planted firmly on the ground. And while consistently performing this exercise will improve your balance to a degree, it is no substitute nor does it match the effectiveness of working on a balance board ...



How Balance Boards Work

By their very design, balance boards place you in an unbalanced position. Think of a small surf board with a round cylinder mounted underneath in the center. That's the concept of a balance board!

The trick is to stand atop the balance board while maintaining your balance and not letting either side of the board rest on the ground. High school, college, and professional sports teams use balance boards in their training regemin all the time nowadays, and the reason is simple: no other exercise (or fitness device) is more effective in developing and improving balance skills.

And while you might not be an athlete, maintaining your balance skills as you grow older is critical. Without training and practice, your balance skills begin to decline at age 25. Frankly, it's a skill we take for granted ... until we need to use it!

Generally, it takes about 10 minutes to adapt to the "feel" of a balance board. The goal is to progressively increase the time you can spend atop the board without stepping off or losing your balance. Over time, you'll find you can stay atop the board for 3-5 minutes at a time. When that occurs, you will have improved your balance skills dramatically, and traditional balance exercises will be a snap for you ...

Don't let your balance let you down as you grow older ... invest in a balance board and maintain and improve this critical life skill.

Quite possibly one of the most underrated aspects of well being and fitness is maintaining physical balance skills. The good news is, there are a few specific and highly effective techniques to help improve physical balance. Let's take a closer look at three key factors ...

If you're concerned about maintaining or improving your balance skills, congratulations! Without question, it is a very underrated physical skill, especially as we age. Elderly people often struggle with balance and it effects not only their physical well being, but mental outlook as well.

Why Improve Balance Skills?

Like many other attributes, balance skills naturally decrease with age. However, there is no reason to completely accept the decline. Just like any wellness or fitness endeavor, these skills can be improved.

Balance affects mobility, and a lack of mobility leads to other more serious health issues. Sadly, many older people have to give up certain activities, like driving, due to decreased balance and mobility.

Excellent balance skills are also important for young people, particularly those involved in sports. Just about every sport requires mobility and balance skills, and even normal social activities like dancing rely on it heavily.

It's no wonder fitness experts are starting to examine the benefits of balance training. Here are three key action steps to improve your abilities ...

Stretching:

You have likely heard about the importance of stretching, but are you aware of how it affects balance? If your core muscles aren't developed, flexible, and functional, your balance will suffer.

Think about how you walk right after you wake up. You're slower and sometimes unsteady on your feet. That's because your core muscles aren't properly stretched and warmed up.

Flexibility

Flexibility and balance skills go hand in hand. Consider world class figure skaters, hockey players, and gymnasts. These elite athletes rely on flexibility to keep them at the top of their game.

Flexibility ties directly into stretching. It stands to reason that if you're doing stretching exercises as part of your fitness regimen, you will be more flexible.

In essence, there's a building block approach leading to good balance skills. Stretching and flexibility are two key factors, and the third is ...

Fitness Equipment For Balance

While stretching and flexibility training are important first steps, fitness equipment specifically designed to improve your balance is the final key piece.

There are several inexpensive, yet highly effective, fitness items available. Foam rollers help you stretch, gain flexibility, and improve posture and balance.

Balance boards, used most commonly by board sport enthusiasts like surfers and snowboarders, are probably the most effective equipment. They are designed to focus on stability and working your core muscles, which are crucial for balance.