How to measure improved balance

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fitbethlin
fitbethlin Posts: 162 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm trying to set some specific SMART goals so I can feel like I'm working towards something specific. That really helps me on days when my motivation is low.

I am running into a roadblock on one of my goals though. I have terrible balance and would like to improve that. It'll make me better at snowboarding, less likely to fall of the step stool (yup), and just more resistant to injury in anything I do. I know that I can get better by doing yoga and focusing on form during all my workouts. But I'd like a way to measure my improvement month-to-month.

Does anyone have a quantifiable way to measure balance? I'm getting to the point where it might just be how long I can hold a particular pose in yoga, but I wish I had a better way to measure.

Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,511 Member
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    Bosu ball or any other unstable surface. Practice standing in a variety of positions and you'll be shocked at how imbalanced you may really be.

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  • fitbethlin
    fitbethlin Posts: 162 Member
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    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Bosu ball or any other unstable surface. Practice standing in a variety of positions and you'll be shocked at how imbalanced you may really be.

    I already know that part. I've started doing one-leg romanian deadlifts and even on a stable surface, I wobble an awful lot! ;) I just want a way to quantify it. It helps me to have a goal like that so I can see improvement when my motivation starts to flag.
  • ClaraKnepper
    ClaraKnepper Posts: 11 Member
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    One thing that I do is take short video clips or pictures that I can compare every week or month. Seeing a snap shot of your balance performance can motivate you to grow and let's you experience progress as an observer. I know it's not super exact, but it's verrrry motivating!
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Count how many sl rdl you can do without wobbling or losing balance. Or how long you can hold th yoga tree pose, etc.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    Walk along a curb and measure how far you can get without stepping off.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
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    Interesting question. I don't have a useful answer. But on a related note, riding a bike indoors on rollers is a good way to improve balance.
  • fitbethlin
    fitbethlin Posts: 162 Member
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    NorthCascades wrote: »
    Interesting question. I don't have a useful answer. But on a related note, riding a bike indoors on rollers is a good way to improve balance.

    I'm stuck inside for a few weeks (overseeing my dog's recovery from a wicked knee surgery; can't leave her alone to pull out staples or let her put weight on it) and am right now, at this very moment, researching bikes because I'm thinking about taking up biking this summer.

    I'm gonna have to consider rollers for times that I'm stuck inside....
  • JonDrees
    JonDrees Posts: 161 Member
    edited April 2017
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    fitbethlin wrote: »
    I'm trying to set some specific SMART goals so I can feel like I'm working towards something specific. That really helps me on days when my motivation is low.

    I am running into a roadblock on one of my goals though. I have terrible balance and would like to improve that. It'll make me better at snowboarding, less likely to fall of the step stool (yup), and just more resistant to injury in anything I do. I know that I can get better by doing yoga and focusing on form during all my workouts. But I'd like a way to measure my improvement month-to-month.

    Does anyone have a quantifiable way to measure balance? I'm getting to the point where it might just be how long I can hold a particular pose in yoga, but I wish I had a better way to measure.

    I use time as a way to show improvement with clients. If you could balance on 1 leg for 10 seconds without putting a foot down, but now you can do it for 20 seconds, your balance has improved. Chances are just standing on the floor won't be overly challenging for you, so you could try standing on a foam block, to make it a little more difficult.

    On a side note, working with a BOSU ball won't do much for your goals. It will make you good at standing on a BOSU ball, but that's about it.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    I use time and ability to hold positions under more unstable surfaces, more proprioceptively challenging, etc. You can learn some more here about how to progress over time by reading top to bottom:

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