Balance training
yasminekassis613
Posts: 268 Member
Does anyone know of any coaches through Instagram or YouTube that focus on movements/exercises to improve balance?
Looking for beginner working towards advanced type videos.
Any information helps. Thanks in advance!
Looking for beginner working towards advanced type videos.
Any information helps. Thanks in advance!
2
Replies
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These say "for seniors" but obviously they're the same regardless of age.
https://www.lifeline.philips.com/resources/blog/2018/07/14-exercises-for-seniors-to-improve-strength-and-balance.html
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My physical therapist had recommended a progression: stand on one leg until you can comfortably do 30 seconds, then on a throw pillow, move to a wobble board, and finally single leg deadlifts without the weight aka warrior pose 3. After that becomes easy start over with eyes closed.5
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Acknowledging that this is not what you asked, I feel like I've gotten modest but observable improvement by doing small things in spare moments, such as:
* While waiting in line (anywhere, because it's not eccentric looking), raise one foot maybe 1/2" off the floor and stand. Do both legs. If that gets easy, add some natural-looking upper body movements to increase challenge. (Examples: Remove shoulder bag from left shoulder, fumble in bag for imaginary item, move bag to right shoulder; in something like checkout line, reach out or lean upper body closer to magazine rack, candy display, whatever; tilt or turn your head. In places where no one's watching, do the one-leg balance but swing the "up" leg around a bit more, or move arms around.
* While working in kitchen, do side leg raises, as close to horizontal (or beyond?) as you can get. (I do this while grinding my morning coffee in a an electric grinder that I can pulse with one hand.) If it gets easy, do something to create instability.
Etc. It takes no extra time, and I've been surprised how much improvement I've gotten, not just better at doing these things, but in what happens if I stumble over something or make a mis-step.6 -
GMB Fitness sells programs and concentrates on all sorts of aspects, including balance. But they have loads of free resources on their website so there should be plenty to get you going without needing to buy anything.1
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Get yourself a Bosu ball and Google Bosu exercises.
Great bits of kit IMO.1 -
I had terrible issues with balance, embarrassing because I do a lot of yoga and was falling out of simple positions.
I agree with others. Simply practicing standing on one leg, and eventually grabbing a toe and holding a leg out as I progressed helped a lot.
Relaxing muscles and focusing on breathing helped. When you’re that tense it’s hard to balance.
Finding a “drishti” or spot to focus on really helps. Start with a speck or pattern on the floor. As your balance improves start looking at the baseboards, work your way up to mid wall, and eventually to where ceiling meets wall.
Try not to watch other people. Focus on that spot. Just seeing someone in my peripheral vision wobble or come out makes me lose it.
In a class, I like a position where no one is front of me for that reason.
Bosu ball. I just got one for the house. They can be very challenging and there’s not far to fall if you do.
Above all, don’t beat yourself up about it. I used to dread balance sequences with every fiber of my being. I know I often sound psychotic in classes, but when I fall out, I’ve trained myself to giggle, which releases the tension and I go right back up.
I’m not the greatest balancer in the world. But the effort practicing balance has saved potentially serious injuries more than once when I tripped -hard- while running.3 -
Thank you all so much for the information. I have a lot of research to do and I can’t wait.
Appreciate you all!!1 -
HI....try Schellea (You tube - fabulous fifties) she is brilliant, and don't mind the 50's title...any age is appropriate and she has lots of variations so you wont get bored doing repetitive workouts all the time. She has certainly helped me with stretch and balance. Hope it helps!1
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I've been going through PT for a different issue, but in case it helps...my PT said that most people don't even stand properly so that's why we don't balance well.
We stand with our knees locked and our butts sticking out a bit. Stand with a very slight bend to your knee so your leg muscles are holding you up instead of your hyperextended knee, and tilt your pelvis forward just a bit so your body is more aligned. It's easier to balance when you train yourself to use the muscles.
I realize this doesn't always make for picture-perfect yoga poses, but it has improved my overall balance substantially.
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Acknowledging that this is not what you asked, I feel like I've gotten modest but observable improvement by doing small things in spare moments, such as:
* While waiting in line (anywhere, because it's not eccentric looking), raise one foot maybe 1/2" off the floor and stand. Do both legs. If that gets easy, add some natural-looking upper body movements to increase challenge. (Examples: Remove shoulder bag from left shoulder, fumble in bag for imaginary item, move bag to right shoulder; in something like checkout line, reach out or lean upper body closer to magazine rack, candy display, whatever; tilt or turn your head. In places where no one's watching, do the one-leg balance but swing the "up" leg around a bit more, or move arms around.
* While working in kitchen, do side leg raises, as close to horizontal (or beyond?) as you can get. (I do this while grinding my morning coffee in a an electric grinder that I can pulse with one hand.) If it gets easy, do something to create instability.
Etc. It takes no extra time, and I've been surprised how much improvement I've gotten, not just better at doing these things, but in what happens if I stumble over something or make a mis-step.
Only 1/2" off floor!
Oh - missing great way to social distance in line.
Hold leg straight out in front of you, then lean forward and leg back.
No - the leg isn't 6 ft long, but people will move far away from you!
No - haven't been gutsy enough to try that in Target line, but have done foot on other knee pose, and I think even that helped!2 -
Acknowledging that this is not what you asked, I feel like I've gotten modest but observable improvement by doing small things in spare moments, such as:
* While waiting in line (anywhere, because it's not eccentric looking), raise one foot maybe 1/2" off the floor and stand. Do both legs. If that gets easy, add some natural-looking upper body movements to increase challenge. (Examples: Remove shoulder bag from left shoulder, fumble in bag for imaginary item, move bag to right shoulder; in something like checkout line, reach out or lean upper body closer to magazine rack, candy display, whatever; tilt or turn your head. In places where no one's watching, do the one-leg balance but swing the "up" leg around a bit more, or move arms around.
* While working in kitchen, do side leg raises, as close to horizontal (or beyond?) as you can get. (I do this while grinding my morning coffee in a an electric grinder that I can pulse with one hand.) If it gets easy, do something to create instability.
Etc. It takes no extra time, and I've been surprised how much improvement I've gotten, not just better at doing these things, but in what happens if I stumble over something or make a mis-step.
Only 1/2" off floor!
Oh - missing great way to social distance in line.
Hold leg straight out in front of you, then lean forward and leg back.
No - the leg isn't 6 ft long, but people will move far away from you!
No - haven't been gutsy enough to try that in Target line, but have done foot on other knee pose, and I think even that helped!
🤣
Truthfully, pre-pandemic, I've done actual leg swings, front/back, side raise, cross body, while in line at coffee shop in workout clothes after rowing, being careful not to endanger innocent bystanders. 😉 But I know many people are more shy than I, and even the small-height raise & one-leg balance has benefits, and can be done unobtrusively anywhere, even very formal venues: Very respectable.2 -
Also may help to do these things barefoot or get some barefoot shoes. Weak feet = balance issues.2
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Don't look down while walking unless absolutely necessary like to avoid stepping in dog crap. Put the cell phone away and go for a walk. Looking down all the time disrupts your sense of balance. Try to look forward in the distance. Keep your head up and level. Then try looking up at the sky while walking and then looking forward with your head level. Treadmill watch tv and look at ceiling.
Looking down all the time is a major cause of balance issues esp in the elderly. Can happen to younger people too though.
Believe me I did it to myself. I'm still recovering from it. Looking at the sky can make me stagger like I'm drunk.
Try tying your shoe, not bending over, but by taking foot off the ground, kinda squatting, and placing it on opposite leg to tie it. Aka balance on one foot and tie your shoe. Do this next to something you can grab if you lose your balance.0 -
Another random thought about balance, and exercises: I did some hip abduction/adduction resistance tube exercises today, for the first time in a while. (It's a circular tubing, anchored on the leg of a heavy table - not fancy, but end result is a little like cable machine.) I don't know how long it would be so, but it created some fun balance challenge, too.0
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