Best Exercises For Balance

It’s easy to understand how getting stronger, improving flexibility and endurance can help you be fitter, but have you considered how important balance is? Balance can help older people by aiding in preventing falls, but it also helps athletes be more powerful. That’s because exercises for balance strengthens core muscles. We focus on all types of fitness at Prime Fitness in Totowa, NJ, to ensure you’re the best you can be.

What is meant by balance and balance training?

You probably think that it’s easy to provide a definition for balance, until you try to do it. It’s remaining erect and in control of your body, but it’s more than that. There’s dynamic and static balance, too. Static balance means you can remain in a certain position with your body holding still, like standing on one leg, while dynamic balance is maintained while you’re moving, such as walking.

Exercises that build static balance are simple.

If you can stand with your feet as close together as possible and maintain an upright, tall position, holding that position for a minute, you’ve just done a static balance exercise. Next move one foot so the toe of that foot touches the arch of the other foot and hold the position for a minute. Finally, move that same foot to the back of the other foot and hold the position for a minute. The last one isn’t nearly as easy. It’s standing on one leg with the other lifted and holding for 10 seconds and building to a minute. Then reverse the foot on all exercises that remains stationary.

Dynamic balance exercises are a bit more intricate.

You may recognize calf raises to build the muscles in the calves, but they also can be good dynamic balance exercises. If you’ve ever done a squat, you’ve done another dynamic balance exercise. Leg curls, where you stand straight and lift one heel up behind you while keeping your knees close can help build balance.

• If you’ve ever done a hip extension, you’ve done a dynamic balance exercise. Just stand upright and kick one leg behind you to do it. You can even hold onto a chair for support, while you build your balance.
• Stand with one side of the body next to a chair. Place one hand on your hip and put the other hand on a chair for stability. Stand tall and shift your weight as you lift your outside leg, doing a hip abduction.
• Go ballistic for ballet. Do toe stands. Not only will going up on toe strengthen your calves and ankles, it helps your balance. You can use a chair for support or a wall. Keep your feet close together and raise your heels for a second or two, repeating 10 times.
• You’ll build your core muscles and improve your balance with wall push-ups. Just stand arm’s length from a wall. Put your hands on the wall and bend your elbows until you lean forward as you would in a regular push-up. Repeat approximately 10 to 15 times.

For more information, contact us today at Prime Fitness Studio