Why Balance Training Natters , And How To Get Started
Laura Williams
Men's Journa
2017-04-24 17:45:23
You don’t have to be a gymnast or a yogi to benefit from regular balance training. In fact, balance is considered one of the six skill-related components of fitness that everyone can benefit from. The truth is, if you suck at balance, you’re going to have a hard time walking in a straight line, picking up items you drop on the floor, or catching your equilibrium when someone bumps into you. And if you can’t do these three things well, you’re kinda setting yourself up for a less-than-stellar lifestyle as you age.
“As you age, your muscle mass decreases, which could lead to joint instability and limited range of motion,” says Eric Feigl, a personal trainer and the host of the Fitness Candor podcast. If you’re not taking care of your balance or prioritizing neuromuscular training, you could end up as one of those nasty statistics. According to a 2015 review and meta-analysis published in the journal Sports Medicine, regular balance training sessions are an effective way of improving proactive, reactive, and dynamic/static balance states, essentially reducing the risk of falling, and thereby reducing the risk of fall-related injuries.
Balance training can improve athletic performance
Balance training can improve athletic performance
Balance training could make you a better athlete. recreational athletes who had high levels of balance ability enjoyed markers of improved performance compared to their less-balance-proficient peers. balance ability was found to significantly correlate with rifle shooting accuracy, archery shooting accuracy, ice hockey maximum skating speed, and simulated luge start speed. It was also linked with improvements in vertical jump, shuttle run speed, and overall agility. So if you fancy yourself a weekend warrior, a little bit of balance training could make you that much better.
Start by Adding Balance Training to Your Current Routine.
Start by Adding Balance Training to Your Current Routine.
You don’t have to run out and buy any fancy training equipment to get started. Feigl says your first, best line of defense is a solid strength training program that incorporates full range of motion exercises to improve joint mobility. If you’re able to knock out a couple sets of full ROM squats and push-ups, single-leg balance exercises are your step toward killer balance.
other unilateral exercises, such as walking lunges, farmers walks, high step-ups while holding a weight in the opposite hand, and lateral jumps where you jump side to side, landing on one leg at a time, as good options for enhancing balance and motor control.
other unilateral exercises, such as walking lunges, farmers walks, high step-ups while holding a weight in the opposite hand, and lateral jumps where you jump side to side, landing on one leg at a time, as good options for enhancing balance and motor control.
If you have access to the equipment, warm up with squats on a BOSU and planks using a TRX. Finally, wrap up your regular routine with a 10-minute yoga series — you may be surprised how hard it is to maintain your balance during revolved side angle pose.