Why balance is important for everyone

You don’t need to buy expensive equipment to improve your balance. You can do several exercises without any equipment. This blog contains exercises you can do at home or the gym—without any special equipment. Try adding 5 or 10 minutes of balance exercises to your workouts three times a week. How can you tell if you are getting better? When you can maintain your balance during the various exercises (or the balance-training test above) for longer periods of time. If you want to do some serious balance training (a good idea after you've mastered some of the basic exercises), you can choose from a variety of balance-training toys to help you reach your goals. If you have a gym membership, your gym may carry some or all of these types of equipment. While some are pricier than others are, keep in mind that balance-training equipment isn't necessary for improving your balance—it just helps you take it to the next level. In fact, a study published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that balance boards and balls engage more muscle fibers in other areas of the body: the lower back (42-70% more exertion), lower abs (22-34% more exertion), quads (61-84% more exertion), hamstrings (33-70% more exertion), and calves (17-51% more exertion) compared to exercises done without those balancing devices. Here are three of the most common pieces of equipment to consider trying: Stability ball Did you know that every time you sit, lie or lean on that ball to perform strengthening exercises you're also helping improve balance? It's like double-duty strength training! Simply swap your bench or chair for a stability ball during seated or lying exercises. Get creative and come up with more ways to balance on the ball, whether with planks, pushups, or Pilates! Exercises on body ball for balance: Single Leg Dumbbell Squats

Or Sitting on ball knee lift

Balance Boards Sports Med shop sells an inflatable balance disc (Sissel Sit Fit) in their store and offers exercise instructions and workouts for the balance board to help you get started. This is an inexpensive alternative to pricier wood balance boards, which can also be a lot more challenging for beginners to master. You can do many of the same exercises as you can on a BOSU with this more portable piece of equipment. Foam Rolls (half moon) can also be great for balance training. http://www.sportmedstore.com/products/balance_core.html

BOSU Ball Available in most gyms (or for purchase to use at home), BOSU balls are versatile. You can perform a wide variety of exercises on the BOSU to improve your balance. You can also find BOSU fitness classes, BOSU workout DVDs and more exercise ideas on the Internet. Watch an intro video at http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=1046 Happy Training everyone, Let's connect at gaiaadventures@shaw.ca Catherine D'Aoust, Kinesiologist, Personal Training, Adventures for Women, Better Aging http://www.gaiaadventures.com 604 329.1257