Easy Exercises For Better Balance

Keeping fit is the need of the hour. Working out or regular physical activity not only gives your body strength and agility, but it also builds up your immune system. One more thing that exercise helps you improve is your balance. As you grow older, keeping the right balance through balance training is of paramount importance. Improvising and enhancing your balance increases your body’s strength and coordination and enhances your ability to control your body. It allows your body to move steadily and freely. It also improves mobility, stability, and flexibility, helping your body perform all your tasks with ease.

How Do Balance Exercises Work?

The balance exercises focus on your lower back, legs, and core muscles. Working out on your lower portion of the body also enhances your balance. If you are a novice, then you would find these exercises more challenging in the beginning. With regular practice and consistency, it becomes easier to perform. You can start with a few repetitions and then can gradually increase the count. Always make sure that someone is there for your assistance.

You can always decrease or increase the level of your exercise for your convenience and safety. Always start these exercises with your non-dominant side, which makes the exercise more comfortable to perform. If possible, also do the non-dominant side twice to balance out. Once you have mastered the routine, do the routine with one or both eyes closed.

Here are some balance exercises that you can try for better balance

Some things to consider before starting the exercise:

• Wear loose, comfortable clothes
• Keep water with you
• Do the exercise near a stable chair or wall for safety in case you fall

Sideways Walking

It is a simple exercise and can be completed in three simple steps:

1. With your knees slightly bent, stand with your feet together.
2. In a controlled and slow movement, try moving your one foot to the other side.
3. Then slowly move the other foot near it to join it.

In this exercise, make sure that your hips are not dropped during the step and are parallel to the floor. Now do these ten steps in each direction or from one direction to another in the room.

Simple Grapevine Exercise

It is also a simple exercise for improving balance; you have to walk across one foot over the other and walk sideways in this.

1. First, cross your left floor over your right foot.
2. Slowly raise your right foot to join it.

Take at least 5-6 steps on either side. If you face stability issues, then you can place your fingers on the wall for the base of support. One point to remember is that for best results on balance, the steps taken should be smaller.

The Heel-Toe Walk

Another great but simple balance exercise is the heel to toe walk. For doing this exercise, you must follow the following pattern:

1. Stand straight, and then place your left feet on the floor directly in front of the right toe.
2. Repeat this same pattern with the right feet. An important point to be considered is that you should always face forward whenever you are doing this exercise. In this exercise, you can take the help of the wall for stability by putting your fingers against the wall.

Start with 5-6 steps and then increase your comfort level, and step away from the wall to check progress in stability.

The One-Leg Stand

One more effective balance building exercise is the one-leg stand. It is also pretty simple in execution but very beneficial in enhancing your balance. For this, you need to:

1. Stand with your feet in front of a wall, now stretch your arms till your fingertips touch the wall.
2. Now lift your right leg, keeping your hips level, and slightly bend the left leg. Now place your raised foot back to the floor.

The lift should be held for a minimum of 5 seconds and a maximum of 10 seconds. Perform this routine with three sets on each side.

The Step-Up

For this exercise, you need some props. If there are steps available at your place with a railing, you can use it or make your platform with books or wooden blocks.

1. Now step on with your left leg.
2. Now step your right leg too.
3. Then, you step down and then repeat this.

In this exercise, the point to remember is that you need to do it slowly to build balance in a controlled manner. Do this exercise for at least 5-6 steps for each leg.

Conclusion

Building the right balance is essential, as well as incredibly beneficial for your overall health. These exercise programs may seem challenging initially, but gradually you would master it and act as excellent physical therapy for you. The bottom line is that you should enjoy this whole process. Balance exercises are great for all age groups, but is helpful for the older population, as it helps in ailments like arthritis, multiple sclerosis, or Parkinson’s disease.