Balance exercises are often neglected in fitness routines, but having good balance is an important part of overall joint health and injury prevention.  One of the reasons that balance training is left out of fitness programs is that it has little impact on how your body looks.  Instead, balance training is all about how well your body moves.  There are a lot of good looking people whose bodies do work well.

Core Training and functional training is all about getting your body to move more efficiently.  When your body moves more efficiently, you are less likely to get injured and you will perform regular activities and athletic activities at a higher level.

A balance exercise is an exercise that is done standing on 1 leg.  Your center of gravity shifts when you stand on one leg, so your core muscles must work harder to stabilize your entire body over the standing leg.  Running is a 1 legged exercise, so any sport or activity that involves running requires good balance.

Another hidden benefit of doing exercises while standing on one leg is ankle, knee and hip stability and strengthening.  The small muscles around the foot and ankle really get challenged during balance exercises, and standing on one foot can strengthen the arch muscles.  In addition, the small hip stabilizer muscles are strengthened when you stand on one leg, and strong hip stabilizers help to control and protect the knee from excessive stress.

When you have injuries to your legs, your coordination and balance on the injured side generally diminishes unless you work on restoring it.  If you have twisted your ankle in the past, chances are that your balance on the side you injured is worse than the side that was never injured.  The same holds true for knee and hip injuries.  Generally speaking when you have a leg injury, you avoid putting pressure on the injured side, and this leads to decreased coordination, decreased strength, and decreased balance.  It is important to practice balance exercises if you have had leg injuries in the past.

Some simple balance exercises include, just standing on 1 leg for 30-60 seconds.  In addition, you can stand on one leg while moving your opposite leg to constantly change your center of gravity.  1 leg squats and 1 leg hip hinges are also good balancing exercises.

Once you’ve mastered standing on 1 leg and basic exercises such as the 1 legged squat, you can further challenge your balance by using a wobble board, core board, bosu ball, foam pad, or any other unstable surface.  Begin by just practicing standing on an unstable surface with 1 leg, and then progress to doing other exercises while standing on some type of core exercise equipment.  If you want to have a complete core training routine, include balance exercises into your workout.



By: Charles A. Inniss, Jr. DPT

About the Author:

Body Weight Routine

Balance exercises are often neglected in fitness routines, but having good balance is an important part of overall joint health and injury prevention. One of the reasons that balance training is left out of fitness programs is that it has little impact on how your body looks. Instead, balance training is all about how well your body moves. There are a lot of good looking people whose bodies do work well.

Core Training and functional training is all about getting your body to move more efficiently. When your body moves more efficiently, you are less likely to get injured and you will perform regular activities and athletic activities at a higher level.

A balance exercise is an exercise that is done standing on 1 leg. Your center of gravity shifts when you stand on one leg, so your core muscles must work harder to stabilize your entire body over the standing leg. Running is a 1 legged exercise, so any sport or activity that involves running requires good balance.

Another hidden benefit of doing exercises while standing on one leg is ankle, knee and hip stability and strengthening. The small muscles around the foot and ankle really get challenged during balance exercises, and standing on one foot can strengthen the arch muscles. In addition, the small hip stabilizer muscles are strengthened when you stand on one leg, and strong hip stabilizers help to control and protect the knee from excessive stress.

When you have injuries to your legs, your coordination and balance on the injured side generally diminishes unless you work on restoring it. If you have twisted your ankle in the past, chances are that your balance on the side you injured is worse than the side that was never injured.

The same holds true for knee and hip injuries. Generally speaking when you have a leg injury, you avoid putting pressure on the injured side, and this leads to decreased coordination, decreased strength, and decreased balance. It is important to practice balance exercises if you have had leg injuries in the past.

Some simple balance exercises include, just standing on 1 leg for 30-60 seconds. In addition, you can stand on one leg while moving your opposite leg to constantly change your center of gravity. 1 leg squats and 1 leg hip hinges are also good balancing exercises.

Once you have mastered standing on 1 leg and basic exercises such as the 1 legged squat, you can further challenge your balance by using a wobble board, core board, bosu ball, foam pad, or any other unstable surface. Begin by just practicing standing on an unstable surface with 1 leg, and then progress to doing other exercises while standing on some type of core exercise equipment. If you want to have a complete core training routine, include balance exercises into your workout.



By: Charles Inniss

About the Author:

Body Weight Workout

You’ve seen the commercials Ive fallen and I cant get up! While this has been a topic of many jokes and late-night comedy skits, the reality is falling is a very real danger for many people. Too often falls can lead to broken bones, hospitalization, and sometimes life-threatening illnesses due to being confined to a bed while recovering.

A less extreme, but still real situation is when a person lacks the leg strength to get out of a chair. Or someone who throws out their back just picking up a child or the groceries from the trunk of the car.

Did you know that this is not inevitable? With consistent and effective exercise, you will maintain your daily activities without injury well into your sixties, seventies, eighties, and beyond.

You may have heard the buzzwords functional training and core training mentioned in the latest fitness magazines. While these terms sound complicated, they are really terms for the most effective and exciting system of strength training being used today.

Functional training strengthens your body for the everyday movements it has to perform. This could be any type of movement, whether for a sport, your job, or just picking up your kids. Most injuries occur in the course of our everyday lives. Strengthen your body for these activities and you will sustain less injury. Functional training also improves balance. This is essential for preventing falls. A combination of strength and balance will give you the confidence to move through your day with ease!

Core training works on strengthening your core, your abdominal and low back muscles. Just as a house needs a foundation to build upon, so does your body. Work on the core first and every other exercise you add will be more effective and make you stronger. Many functional training exercises incorporate core training. There are also exercises that isolate the core for maximum benefit. Core training is the idea behind Pilates and is also used in yoga.

You can incorporate both types of training into your regular workout with equipment such as stability balls, medicine balls, elastic tubing, slides, and dumbbells. Some exercises require no equipment at all! Several videos and guides on the market can teach you many of these exercises. You can also hire a personal trainer for a few sessions so you can learn the proper techniques. These methods are more effective than traditional gym strength training machines because more muscles are used and the body becomes more coordinated and strong as a result. Machines do play an important role, however. As a new exerciser, you may not have the strength or coordination necessary for functional training. I recommend a combination of basic core strengthening and the use of machines to develop basic strength before starting the more complex functional and core movements.

One of the best and simplest functional exercises is the squat. We use this motion all day long getting up from a chair, or picking an object up from the ground, as examples. Learn to squat properly and do it consistently and you will remain strong, independent, and less prone to injury. A great core exercise for beginners is one you can do anytime, anywhere. While sitting or standing, pull your navel towards your spine. Concentrate on performing this movement without flattening your back it is important to maintain proper posture. This strengthens very deep abdominal muscles that are responsible for protecting your back. Try this exercise while driving when you stop at a red light, perform 10 repetitions. Your abdominals will thank you for it!

Think about it, do you walk around during the day doing leg extensions? What about abdominals crunches on the floor? While these exercises work targeted muscles and are good accessory exercises, functional exercises create a stronger, healthier body that will be protected from injury and provide a higher quality of life.



By: Alder Debid

About the Author:

Body Weight Routine