How to improve your balance: 6 exercises to try

Are you currently considering your bank account balance? Chances are, you're not. However, it is constantly striving to keep you erect and safe. Learn how to improve your balance now so that you can obtain the rewards in the future...

We use our equilibrium constantly. In order to walk from one location to another without tripping or colliding with obstacles, a number of distinct systems must function in concert.

According to Lyndsay Hirst, physiotherapist and proprietor of Your Pilates Physio, "balance allows us to move." 'Losing it for any reason, whether due to age or illness, can have a significant impact on the entire body.'

It makes sense to do what we can to improve our equilibrium to safeguard our bodies now and in the future.

The biology of balancing

So how do we stay balanced? There are three key factors in play.

1. Your vision

Your vision has the greatest effect on your equilibrium. Need persuasion? Try a short exercise. Stand up, but be sure to have something stable nearby to grasp if you begin to sway.

Now, try standing on one foot. "If it's difficult, find a spot to fixate your eyes on so that you're not distracted by moving objects," advises Jo Curran, head of the Pilates school at Future Fit Training. Count how long you are able to maintain concentration, then try again with your eyes closed. See the distinction?

Lyndsey states, "Our vision gives us a natural sense of where we are in space." We rely on the natural vertical and horizontal lines of our surroundings to determine whether or not we are standing erect, which explains why some people are affected by strong patterns on walls or floors.

2. Proprioception

This is your body’s awareness of where your joints are. ‘Within your joints, and the ligaments around them, you’ve got these little receptors that we call proprioceptors. And their job is to send messages to your brain, to tell it where your joint is and how fast it’s moving,’ explains Lyndsey.

3. Your vestibular system

This is what’s going on within your inner ear. ‘The fluid and tiny hairs in your inner ear work together to detect head position and movement,’ says Lyndsey. Change the position of your head and the fluid moves, moving the hairs, which send signals to your brain to register the shift.

Does age affect your balance?

It is a simple fact that as we age, our equilibrium declines. Lyndsay explains, "It's just the effects of aging." It is possible that your vision declines. Or, you may develop arthritis in your joints, which can impair proprioception. Without input indicating the location of your knees, ankles, and hips, you will be more susceptible to accidents and injuries.

Jo approves. "As we age, we lose muscle mass," she explains. And this can have an impact on our strength and reaction time if we lose our balance.

Even the feeling of slight unsteadiness can reduce your confidence in performing everyday tasks, such as walking, and this can have enduring consequences. Lyndsey states, "Less movement can ultimately result in muscle weakness and joint stiffness."

Therefore, it is evident that maintaining and enhancing your equilibrium is advisable. Jo asserts that balance training is advantageous for everyone. Here are some tips on how to improve your balance at home...

How to improve your balance

If you want to learn how to improve your balance, Jo recommends the following exercises:

• Incorporate simple balance exercises into your day-to-day routine. Why not try standing on one leg while brushing your teeth?
• Sit on a chair or stability ball, maintaining a neutral posture and engaging your core. Slowly hover one foot from the floor and then lower, alternating legs. Hold for longer as your balance develops.
• Include core-strengthening exercises when you work out, to help support your spine, improve posture and enhance stability within the body.

Once you’re feeling a bit more confident balancing on one leg, Lyndsey recommends challenging yourself in the following ways:

• Move your head side to side – it will stimulate your vestibular system.
• Try a single-leg knee dip, a sort of squat on one leg – it will get the joints moving and the muscles working.
• Stand on one leg, throwing a ball up and catching it.
• Try to reach forward a metre, to either side and backwards, just switching and moving your centre of gravity.
• Confuse your brain a little bit by doing times tables while you’re on one leg, or spelling your name backwards.

The good news is that you’ll see a difference in your balance very quickly. ‘Even just in a 30-minute session, I’ll see people improve,’ says Lyndsey. So why wait? If you’re looking for other ways to improve your balance, we also recommend trying Pilates…

Best exercises to improve your balance

Although you may not want to spend hours on balancing exercises when you could be working up a greater perspiration, it is time well spent. In actuality, a few basic exercises could yield substantial fitness benefits. Why not perform the following six-move circuit at the conclusion of a gym or home workout? This will evaluate your body's capacity for self-control. As an added benefit, it also functions as a core exercise!

Also read: How to return to exercise after a cold or flu

How to do this circuit:

Follow the exercises in order, taking 45 seconds of rest between moves. As you get better at the moves, you can increase the number of sets to keep your body challenged.

Beginner: 1 set of 10 reps
Intermediate: 2 sets of 10 reps
Advanced: 3 sets of 10 reps

1. Flamingo

• Stand on your right leg and lift your left leg off the floor.
• Keep your eyes closed for 20 seconds at first, working up to one minute. Relax and repeat for set number of reps.
• Use your arms for balance but don’t hold onto anything. Repeat on your left leg.

2. Stability ball kneel

• Stand behind a stability ball.
• Place your hands and knees on the ball.
• Roll the ball forward.
• Lift your hands off the ball.
• Balance for 5-10 seconds, relax and repeat for set number of reps.

Tip: Ensure that there is enough space to perform this exercise!

3. Stability ball bridge

• Lie on your back with your feet on a stability ball and your arms crossed over your chest.
• Lift your hips off the floor so you have a straight line between your feet and your shoulders.
• Keep your tummy tight and squeeze your bottom.
• Hold the position for 5 seconds, relax and repeat for set number of reps.

4. Woodchop

• Stand on your right leg. Extend your left arm up to the ceiling and your left leg out behind you. This is the start position.
• Bend your right knee, taking your left hand down and touching a point just to the outside of your right calf.
• Return to the start position. Complete set number of reps and repeat on other side.

5. Star stance

• Stand up tall and place all your bodyweight on your left leg.
• Spread your arms sideways. This is the start position.
• Lift your right leg sideways off the floor to form a five-pointed star, with your left arm pointing towards the floor.
• Hold the position for 5 seconds.
• Return to the start position. Complete set number of reps and repeat on other side.

Tip: If you find this difficult at first, try doing it with your back against a wall.

6. T-stance

• Stand up tall and place all your bodyweight on your right leg.
• Extend your left leg backwards and your arms sideways. This is the start position.
• Pivot your upper body forwards, and your left leg backwards.
• Aim for a straight line between your head, right hip and left foot.
• Hold the position for 5 seconds.
• Return to the start position. Complete set number of reps and repeat on other side.