Balance Exercises

Balance exercises help develop balance which improves joint stabilization, and an important component of all movements. You can develop better balance by training in an environment that limits your stability but without losing control of your center of gravity. Some props that can be used for balance training include ..

• Half foam roll
• Airex pad
• dyna disc

Only use props when you are able to perform the following exercises easily.

Beginner Balance Exercises

Single Leg Balance

Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, place hands on hips. Draw your belly button in and contract your buttocks. Lift one leg off the ground and right beside the balanced leg, keep hips level and hold for 5 to 20 seconds. Repeat with other leg.

Single Leg Balance Reach

Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, place hands on hips. Draw your belly button in and contract your buttocks, maintain this throughout the exercise. Lift one leg off the ground and right beside the balanced leg, keep hips level and reach your leg to the front of the body and hold for 2 second. Return leg back and reach to the side and hold for 2 seconds. Return leg back to start and reach leg behind your body and hold for 2 seconds. Repeat with other leg.

Single Leg Hip Rotation

Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, place hands on hips. Draw your belly button in and contract your buttocks, maintain this throughout the exercise. Lift one leg off the ground and right beside the balanced leg, keep hips level and rotate at the hips to the side opposite of the balanced leg and hold for 2 second. Return back to start and repeat with other leg.

Single Leg Lift and Chop

Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, place hands on hips. Draw your belly button in and contract your buttocks, maintain this throughout the exercise. Lift one leg off the ground and right beside the balance leg, keep hips level. Extend both arms on the outside of the balanced leg and hold a medicine ball or small dumbbell and lift in a diagonal pattern until it's overhead and hold for 2 seconds. Return slowly and repeat. Perform about 12 reps on each side.

Intermediate/Advanced Balance Exercises

Single Leg Squat

Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, place hands on hips. Draw your belly button in, maintain this throughout the exercise. Lift one leg off the ground and right beside the balanced leg, keep hips level. Lower down into a squat as if you're sitting in a chair. Go down only as far as you can and hold for 2 seconds. Return slowly and repeat about 12 times.

Single Leg Squat Touchdown

Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, place hands on hips. Draw your belly button, maintain this throughout the exercise. Lift one leg off the ground and right beside the balanced leg, keep hips level. Lower down into a squat as if you're sitting in a chair and reach the hand opposite of the balanced leg toward balanced toe. Go down only as far as you can. Return slowly using your abs and glutes and repeat about 12 times.

Single leg deadlift

Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, place hands on hips. Draw your belly button in, maintain this throughout the exercise. Lift one leg off the ground and right beside the balanced leg, keep hips level. Slowly bend down and reach the hand opposite of the balanced leg toward balanced toe. Go down only as far as you can. Return slowly using your abs and glutes and repeat about 12 times.

Lunge to Balance

Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, place hands on hips, and lift your chest. Draw your belly button in, maintain this throughout the exercise. Lunge forward, make sure your feet are pointing straight ahead and front knee is directly over toes. Push off your front leg and maintain a balance on the back leg. Repeat 5 - 6 times on each side.

Perform 1 - 2 of the balance exercises above 2 to 3 times a week.

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