Maybe you're not planning any death-defying high wire acts. But ignoring balance training is a mistake for anyone striving to get the best out of their workout or athletic performance. Scott McCredie, author of the book Balance: In Search of the Lost Sense, states that "Knowing how balance works, and how to maintain and improve it, can lead to improved coordination, smoother movement, and less risk of certain injuries and falling–at any age."

Karen Skidmore, owner of the Completely Fit personal training company in Mt. Airy, Maryland, feels that people underestimate the importance of balance. "No matter what fitness level or age my clients are, I make them participate in balance activities. You can never have too much balance."

So how does balance work?

Our sense of balance depends on signals that the brain receives from three sources:

    * Eyes: Our eyes help us know where our body is and how it is moving
    * Inner Ear: The vestibular labyrinth in the inner ear lets us monitor the rotation and back-and-forth motion of our heads.
    * Proprioceptors: These sensory receptors, located in the muscles, tendons and joints, are sensitive to stretching, tension and pressure. By passing information to the nervous system, proprioceptors give us a sense of where our bodies are in space. 
 

Should one of these systems of information shut down, for example, if you close your eyes, the other two should be able to keep you upright. 
 

When it comes to balance, are we all born equal?

Rik Feeney, author of Gymnastics: A Guide for Parents and Athletes and a gymnastics coach for 30 years, says, "As with all things, there always seem to be those with innate abilities. Some gymnasts seem to have a superior sense of balance naturally, while others had to train harder to gain the same level of skill." 

What can you do to boost your balance?

Improve balance by creating challenges for yourself. As Peter Twist, veteran NHL strength and conditioning coach and president and CEO of Twist Conditioning Inc. writes, "The trick is that you must be slightly out of balance when learning balance. ... If you can perfect a balance exercise and stay stable through every rep, you are no longer improving your balance. New exercises are required to keep you slightly unstable."

There are a cavalcade of gadgets designed to aid with this instability - balance boards, wobble boards, balance balls, balance cushions, Brolling boards (a Plexiglas board covered with calibrated ball bearings), even vibrating shoes. There are also gadget-free, no-tech exercises that can accomplish the same objective. Let you personal style and finances be your guide.

Here is a quick and simple way to test your balance.

        Stand straight and fold your arms across your chest. 
 

        Lift one leg, bending the knee about 45 degrees. 
 

        Count or use a timer to keep track of how many seconds you can hold this position.

        Stop counting as soon as you lose your balance.

        Repeat this test with the other leg.

        Now, compare your performance to these norms:

                + 20 to 49 years old: 24 to 28 seconds.
                + 50 to 59 years: 21 seconds.
                + 60 to 69 years: 10 seconds.
                + 70 to 79 years: 4 seconds.
                + 80 and older: most cannot do it at all.
 

How did you do? Remember, these are just the norms. With a little effort, you can improve. Whatever your age, shoot for 24 to 28 second range. If you're falling short, check out the balance exercises at the link below.
 

Advanced Balance Exercises from Body Results 
http://www.bodyresults.com/E2balanceexercises.asp

For the scoop on cool balance gadgets try this site.
Top Ten Balance and Proprioception Training Products
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/equipment/tp/balanceproducts.htm

Sources

Karen Skidmore
Completely Fit
http://www.completely-fit.com/

Rick Feeney
http://www.GymnasticsTrainingTips.com/

Twist Conditioning
http://www.sportconditioning.ca/

Balance: In Search of the Lost Sense by Scott McCredie
http://www.balancethelostsense.com/index.shtml

"Preserving a Fundamental Sense: Balance" by Jane E. Brody
New York Times, January 8, 2008

"Exercises Add Equilibrium" 
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=50913

"Take It Outside" by Peter Twist
http://www.alive.com/4292a12a2.php?subject_bread_cramb=94
 

-- 
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http://donnaverrydee.blogspot.com/
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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