Working on your balance and coordination will improve your all-round strength and decrease your chance of injury. Try these six simple balance exercises

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Good balance and coordination are important for all bodies. When you work on these components of fitness, you will also improve the connection between your brain and muscles, which helps your body to function more effectively and reduces your risk of injury. In addition, enhanced balance and coordination will give your cardiovascular performance a boost.

Boost your body

Many of us take our ability to balance and co-ordinate our muscles for granted, but it’s really important for sports performance because these skills will train the body to engage more muscle fibres, which can consequently enhance your power and endurance. You may not want to spend hours working on balancing drills when you could be getting a greater sweat on, but it’s worth the time investment. In fact, just a few simple exercises could bring about great fitness rewards. Why not try doing the following six-move circuit at the end of a gym or home training session? This will test your body’s ability to control itself. As an added bonus, it doubles up as a core workout, too!

How to do it

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

Six balance exercises

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.

Kneeling on a stability ball

  • 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!

Stability ball bridge with arms crossed

  • 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.

Exercises to improve your balance from home

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.

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.

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.