Balance Challenge (Stork Stand)
Why is it important?
Whether you’re out for a jog or just standing around with friends, your sense of balance helps to keep you upright and stable. Your body works constantly to hold you in place; without practice your body gets tired quickly and you’re more likely to fall over and hurt yourself. As well, balance helps to improve your posture which is important for health and maintaining strong bones.
How can I improve?
Practicing balance every day can be easy and fun. Here are some activities you can do to improve your balance and to help you hold your stork stand for a longer period of time the next time you do the SportFit Stork Stand station!
Waterskiing or Inner Tubing
Waterskiing and inner tubing help you develop balance and stability because you’re on an unstable surface, forcing your muscles to work constantly to hold you upright.
Playing on the Sand at the Beach
Running, playing soccer or frisbee, or even just walking on a sandy beach will help your balance because when on sand, the ground moves beneath your feet and makes your body work extra hard to keep you from falling.
Hopscotch
Hopscotch is a great way to practice your balance. When you jump on one leg, your centre of gravity (the point around which your body balances normally) changes, forcing your body has to readjust its “thinking” so that it can use your muscles in new ways to keep you balanced.
Sit on an exercise ball while working at your desk or computer or watching TV
If you sit on an exercise ball rather than a chair, you will gain a better sense of balance. Unlike a chair, the exercise ball is very springy (made of rubber) and rolls about on the floor; therefore, you have to use your muscles to keep the ball in place. As your muscles work to keep the ball stationary, they get stronger and are better able to support you.
Heel to Toe Walk
Walk in a straight line, and with each step make sure that your heel touches down immediately in front of the toes on your other foot. As you walk like this, your centre of gravity is shifted and you have to use the small muscles in your legs to keep you from falling over. These small muscles are the same muscles you use in the SportFit Stork Stand station.
Pointer Stance
For this exercise you need to be face down on your hands and knees. Slowly lift one leg off the ground and straighten it out behind you; make sure your leg does not go higher than your back. Once you get your balance in this position, slowly lift the hand that is opposite to the leg that is raised. Extend your arm forward so that you create a straight line from your lifted hand, down your back and out to your lifted toes. Hold this pose for 30 seconds then switch sides. The pointer pose is a great way to improve your balance because your muscles have to work to hold you upright when your arm and leg are raised.
