As you get older, your risk of slips and falls increases. Sadly, so too does your chance of suffering serious injury. However, with the right type of exercise it’s possible to prepare and protect your body.
Balance training can be extremely effective for older people. The question is, what is it and what benefits does it provide? What follows is a brief guide to balance training, including some great tips to get you started.
What Is Balance Training?
Balance training aims to improve balance by focusing on strengthening your muscles. It mostly involves working the legs and the core, improving stability. Some types of balancing exercises can be pretty intense, while others are simpler. This means there are training exercises to suit all ages.
These types of exercises can be undertaken every day. You can also do them as often as you like. The more you perform them, the better balance you’ll develop.
What Are the Benefits?
You’ll experience a lot of benefits when you partake in balance training. We’ve already mentioned the reduced risk of falls, but you’ll also notice the following benefits:
- Improved reaction times
- Enhanced coordination
- More muscle mass
- Improved brain function
- Stronger bones
Improved reaction times are what can help you to avoid a trip or fall. As your coordination also improves, you’ll find it easier to roll once you hit the floor if you do fall. This again reduces the risk of injury.
The increased muscle mass is a great benefit, making you stronger and helping to protect the bones and joints. You’ll also improve your brain function like you would with any form of exercise. The fact that your bones will be stronger also prevents injury from slips and falls.
These are just some of the benefits that can come from regular balance training when it is performed correctly.
Top Balance Training Tips
Want to start reaping the benefits of balance training? There are a lot of balancing exercises out there and some are much harder than others. Therefore, you need to ensure you are focusing on exercises suitable for your age and ability.
One of the simplest balance exercises you can do is standing on one leg. However, if you’re new to exercise or currently have poor balance, you’ll still find it a little challenging. Hold on to a chair to retain your balance, holding one leg off the floor for 10 seconds at a time. Repeat on each leg 10-15 times (or however many you feel able to do).
Leg raises are another simple yet effective exercise to try. Again, you can use a chair for support here as you lift one leg backwards. Make sure you keep your other leg slightly bent to reduce strain on the joints. You could also raise your leg to the side, rather than behind you for a different take on the exercise. Hold the lift for 1 second and repeat around 10-15 times.
Balance training can be an effective way to protect your health in older age. It can prevent you from suffering mobility issues and help maintain independence. The above are just a couple of ideas of the exercises you can start out with.
