Maintain your stability and balance as you age with these six exercises

Balance is not one of the most prominent markers of health, and it is therefore not paid much attention to. It isn’t until you find yourself not being able to balance a certain yoga pose as you used to, that you realize that your body is changing in ways more than one. The effects of age on your body go much beyond the way you look and balance is one of them. The ability to balance yourself in a difficult stance is basically the ability to contract your muscles quickly so that the body is stabilized. In addition to this, it is also important to know that a good balance is vital to maintain overall fitness, quality of life and performance. Not to forget, a good balance helps you stay away from injuries. Now that you know how important balance is, here are six exercises that you should practice to retain your balance as you age.

Lunges

Stationery lunges are a great way to retain and maintain balance because the weight of the entire body is laid on one leg at a time. Bending the knee further adds to the complexity of the stance which makes balancing a task to achieve. You might lose balance initially but practicing this daily will help you improve. Also, using weights to do this exercise can help immensely.

Single leg Romanian deadlift

This exercise requires you to balance you back and hinge using your hips, which is a complex movement. You may require help initially but it will get better with regular practice. You can add weight as you progress, and ensure that you do ten repetitions daily.

This is one of the most convenient exercises for improving balance which poses minimal risk of any injury categorically. Even if you find yourself losing balance, you won’t be injured because of being on all fours. Since the position requires you to sit on a yoga mat, it further obviates any excessive precaution. Hold the pose for five seconds and do ten repetitions on each side ten times.

This exercise is great for your leg muscles and also helpful for improving balancing skills. With ten claps on each side, ten repetitions of the entire exercise everyday are enough to help you work on your balancing skills. Make sure you are standing on a steady surface so that you do not slip while performing the exercise.

Balancing yourself in a high plank isn’t a tough job but alternating hands and balancing the stance on one hand, even momentarily, is quite a deal. Ensure that you use a mat to perform the exercise and do not let your hips rock from side to side while performing the movement. Three sets of ten claps on each side would suffice as a good exercise.

The curtsy lung also requires balancing on a single leg while the other one is engaged in movement. This exercise helps the obliques and the legs, while working on balancing abilities. Three to five sets of twelve repetitions on each side are enough for building a strong stance.