Exercises for Balance and Stability – As important as balance is to life, so it is when it comes to fitness. However, a lot of people miss out on it in their routine.
Fitness experts agree that it’s as important as exercises for strength, flexibility, and cardio. To create a truly rounded workout include these exercises for balance in your routine.
Robbie Ann Darby, an ACE certified fitness expert says that improving your balance also improves your overall fitness.
Furthermore, your daily activities will become smoother since your overall movement is now better.
She further says that exercises for balance and coordination that disrupts your center of gravity are the best.
This is so because they force your brain and body to focus on keeping you balanced. As time goes on, they’ll adjust and get used to it. Thus, you have balance by default.
Adding exercises for balance to your existing routine does not need to be an issue. You only need to tweak your warm-up routine.
This is a good idea because when you warm up with exercises for balance, you prepare yourself mentally as well as your core for the workout to come.
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11 Best Exercises for Balance and Stability at Home
Ready?
Let’s get started with exercises for balance that will challenge you and keep you steady.
1. Backward Lunge to Front Kick
This core exercise for balance will engage the muscles in your legs and test your balance.
How to do it:
- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart.
- Move your right leg back into a lunge without letting the knee of your front leg go beyond its toes.
- Now, push into the feet of the front leg to raise yourself and kick out the leg at the back.
- All this while, keep your hip steady and chest up.
- Repeat the process for the other leg.
2. Plank with Elbows on Stability Ball
This exercise for stability will require a Bosu ball for balance.
Since plank, on its own, is an exercise that engages your core, the combination makes this a core strengthening exercise with Bosu ball.
How to do it:
- Get into a plank position with your elbows on the ball.
- Engage your quads, glutes, and core so you can maintain proper alignment.
- Make sure your hips and shoulders are square to the floor.
- Now, move both knees to the floor and then back to the starting point.
- Do this for 15 reps.
3. Lateral Lunge
This variant of the lunge is a good exercise for balance because it changes your center of gravity by making you stand on one leg.
It also makes you squat which works your calves, and glutes.
How to do it:
- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart.
- Raise your right leg such that your thigh is parallel to the floor.
- Now, lean to the side of your raised leg and lower into a squat to complete a rep.
- Do 10 reps on one side before switching to the other.
4. Tightrope Walk
This is a good balance exercise for seniors as it does not put too much strain on their body, yet effective.
It’s also safe as there are no risks of falling or injuries.
How to do it:
- Make a line on the floor (you can use whatever you want for this).
- Stand at one end and place your hands on your hips.
- Walk from one end to the other without stepping off the line.
- Ideally, the line should be long enough to take about 15 steps before turning around.
5. Sumo Squat with Thigh Pulse
This exercise for stability will strengthen the lower parts of your body and put your core to work forcing it to stabilize you.
It is a good one leg balance exercise to improve your overall stability.
How to do it:
- Begin at a standing position with your legs wide apart and feet pointing outward.
- Lower your body into a sumo squat ensuring your torso remains upright.
- As you rise, raise one of your legs to the side and the alternating arm to the opposite side.
- At the height, pulse your feet about 2 inches higher 3 times.
- Drop back to the sumo squat to complete one rep.
- Do this 12 times and then switch to the other leg.
6. Rolling Forearm Side Plank
The movement from one side to the other while resting on just your forearm and toes puts your balance to test.
Your mind and body works overtime to keep your balance and will get used to it over time.
This is a good NHS balance exercise to warm up with before your full routine.
How to do it:
- Start from the elbow plank; only this time your forearms are in front of you.
- Roll into a side plank and stack your legs while raising the free hand. Hold that position for a second.
- Go back to the starting position and roll to the other side with the same movement.
- Keep doing this for 12 reps; 6 on each side.
7. Single-Leg Dead Lift
This is one exercise for balance to truly test your ability to spread your body weight and coordination.
Single leg dead lift is a great balance Pilates to include in your routine. This is technically a yoga pose for balance.
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Lift one leg, without bending, backward as you lean your torso to the floor. Stop when your chest is parallel to the floor.
- Get back up and lift your knee toward your chest to complete a rep.
- Do 10 of this on either leg.
8. Speed Skaters
Have you seen speed skaters do their thing before?
The name of this exercise for balance got its name from them since you’ll be mimicking their movement while in action.
Of course, you’ll be putting your core to work while at it. It also makes for a great cardio exercise.
How to do it:
- Stand with feet hip-width apart.
- Lift your left leg and jump sideways to the left with your right leg floating behind and your hands to the left too.
- Leap off your left leg and jump to the right with the same movements.
- Alternating these movements should make you move as skaters do, Hence its name.
9. Side Plank with Leg Lifts
You know planks engage your core.
Doing it on one side brings a test of balance to it making it a good exercise for balance.
If you find this too easy, put a resistance band around your ankles.
How to do it:
- Get down into a full arm side plank staking your legs.
- Put the free arm on your waist and lift the top leg.
- Hold it up for a second before bringing it back down to complete a rep.
- Repeat this 12 times, then switch to the other side.
10. Standing Crunch and Under Leg Clap
This is a great exercise for balance that can work for you regardless of your balance level. It only comes down to how you do it.
Do this routine on the floor if you’re a beginner.
If you have confidence in your balance, however, do it on a balance board or a half yoga ball.
This Bosu workout will truly test your sense of coordination.
How to do it:
- Stand on one leg and raise the other in front of you such that your thigh is parallel to the floor.
- Raise your hands and do an overhead clap.
- Bend at the hip and do another clap under your raised thigh to complete a rep.
- Do this for 12 repetitions.
11. Side to Side Squat
You will do this exercise for balance on a half exercise ball.
If you feel up to it, you can turn it upside down to make it a core balance board and this exercise will surely work your core.
Some use the balance board in physical therapy.
This exercise involves a lot of movement so, it’s a strength training and cardio wrapped up in one.
How to do it:
- With the Bosu ball beside you, place your right leg on it and do a squat.
- While ascending, jump over the ball and land on it with your left leg and descend into a squat again.
- Continue to jump to either side of the ball and doing a squat.
There you go! A collection of exercises for balance you can incorporate into your workout routine.
Even if you’re not a fitness buff, you can still do them to strengthen your core and improve your balance.
It’s important to note that there are a lot more exercises you can do for balance and other equipment you can use aside from the ones we mentioned.
For instance, a simply fit board that looks like a skateboard to help you exercise for balance.
Another one is the Gaiam evolve balance board for a standing desk that you can use even while in the office.
Studies have shown that sitting for too long is detrimental to your health.
So, a standing desk is something you should have in an office that cares about staff wellness.
You can also try out the Gaiam balance ball chair. You can use this at the office or home.
It’s comfortable and will help with your exercises for balance.
Conclusion
Exercises for balance is important, not just for fitness, in our everyday lives. It strengthens your core which is responsible for almost all your movements and more.
These exercises we’ve given you will be useful whether you’re a beginner or advanced in balance exercises.
Always listen to your body and respond accordingly. Stay safe and stay strong.
