How to Improve Balance in Sports
When it comes to sports, there are many skills that carry over to almost every one. Some of these include agility, speed, endurance and mental strength. But perhaps one of the most overlooked yet important skills is balance. There are several steps that need to be taken to improve balance, which involve some fitness tools and a good sense of focus and concentration. Improving your balance in sports will also improve your balance in normal daily activities.
Instructions
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Sit on a Swiss ball. Sitting on a Swiss ball can help create full-body stabilization, which is as important as standing balance. Start off by sitting on it while you are watching television, eating dinner or reading a book. After this has become easy, try lifting one foot off the floor and eventually get to the point where you are lifting both feet off the floor.
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Stand on one foot. One of the easiest and quickest ways to improve your balance is to simply stand on one foot. When you put your shoes on in the morning, stand on one foot and when you are standing in line at the grocery store or movies, alternate standing on each foot.
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Balance while working out. Every time you do a standing weight lifting exercise such as bicep curls, military presses, lateral raises or overhead triceps extensions, stand on one foot. In order to do this, you will have to cut back on the poundage. Never sacrifice proper form for weight.
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Stand on a BOSU. A BOSU is a functional training tool that looks like a Swiss ball that has been cut in half. It has an inflated dome side and a flat side. After you have stood on one foot on the ground for a couple weeks, progress to standing on the BOSU. This is going to be a whole new feeling so start out on two feet, then progress to one.
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Use the Swiss ball in your workouts. Once you are able to comfortably sit and lie down on the Swiss ball, incorporate it into your workouts. Use it for all seated and lying down exercises such as front presses, curls, chest presses, pullovers and lateral raises.
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Stand on the BOSU in your workouts. Once you are able to comfortably stand on the BOSU, incorporate it into your weight lifting routines. Do your standing exercises on the flat side of the BOSU.
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Tips & Warnings
When you first start standing on the BOSU, make sure you are near a wall or a stationary object to brace yourself. Also, start out using the dome side, then progress to the flat side. When you start lifting weights on the BOSU with two feet, progress yourself to the point where you can stand on one foot.
Be very careful when you are standing on one foot or using a BOSU while lifting weights. Being that you are off balance, you run the risk of falling if you lose concentration for one second. If you are doing seated balances on the Swiss ball with both feet up, make sure to be touching a stationary object when you first start to stabilize yourself.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit K/Rail, Scott Heller
