Physical therapist Lara Heimann, PT, says balance exercises are about callibrating your body and brain.
These four will get you started.
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Theyre constantly communicating with the brain, says Heimann.
physical therapist, yoga instructor, and founder of LYT Method
Your body makes a really quick response, and thats a part of balance.
All of this is encompassed by the term proprioception.
The thing about balance is that we are constantly making it better or making it worse.
The thing about balance is that we are constantly making it better or making it worse.
It doesnt tend to stay static, she says.
(Hint: It involves standing on one legso get excited.)
Stand on one leg.
Stand on your left leg and bring your right knee up to about hip height, instructs Heimann.
From there, Heimann wants you to justobservehow you feel.
physical therapist, yoga instructor, and founder of LYT Method
Is your knee locking out to help you stay up?
Is your ankle wobbling?
Do you feel like your lower back is suffering because youre not engaging your core?
From there, try moving the leg thats not on the ground back or forward.
What does that do to your balance?
What muscles have to engage?
Take notes, then move onto the other leg (which will, very likely, feel different).
What are you feeling?
What are you experiencing?
All of [those observations] arelike food for your brain.
You are training your brain by paying attention to all the sensations that are happening.
This isnt about being judgemental about what your body can or cant do.
Standing on one leg will feel different in a week, a month, and a year.
(Childhood hopscotchdefinitelytaught you that.)
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Instead, Heimann says you’re able to work on them in any spare moment.
Again, youre teaching your brain that you’re able to multitaskwhilebalancingand thats a BFD, everyone.
Walk barefoot
Walk barefoot as much as you could.
Walk outside, walk on different surfaces, says Heimann.
This will give a lot of feedback to all the different structures in your feet that have receptors.
Give me 10 reps to test those proprioceptors.
If you feel so inclined, add a beat, and lets make this aballet lesson.
So takingany yoga classwhether its 15 minutes or 90will help your body level up its balancing skills over time.
Pretty soon, that one-legged tooth-brushing ritual may just take the form of a tree pose.
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