Ever tried to get a teenager to mow the lawn first thing in the morning? The results are usually poor. It’s like asking your feet to help you balance when they’ve been just hanging out minding their own business. You can’t expect your feet to snap to attention without any advance notice. Do some foot prep for better balance work and you might be surprised at how it improves your balance and performance.
Think of it this way. If your teenager knows they’re going to have to mow the lawn tomorrow morning, things will go better. Maybe not perfectly. But better. If your feet know they need to help you balance, they’ll do the necessary work. And thankfully, your feet are much easier to persuade than your average teenager.
The Progression
Instruction for balance work often goes like this – “Okay, stand on one foot. Try and hold it. Now, switch to the other foot.”
A better way might be to start with some short activities to essentially wake up your feet. These can include:
- Do a mini foot massage. Reconnect with your feet before you ask them to work. You can massage with your hands or use the floor (as shown in the video below).
- Be mindful of your foot position. Your weight should press down through the center of your heel and under the ball of the foot, from the base of the big toe to the base of the little toe.
- Actively engage the muscles to keep your ankles vertical and the deep muscles of your arches engaged. Most of us tend to collapse inward through the ankle and arch.
Follow along with this video and try some sample foot prep for better balance work:
Everyone Needs Balance Work
Don’t let anyone tell you that balance work is for old people. Everyone needs balance work. It doesn’t matter how fit you are. It also doesn’t matter if you insist that you’re not getting any older (you are).
Regardless of who you are, balance work makes you better at nearly everything. It helps with everyday tasks, workouts, walking, running, and sports. It benefits your brain, boosting both memory and spatial cognition. It’s even been known to help you get your teenager out of bed in the morning. (Okay, I made that last one up.)
Make sure you include some balance work in your routine. And wake up your feet before you start.
Stay fit!
Related posts:
Balance Training for Improved Performance
Three Fundamentals of Balance Training
The information in this article and accompanying video is provided for education only and is not intended to replace the advice of a physician or an assessment by other wellness professionals.