FIX A SINGLE BROKEN WINDOW: BALANCE

DO YOU RECALL THE POST ABOUT THE SOCIOLOGICAL BROKEN WINDOWS THEORY on February 25?  There was discussion about how trying to mend ONE thing that we felt was “broken” about our fitness level might put us on a path to improving our health more globally. One benefit of this approach is that, if we concentrate on this one task we are likely to try several recommended approaches, and settle on those that best meet our specific needs. If we get off track, it’s  much easier to get back on quickly, with tried-and-true routines, before damage accumulates!
 
One fitness issue that effects all ages and is important to mastery of nearly all sports and life activities is BALANCE. I must work on this constantly.  Below are some YouTube videos that demonstrate very simple balance exercises. The last one By Fabio Comana has the greatest range from simple to more challenging. The simplest of these is still CHALLENGING for me and for many others.  I broke down the routines a bit for my own benefit, and included these lists of moves below for you. There are other videos out there; those I chose incorporate moves taught to me by a physical therapist.
 
CAUTION: make sure you have something nearby (doorway, chair, counter, etc) to keep from falling as you do these routines, even if this is not demonstrated on the video!!!. Jimmy Fallon tripped and fell and almost lost a finger last year. He wasn’t exercising, but accidents do happen when precautions aren’t taken to prevent them in balance work.
 
Very Basic Single leg Balance; with multiple modifications
- One leg balance in doorway; eyes open; then eyes closed
- Stand on pillow eyes open; then eyes closed
- Stand on exercise disc;  eyes open; the eyes closed
 
Brent Brookbush -Single Leg Balance with Reach (Excursion)
 
ACE Exercise Fitness, Fabio Comana (exercise physiologist) Balance Training Exercises
FIRST FIND FOOT POSITION THAT CHALLENGES YOU
Foot Positions (easy to more difficult)
A) Standing on both legs
-- feet In hip- width stance
-- staggered or step position
-- split position
-- heel-to toe position
- Standing on Single Leg
 NEXT ADD CHALLENGES
--Both arms overhead
--One arm up/one arm to side; then lean
--One arm up/one out forward; then lean forward or back or rotate
--Finger in front of face; move it up/down/side with eyes following; head still
--Finger in front of face; move it up/down/side with head following; eyes open
--Finger in front of face; move it up/down/side with head following;  eyes closed
 B) Standing on single Leg
Try same moves as above or ADD OTHER CHALLENGES
 1st plane: forwards/backwards
  - Swing leg forward and backward
  - Reach arm forward-down/leg back; arm forward-up; leg up; slight knee bend
 2nd plane: lateral movement (right to left; left to right)
  - Move leg out to side, then across body (opposite arm moves in opposite direction)
  - Same movement as above, but add slight squat
 3rd plane
  - Leg out front across body then around and back behind  (opposite arm moves in opposite direction)
  - Same movement as above, but add slight squat
 
Start with 10 repetitions of ANY move, each leg if done as single leg balance.

RUN HAPPY!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1Mss4A193s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWuKEt96Jjs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4OB7wcYTJE