5 Easy Balance Hacks You Can Do in Secret
How good is your balance today? It's hard to measure without professional help, but you can still take action. Here are 5 simple balance exercises you can do without the need to put on your active wear or make a fuss. As with any exercise, don't attempt if you don't feel confident, and check with your doctor first if you have any doubts.
Brush your teeth. It takes 2 minutes, and you're standing in front of a counter or sink that you can use for support. Use this wasted time to practise standing on one leg. Hold onto the counter and raise one leg off the floor. Hold for up to one minute. If you have to put your foot down to feel secure, that's ok, just rebalance and then raise it again until the minute is up. Then repeat with the other leg.
In the grocery check out line: stop checking Facebook on your phone, stand close to the shopping cart, using the handle for support if necessary. You can do the one legged balance again, or this time rise up onto your toes slowly and then lower back down again. No one else will notice (unless they've read this blog too).
Waiting to meet someone? Don't take that comfy chair, choose to stand instead. Put your feet hip width apart and stand tall, distributing your weight evenly on both feet. How still can you stand before you need to move?
Waiting for coffee to brew? Or water to boil? Or the microwave? Try a tandem stance. You may want to hold onto the counter to start with. Put the heel of one foot directly in front of the toes of the other (as if you're walking on an narrow beam). Look straight ahead and hold for one minute. Repeat with the other foot in front.
Watching TV? In the commercial break, stand up and sit back down again 10 times. If you're bingewatching on Netflix, you can do this at the start or end of each episode.
What do you think? Have you tried these or other balance exercises? Which ones are hard for you, which ones do you like? And can you feel a difference in your balance afterwards?