Most adults don’t think about their balance until they fall and according to the National Safety Council, you have a 1 in 98 chance of dying from a fall. The fact is, balance declines begin somewhere between 40 to 50 years of age. The National Institute of Health reports that one in three people over 65 will experience a fall each year.
With age and inactivity, the unconscious processes your brain goes through to help you balance may not integrate as well or as quickly as they used to – in other words, your cognitive abilities decline.
So, it’s important to practice balancing skills and build strength NOW.
Here are some simple body weight moves to improve strength and balance that you can incorporate into your warm up or simply do daily.
- single leg stand (add variations for an added challenge)
- heel toe walking in a straight line
- unassisted sit to stand
- unassisted stand from floor position
- surrenders
- box drops
- around the world lunges
- squats
- push ups – Why add the push up? Upper body strength (and grip strength!) are imperative to prevent or save you from a fall too.
Look, I like to consider myself a bit of an ‘athlete’ but your body just changes over time.
Anatomical studies have shown that the number of nerve cells in the vestibular system decreases after about age 55 and no one is immune to this. Blood flow to the inner ear also decreases with age. As the vestibular system ages, the body can experience dizziness and balance problems.
I want to be proactive. In addition to strength training, balance practice keeps the brain firing to give you every chance of a quick recovery should you stumble so you avoid a fall.
Need more support where strength and balance are concerned? My Waist Management program is your most affordable option where you’ll get access to me 247 for questions, twice monthly group coaching calls, weekly accountability to DO the work and of course, access to LIVE and on-demand workouts.