Balance Workout Exercises: 7 Best Drills for Stability

As humans, our contemporary lifestyle has made us, in fact, more sedentary than expected. As a result of this, we lose out on the balance we have gained.

Balance workout exercises help to keep the body in a functional position.

These exercises are beneficial to proprioceptive ability. They also help improve our musculoskeletal and vestibular systems.

In this post, you’ll learn about the best balance workout and exercises. But first, let’s start with why balance workouts are important.

Importance of Balance Workouts 

Balance is an essential part of every one of our movements. A slight imbalance in our movement can result in falls and likely complications as a result of that. 

As we stand on our feet, we often maintain a balance that keeps us from falling to the ground.

When maintaining a balance, we improve internal focus, stability and activate the muscles often neglected in the body. 

As we age, we begin to lose balance gradually, therefore, it is essential to maintain it.

Related: Balance Workout Benefits Your Body in These 5 Specific Ways

Effective Balance Workout Exercises

Here are some of the most important balance workout exercises that help keep your body functional. 

1. Chair Leg Raises

One study shows that doing balance training workouts helps in cases of Parkinson’s disease. The chair leg raises help a great deal.

How to perform Chair Leg Raises: 

• Sit in a chair of choice with your spine straightened
• Place both feet directly beneath your knees
• Slowly strengthen your left leg while you hold it for just a few seconds
• Bring it down and repeat the same procedure with your right leg
• Do 1-3 sets of 10-20 repeats

2. Pallof Press with Rotation

According to the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapy, core strengthening helps to improve balance in Judo athletes.

This workout routine helps to improve core stability while developing the muscles in the upper limb.

How to perform Pallof Press with Rotation: 

• Stand straight facing a cable machine
• With both hands, hold onto the cable handles at chest level
• Take a walk to the right side while you stretch your arms away from your body
• Use your core as you turn away from the cable machine
• Adjust the midpoint/center of your body
• Maintain your arms extended and go back to the initial position
• Then do the same for the left side
• Practice 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 reps

3. Banded Triplanar Toe Taps

Engaging in balance training enables you to gain better control of your body, especially in sporting activities.

Research shows that balance workouts serve better coordination, stability, and ease of movement.

How to perform Banded Triplanar Toe Taps: 

• Fix a resistance band around your lower thighs, very close to your knees
• Assume a pose with a single-leg, quarter-squat on your right leg
• Adjust your core and hips muscles
• Using the opposing force of the band, tap your leg to the front, to the side, and behind too
• Repeat 10 – 20 times
• Then repeat the same process for the opposite side

4. Heel-Toe Walking

Balance workouts can be pretty fun and exciting. One study shows that multimodal balance exercise is an efficient way of contributing to balance control and stability.

Heel to toe walk helps to control stability and enhance balance, especially in older adults.

How to perform Heel-Toe Walking: 

• Raise your arms to the sides so that they may become parallel to the ground
• Make a straight line to follow using chalk or any marking instruments
• Walk-in that marked out a straight line, putting your heel against the toes of the other foot
• Move gently and with good body control
• Continue for as long as you can

5. Flamingo Stand 

This technique works just fine for the limb muscles. It strengthens the glutes, thus improving body stability.

Research shows that balance training helps to get rid of muscular imbalances.

How to perform Flamingo Stand: 

• Stand on your right foot with the left one lifted
• Use a wall or chair for underprop as you extend your leg to the front
• Keep a good posture by adjusting your head, neck, and spine in a single line
• To heighten the drill technicality, you can reach out for your left foot with your hand
• Hold for about 15 seconds
• Repeat the same process for the other leg

6. Rock the Boat

It is one of the most effective balance training workouts. It is a fantastic exercise for runners. 

Rock the Boat helps to turn weak legs into stronger ones. One study emphasizes the importance of balance training in building strong feet. 

How to perform Rock the Boat: 

• Maintain an athletic stance with your feet hip-width wide
• Relax your weight into both feet firmly and equally
• Bring your body weight onto your right foot and lift your left foot
• Maintain the position for about 30 seconds
• Slowly lower the left foot to the floor and repeat the process for the right foot
• Repeat the process for each side 5 – 10 times

7. Tightrope Walk

Tightrope Walk helps to build stronger calf and shin muscles. It helps prevent one from falling.

Research reveals that balance exercise such as the tightrope helps develop self-efficacy. 

How to perform Tightrope Walk: 

• Tie a piece of string to two different poles
• Bring your arms out widely to the two sides
• Begin walking on the string without stepping off to the side 
• Try to walk at least 15 steps before you stop

Related: 21 Free Weight Exercises for Strength, Muscle, and Balance (With Videos)

Takeaway

Balance workout exercises are drills that everyone should consider a fundamental part of their lives.

This is because it proves beneficial to our individual daily lives.

Moreover, several techniques are not so complex for everyone to practice; both adults and young people.