What's the real spice of life?

      Balance Training!!
      Well, that's how I see it anyway.
      I like to train in many different ways with many different tools and I like to introduce all the various aspects of fitness and strength training to my clients. One aspect of training is balance. Balance training is critical for overall strength. It's not just about if you can stand on one foot with your eyes closed and not fall over, it's more about total body awareness. What do your muscles have to do to continue supporting your joints when your center of gravity and/or base of support is changed or challenged? Well, they have do a lot and most of us never notice or realize this until it's pointed out, or until we lose our ability to maintain our balance.
      So, we train. For me, balance training is the most difficult and most challenging part of my routine. My brain and my body go into overdrive, the focus and attention that balance training demands can be overwhelming at times. But, one amazing thing about balance training is that gains and improvements can happen really quickly. Usually, after just one or two tries with a new balance challenge you'll start to feel it changing and getting a little bit easier to handle and control.

      And, it can be really fun! BOSU balls are a good tool for challenging your balance. Whether your focus is on joint stability or deceleration like in this video clip. Training balance can be slow, or quick, it can be done with or without external loads like a ViPR or kettlebells, it can be done as it's own thing or integrated in with a strength workout. If you've ever worked with me then you know that I like to include balance training in my workouts as often as I can.


At Be Fit Personal Training studio where I train, we have a COR Bench. It's just a bench, except that it's filled with air. So, every exercise you do on it challenges your core and your ability to balance.
      It's another tool that we can have some fun with!
      Here's me trying a split squat jump, or lunge jump on the COR bench. As you can see in both these videos, I'm not doing a great job on keeping balanced, but it was fun and now I know I can do things like this.
      So, don't neglect balance work in your fitness routines. It does and will aid in overall strength gains.

       Happy Balancing!

                         
                                                         Train Today to Move Tomorrow!