Engaging in these two unexpected tasks could enhance your balance and extend your lifespan, contrary to popular belief that it solely involves maintaining a single-legged stance.
Balancing life's ups and downs can be a struggle, especially as we age. From injuries to muscle loss, inner ear issues, or just a sudden off-day, maintaining our balance can be tricky. And it's a challenge older folks face more frequently due to age-related muscle loss and degenerative conditions impacting balance and coordination.
But fret not, there's hope! As NASM-certified personal trainer and host of the NASM-CPT podcast, Rick Richey, reveals, there are simple, everyday activities that can improve your balance – no specific exercises required.
So, what are these magical secrets? Here's the skinny on Richey's tips:
1. Embrace the Stride
Turns out, walking could be your secret balance weapon! Regular walking offers a two-pronged advantage: it boosts body awareness and strengthens your lower body, both crucial for maintaining good balance over time.
walking's aces up include being low-intensity and easy on the joints–perfect for just about anyone. Plus, it's an excellent post-meal activity for your metabolic health!
What's more, a daily walk can help you score bonus points for cardiovascular health, weight management, sleep improvement, stress reduction, and a natural mood lift.
2. Get Strong, Get Balanced
Balance issues are often due to depleted strength and lower body muscle loss. But don't fret! Strengthening your leg muscles can counteract this.
Richey advises that you don't need fancy equipment or heavyweights to get started–even just using your own bodyweight can help! Take squats, for example, which strengthen those vital leg muscles and have a positive impact on your balance.
So, pump up the volume on those endurance muscles, and watch your balance soar! Strength workouts aren't just about heavy lifting–it's about building those muscles for longevity, even with bodyweight exercises.
Stay fit, stay balanced, and let your strong, steady strides guide the way!
- Walking, a low-intensity exercise that is easy on the joints, can serve as your secret weapon for improving balance and offers multiple health benefits like boosting body awareness, supporting cardiovascular health, aiding in weight management, promoting sleep, reducing stress, and uplifting mood.
- Balance issues are frequently caused by depleted strength and loss of lower body muscles. To counteract this, one needs to strengthen leg muscles, and while it's not necessary to use heavyweights, even bodyweight exercises like squats can be effective in building endurance muscles for long-term balance.
- Incorporating various workouts to maintain flexibility, muscle strength, and coordination, as supported by science, is crucial for health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise enthusiasts of all ages, as it helps counteract the effects of age-related muscle loss and degenerative conditions impacting balance.
