Maintaining Balance as You Age: A Pilates Instructor Recommends a Simple Challenge to Boost Stability
Fresh Take:
Staying steady on your feet becomes more crucial as you age, and a daily balance exercise can help you maintain that stability. Abby McLachlan, founder of wellness studio East of Eden, suggests a quick, easy-to-do Pilates-inspired exercise that requires no equipment. Here's how to give the two-minute balance challenge a go:
- Stand with feet wider than hip-width apart, toes turned out.
- Lower into a squat keeping your weight in the heels, aiming to get your hips as low as possible.
- As you push back up, rise up on your right toes, hold for a second, then lower. Repeat on your left toes and finish by rising on both tiptoes before lowering back into the squat.
- Repeat for about two minutes.
You can do this exercise near a wall or table for added support. This sequence may look simple, but it's a potent way to boost balance, stability, and core engagement.
McLachlan emphasizes the importance of engaging your core for optimal balance in Pilates. Her advice? Imagine a corset around your ribs, tightening as you exhale before moving into the squat, exhaling on the downward move, and inhaling to come back up. Pilates concerns slow, controlled movements, which increase muscle engagement and enhance balancing abilities.
Interested in more balance challenges inspired by Pilates? Here are some additional exercises for you to try:
- Single-Leg Standing: Stand on one leg with the other foot lifted, engaging your core and maintaining good posture. Lift your arms overhead or to the sides to make the exercise more challenging.
- Heel Raises: Stand with feet hip-width apart, slowly raise onto your tiptoes, keeping knees straight, lower back down, and repeat for several repetitions. This exercise strengthens ankles and improves balance.
- Pilates-Inspired Leg Circles (Standing): Stand on one leg while lifting the other leg to the side, drawing small circles with your lifted leg. Switch legs and repeat. This targets hip stability and balance.
- Tree Pose Variation: Stand on one leg, with the other foot resting on the inner thigh. Bring your arms overhead or to your sides for added challenge. Switch legs and hold for a few breaths each.
- Side Bends: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, bend slowly to one side, keeping your arms extended. Come back to the center and repeat on the other side. This exercise helps improve flexibility and balance.
By alternating between exercises like single-leg standing, heel raises, and side bends, you can create a dynamic flow that challenges balance and core stability. Adding these exercises to your routine can enhance overall stability and core engagement inspired by Pilates principles. Get ready to experience the benefits of improved balance!
Incorporating Pilates-inspired workouts can boost not only balance and stability, but also health-and-wellness, as demonstrated by the two-minute balance challenge. To further enhance your core engagement and fitness-and-exercise routine, consider adding exercises such as single-leg standing, heel raises, Pilates-inspired leg circles, tree pose variation, and side bends, which align with the principles of science-backed wellness. Employing these exercises can contribute significantly to your wellbeing and general fitness.
