Balance. The even distribution of weight which enables someone or something to remain upright and steady. A state of equilibrium.

The ability to balance is a combination of trained sensorimotor (sensori - input, motor - output) function and neuromuscular (nerves to muscles connection) coordination which allow for control of muscle function through multiple joints.

Balance is a skill. In conjunction with stability, balance is a representation of strength which needs to be trained in order to develop, in the same way we lift weights regularly to develop strength. There are two types of balance; dynamic balance (the ability to maintain body position during movement) and static balance (maintaining bodily position while sitting or standing). The practicality of balance training is present in one’s ability to carry items up and down a step ladder and place it on the top shelf. The ability of catching and steadying yourself when the subway train abruptly stops or starts. Or sitting and standing from a low chair holding a glass of water without using the arm rest. This example may seem as though it is strength based, but not completely. It also requires balance. Here’s another example, you are really drunk. You haven’t lost any strength since you began drinking, but now your balance is impaired. Would you be able to still sit and stand from that same chair smoothly holding that glass of water or would you possibly topple over and get wet? There is strength to stand with no balance. The professional balancers such as tightrope walkers, gymnasts and ice skaters, the extreme examples of training for balance practitioners, fall now and then. Why do you believe you’re exempt?

I will usually get push-back from clients and students when I add balance exercises to the day’s program. Maybe that’s because it can be uncomfortable and embarrassing to fall, especially in front of a group. What most don’t know is that the body learns to balance through falling; the process where the central nervous system is learning which muscles to engage and in which order to achieve balance. For many, balance lies in that uncomfortable place where one has resigned themselves to the fact of their inability to balance, already having failed before even beginning. Also present is the aggravation of having to work extra hard to do an otherwise simple exercise if it were done without that balance part. For example, performing a one arm bent over row but performing it unilaterally (on one leg), when the same exercise could be accomplished while standing on two legs or leaning on bench without the worry of falling on their face. The unilateral deadlifts, the planks with alternating arm and leg reaches, the lateral hops on one leg or in my case in yoga class, the half moon pose on a particularly wobbly day, brings distress when announced and relief when it’s over. I am not immune to those feelings; I get it. However, as with every other skill, there will be no improvement without a continuous and consistent amount of practice and effort.

For the 40 and below age group, the group that when it comes to fitness, rarely thinks far beyond their current situation age when it comes to health, it’s time to board this train to balanceville. If someone, in the age group considered “their prime”, is having difficulty balancing, it will not improve on its own. That’s not how the neuromuscular system works. Specific balance training exercises (i.e. balance board work, unilateral exercises) should be added to a general workout program.

For us 40 somethings and higher, who have also neglected balance training, there is no better time than the present to add this type of work to your program . We are at that age where our capacity to balance decreases. Falls due to lack of balance and stability are leading causes of injury and death in older populations. In my humble opinion, balance training is as important as strength training and should be trained equally. Equilibrium of training modalities.

Too many training programs center on the “How will it make me look?” principle. Understanding how the esthetics of working out is an important factor in strength training and that balance training is not, balance training can feel like a waste of that precious gym time eked out of your schedule and not prioritized over other types of training such as strength or cardiovascular. Remember, balance training is a functional thing; for overall quality of life. As a fitness professional, my goal is to create healthy bodies with longevity, not only those that are selfie worthy.

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