Did you play hopscotch, turn cartwheels or skip over stones as a child? All these require varying degrees of balance.

In our daily life, we are constantly faced with challenges to our sense of balance like slipping over a banana peel, tripping over the side walk or wet surface.

The balancing act
Balance is not something we generally think about as being part of overall fitness - but it should be. Balance training can facilitate movement skills and raise athletic and functional movement potentials to new heights.

Why balance?
All our daily activities require balance. Even walking which we take for granted is the act of losing balance as one foot lifts up, and regaining it by stepping down.

We often take our body’s ability to balance for granted. As we age our natural ability to maintain good balance and posture as well as quick reaction time diminishes. According to American Running board member Ron Laurence M.D., “balance ability diminishes as we age, and can be improved with practice”.

Stand on one leg, roller blade, wind surf, ride a bike, inline skate or ski to maintain and improve your inherent balancing abilities.

Sports performance
Balance is an important factor in any type of sport, be it clearing a hurdle or reaching to catch a ball. Fit individuals have a better balance, respond to training and learn sports skills more quickly.

Benefits of balance training