Imagine you’re walking along, lost in thought, and suddenly you trip. In that surprised and slightly embarrassing moment, you might think: Why am I so clumsy?
Your ability to keep your body upright and in control while standing and moving is called balance. Your ability to get different parts of your body moving together is called coordination. They work together to help us get through every day of our lives. But there’s one often-overlooked habit that can dramatically improve both your balance and coordination. Read on to learn what it is and how you can incorporate it into your daily life.
The best habits for maintaining harmony and balance
The best habits to improve both Coordination and balance Strength training. Strength training is also known as resistance exercise. It is a type of exercise in which muscles contract against an external force. This resistance can come from your own body weight, dumbbells, weight training machines, resistance bands, etc.
One study found that resistance exercise can help improve balance in adults and older adults. Researchers point out the multiple benefits of resistance exercise, as it can improve balance while also increasing muscle strength and muscle tone. (True multitasking!)
Unfortunately, only three in 10 U.S. adults do the recommended two days of strength training per week. If you’re in that group, don’t worry: here’s a great opportunity to add some resistance training to your routine to improve your balance and coordination.
How does strength training help with coordination and balance?
Strength training can help improve your coordination and balance in a variety of ways. Hervé Driska, CPTOwner and head trainer of 4D Fit in Miami.
- Activates muscles
- The stability of the building Collaborative Support
- Enhances proprioception (sense of where each part of the body is in relation to the surroundings)
- Build your core strength
Below we’ll explore each of these elements of tuning and balance in more detail.
Activates muscles
Did you know that you have over 650 muscles? These muscles work closely with your nervous system. For example, when you lift a dumbbell, your brain sends a signal to activate the muscle fibers in your biceps. “Strength training helps improve muscle activation and recruitment throughout the body. Increased activation leads to better coordination as the body learns to use the correct muscles to perform a movement,” explains Driska.
In short, strength training strengthens the connection between your brain and muscles, improving movement efficiency. When your body learns to activate the right muscles at the right time, your movements become smoother and more coordinated.
Provides joint support and stability
Resistance training strengthens the muscles around your joints, providing stability and support, says Driska. Stronger muscles act like scaffolding for your body, helping you maintain balance while standing, sitting, and moving.
Enhances proprioception
Proprioception is your body’s ability to sense its location in space, says Driska. This is crucial if you slip and fall, trip, or miss a step on the stairs, allowing you to better “support” yourself. Strength training helps you maintain balance and know where your body is, both when you’re stationary and when you’re actively moving.
Build a Strong Core
Your core is more than just your abdominal muscles. The muscles of your abdominal, pelvic, hip and lower back wrap around your torso like a corset, supporting essentially your entire body. These muscles play an important role in balance and coordination: “A strong core is essential for good posture, stability, and balance. Doing exercises that strengthen your core muscles will increase your core strength, which can improve your balance and coordination,” explains Driskel.
Tips for incorporating strength training
Strength training doesn’t require any equipment; you can start with bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, deadlifts and core exercises, says Driska. Board material It encourages core stability and can be performed on a wall, bench, or floor.
Once you’re comfortable with bodyweight training, you can gradually increase the intensity of your workouts. Add free weights, such as dumbbells, or start using weight machines. Remember to start with light weights and gradually increase the weight as your strength improves. Learning the correct form and structuring your workouts will help you see results while reducing the risk of injury.
That’s why connecting with a personal trainer, even if it’s just for one or two sessions, is so important: “Working with a fitness professional can help you customize a strength-training program to fit your needs and goals,” says Doliska.
Conclusion
The best habit to improve balance and coordination is strength training. Strength training does more than build muscle; it also improves coordination, balance, joint stability, and core strength — all essential for a healthy, mobile body. Aim to do strength-training exercises that target each major muscle group at least twice a week.
