Balance is both a talent and a skill. I can’t help the talent part, but here are some exercises to practice to build it as a skill. (Note: safety is key. Have something nearby to hold if needed.)
1. Stand on one foot. Basic, I know. A good time to do this is while brushing our teeth in the morning, since we are standing there anyway.
2. Play one-leg catch. We need a friend for this one and a soft ball. I use a Koosh ball. Both of us stand on one leg and toss the ball back and forth. Then we switch legs. This is more difficult than just standing on one leg because we’ve added movement and coordination to the mix.
3. Do calf raises. Stand with feet hip distance apart and rise up on the toes and come back down. When that gets easy, try doing it on one leg at a time.
4. Do single leg squats. This is the opposite of a calf raise. Stand on one foot and bend and straighten the knee of the standing leg.
5. Do single leg dumbbell passes. Stand on one leg holding a light dumbbell or kettle bell (start with 3 or 5 pounds). Pass the weight from one hand to the other around the body five times in one direction and five times in the other direction. Then repeat on the other leg.
6. Do single leg deadlifts. I call these drinking birds, after the toy. Stand on one leg and bend the torso forward as the other leg lifts up behind. Return to start and repeat five or ten times; then do the other leg.
For all of these exercises, make sure that the abs stay engaged.
Go play.
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