Lounge Room Workout: Better balance

Posted on 13 February, 2024

How is your balance? Do you schedule challenging dynamic balance exercises in your weekly workout routine?

Your health matters, no matter your age. Our balance deteriorates post 50, however, it’s something you can improve with specific daily balance exercises. More than a third of Australians aged 65 years and over fall each year – and half of these falls are recurring. A combination of resistance, mobility flexibility training, and dynamic balance exercises can have an unbelievable impact on your chance of falling.

Successful balance training is all about consistency.

Two tips to find consistency

1) Choose a regular time to focus on your balance exercises.

2) Time-block the routine. Make it a part of your regular schedule. Maybe when you’re doing your teeth (multitasking is great while doing your balance exercises).

Let’s test your balance

• Stand in a safe space in bare feet and hands on hips.
• Soften the knee on the standing leg then lift one foot off the floor.
• Start the timer as you close your eyes.
• Stop the timer as soon as you must put your foot down.
• Change sides.
• Repeat three times, and take the best of three readings to get your score.
• Test yourself regularly.

How did you go?

Here’s the average for your age group:

• Under 40: 15 seconds.
• Age 40-49: 13 seconds.
• Age 50-59: eight seconds
• Age 60-69: four seconds
• Age 70-79: three seconds

Two tips to improve your balance

1) Stand on one leg while you’re brushing your teeth- see if you can hold for one minute. Swap sides.

2) Stand on one leg and slowly swing the other leg forward and back – try this 10 times. Change sides. If this is too easy, try turning your head from side to side, and looking up and down.

Your Lounge Room Workout for better balance

Do you have a loved one you could share the Lounge Room Workout series with? The workouts are safe, user-friendly, free and accessible. Let’s bring the workout to you, Canberra.

The program is a combination of balance exercises, Pilates, pelvic floor exercises and Mild Intensity Interval Training (MIIT), in a circuit type format. If you don’t have 12 to 15 minutes, or if your function is low, I’d recommend breaking the workout up into two lots of six minutes (morning and night).

You can print this week’s Lounge Room Workout here.

1) Isometric Wall Sit – two sets, 10 reps.

2) Hop and Stick– two sets, 10 reps.

3) Eccentric Deep Single Leg Squat – two set, 10 reps.

4) Pilates Spine Twist Supine Level 1 – two sets, 10 reps.

5) Resisted Hip Abduction In Side-Lying (resistance optional) – two sets, 10 reps.

6) Thread The Needle – two sets, 10 reps.

If you need a modified program, let me know – email  kirra@capitalhydrotherapy.com.au. Please note this is generic exercise advice – for those who have specific pain patterns, please see your local Health Allied Health Professional if you are concerned.

When do you schedule challenging balance exercises in your lifestyle?

Disclaimer

The information provided by Kirra Rankin is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Her Canberra advises our community to consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if they’re seeking more specific medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.

Australia’s Physical Activity & Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for Adults (18-64 years):

• Doing any physical activity is better than doing none. If you currently do no physical activity, start by doing some, and gradually build-up to the recommended amount.
• Be active on most—preferably all—days of the week.
• Each week – accumulate 2 ½ to 5 hours of moderate-intensity physical activity or 1 ¼ to 2 ½ hours of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both moderate and vigorous activities.
• Do muscle strengthening and balance activities at least two days each week. Remember, this doesn’t mean you need to join a gym. Strengthening exercises can be bodyweight exercises, small dumbbells, or Thera bands (all very accessible to anyone who is time-poor).

Love, Kirra.