Balance
Balance is a skill-related component of physical fitness and is the ability to stay upright and in control of your movement. This is an important, fundamental skill that you’ll use for the rest of your life. Being able to stay balanced will help you in so many different ways because it’s part of everything that we do. You’ll be able to do day to day activities much easier, like walking up and down the stairs or getting in or out of your seat. You’ll avoid falling and getting hurt, and it can help you in any sports or other activities that you’re involved it.
Balance comes in different forms too, there’s balancing in place and balancing while you move. Before you learn to balance while you move, it’s important to be able to balance in place. This will help build a strong foundation for you to develop better overall balance skills as you grow up. Once you get the hang of balancing in place you can incorporate movements, like single leg jumps, to develop your balance while you move!
Here’s a few tips to build better balance:
- Start off by having something to hold onto while you get the feel of standing on one leg
- Find a point on the ground or wall, and keep eye contact with it while you balance
- Use your core, make the muscles in your core tight and strong to help maintain control of your body
Put your balance to the test with this challenge, and don’t forget to practice with both feet:
- Rookie
- Hold your balance on 1 foot for as long as possible
- Pro
- Hold your balance on 1 foot for as long as possible with your eyes closed
- All-Star
- Jump up and down on 1 foot, and try to land in the same spot as many times as you can in a row
