Can You Improve Your Balance in One Minute?
Most of us have a packed schedule: work, family, studies, house chores, community obligations and more… all these duties makes it quite difficult for us to find the time to improve various motor skills which are so important for our combative performance.
Physiology of Balance
Balance is controlled through signals to the brain from our eyes, inner ear, and the sensory systems of our body such as the skin, muscles, and sensors in the joints. In the inner ear, we have canals that contain fluid and hair cells which are sensitive to movement. When we move, the hair cells in the canals send nerve impulses to the brain, which are processed and help us figure out, where we are situated in space, if we are moving, and in which direction.
When we are about to learn a new skill which involves change in our natural upright posture, such as: handstand, break-fall, back roll and alike, in addition to learning the pattern of the movement, we need to acclimate our body and sensors to the new position and movement in space. This takes time and training and for adults it is more difficult than youngsters.
How Can We Improve Our Balance In Short Training Session?
If you could insert into your daily routine some very short exercises, which will help you to improve your motor skills, such as balance, but will not consume too much time and effort, benefit will be noticed.
Where and When?
If you go to school or work by bus or train? You can stand on one leg while you wait at the station, anyway you have to wait, so why not use this "wasted time" for training, make it a habit to improve your balance while waiting.
How to Actually Do It?
How do you position yourself when you put on your shoes? Most people do it while sitting. Try to put on your shoes while standing on one leg, if you are afraid you might fall, use a wall for support. If you feel you are going to fall, don’t continue to hold on to the shoe or the leg which is lifted, take it down to the floor and regain your balance, this action will have some impact on your decision making process as well.
If you will adopted this easy to follow routine, of putting on or taking off your shoes, and/or your socks while standing on one leg, you will improve your balance in only one minute a day.