Balance for your body

Add comment June 12th, 2009

I first ran across this exercise five or six years ago during a National Exercise Trainers Association workshop on core strength.

It must be good, because I’ve seen it recommended in literally scores of exercise programs since then. When I’ve used it with my clients, I just call it hand and knee balance, but it also goes by several fancier names. It works for the shoulders, back, abs, obliques and a little muscle under your glutes called the piriformis, no matter what you call it.

 The beginner’s form of the exercise is to start on the floor on your hands and knees, with your abs tight and neck and back in neutral spine (flat). Lift the right hand off the floor and extend it above your head while also lifting the left knee and extending it back with toes pointed. While balancing on left hand and right knee, bring the lifted hand and knee in toward your midsection at the same time. Then return to extended position. Do 12 repetitions, then switch to left hand and right leg up and extended and do 12 more repetitions.

Don’t worry if you wobble a bit. Tighten your abs, glutes and obliques to help keep yourself on balance.

Another note: When you’re starting out, especially, one side is always quite a bit better than the other. You’ll improve.

To increase the intensity of the exercise as you get better, you can hold a weight or weighted ball in the extended hand, put the hand that is on the floor on a ball to de-stabilize yourself, or do both at the same time. You can be even tougher on yourself by trying it while balancing on an exercise bench, but make sure you’re really good before you do.

And, by all means, have fun.