Most of us have had a couple of really bad falls in our lives. I have. Just had one in fact, resulting in bruised sit bones and sprained butt muscles – yes, you can actually sprain your butt. Big, unpleasant ouch. Humbling.
As I slowly heal, I have been reassessing my thoughts about good balance and what it involves. Here’s a definition I really like: Good balance is coordination and control as you move through space.
Let’s unpack this. And then let me offer you some movements to have fun with.
First: Coordination. Can your brain get your body to move in the way you would like it to? For example, can you execute a complex action like picking up the shovel, sliding it along to fill it with snow, lifting the load, turning and tossing it? Can you assemble the arm, torso, leg and breath action to swim the front crawl? Can you hold the hair brush the way you want in one hand while maneuvering the hair dryer in the other?
Second: Control. Can you slow down or speed up when the need arises? Can you maintain equilibrium as you lift something heavy? Can you reverse and change direction part way through an action you just started, like starting to sit down, discovering the chair is wet, then quickly rising again?
Third: Moving through space. Standing well on one foot is great. It does require control, coordination and strength.. But you want to maintain good balance while in motion, right? You want to be steady as you walk or ski or skate, as you swing a golf club or climb a ladder.
Assuming you are healthy and mobile, here’s a fun challenge to consider. It helps with coordination and control as you move through space. If you’re feeling wobbly just put one finger – just one – on a nearby chair, table, wall, countertop or whatever, and then go hands free once you feel calmer and safer.
- Stand tall.
- Put your weight evenly into both feet. Breathe and relax the shoulders. Soften the knees.
- Then start to bend the knees and hips as though you were going to sit down.
- Stop and hold after descending a few inches. Arms might swing out front as a counterweight.
- Press into one foot, hold for a moment, then slowly lift the other and step back.
- Step forward again to where you were, Here’s the kicker: you have to move like molasses, not skipping any steps.
- Repeat, with the other foot moving backward and returning
Here’s me doing it. Click on the link below.
Remember the mantra: be gentle, go small and never into pain.
There are legions of ways to improve your balance. But I believe you must go in small, slow increments and repeat, repeat and repeat until coordination and control settle in.
Stay positive. We can all learn new tricks. Tissue can change.
Next blog post: You fell. Now, how to get back up?
