You are here

Balance & Agility Exercises

Full Body Strength and Conditioning Ideas for All Ages

This is a follow-up to a previous video on how to build more useful strength with a focus on integrating upper body, core, and lower body conditioning for better overall body awareness and neural activation.

Start with a basic squat with a boxing stance where one foot is forward and your arms are up in front of you with your fists hugging the sides of your head for protection. Read more

 

A Fun Game that Improves Balance, Core Strength, and Joint Position Sense

Here's a simple game that you can do anywhere with a soft belt or rope or anything similar that you and a partner can wrap around your waists and be connected with each other.

Have each person wrap one end of the belt around the waist so that the belt takes on an "S" shape. Each person should hold on to his or her end of the belt with the hand on the side where the belt ends, right along the side of the waist. Read more

 

Simple Exercises to Improve Your Balance

To begin, stand on one leg at a time and try to maintain your balance for as long as you comfortably can, first with your eyes open, and then with your eyes closed. Read more

 

Technical Stand-Up Progressions

One of the first things that is taught in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is how to stand up efficiently while protecting oneself against a malevolent force.

Called the Technical Stand Up, the idea is to get back on your feet while retreating and remaining physically balanced and ready to defend yourself.

There are a few simple progressions that make learning the Technical Stand Up relatively straight forward. Read more

 

Plyometric Jumps for Improving Balance and Hip and Ankle Mobility

Plyometric jumps are typically used to improve explosive strength.

I find they are excellent for improving balance and the ability to sit in a deep squat, which is helpful for hip and ankle mobility.

Let the focus be landing softly with balance - you should make first contact with the balls of your feet and end with your heels in contact with your landing surface. Aim to maintain your balance in a deep squat for several seconds upon landing. Read more

 

Basic Tumbling - The Shoulder Roll

If you have enough basic mobility and strength to try some simple tumbling, you might begin with shoulder rolls. You can do these from a kneeling start and try to finish in a balanced state on one foot and one knee. Be sure to tuck your chin toward your chest and roll on the back of your shoulder, not the back of your neck.

Once you feel comfortable doing a shoulder roll from a kneeling start, you can try from a standing start. Read more

 

Pages

 
 

Join more than 80,000 readers worldwide who receive Dr. Ben Kim's newsletter

Receive simple suggestions to improve your health and mobility, plus alerts on specials and giveaways at our catalogue.