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We often kill ourselves with HIIT training, long distance running or lifting weights and forget the basics. A good routine must be based on working on balance and stability. Balance is a quality that allows the body to be held in any position., whether static or dynamic, facing the law of gravity. It is decisive for improving agility and preventing falls during movement, and essential for achieving fluidity of movement and preventing injuries in sports. vestibular system, located in the inner ear, is responsible for maintaining balance and posture, coordinating body and head movements, and fixing the gaze on a point in space. It is formed by two extensions: the utricle and the saccule, both showing the position of the head in relation to the ground.
Balance degenerates with age, inactivity, excess weight, or engaging in cyclical and repetitive sports such as running. Peror it also works on a sense of balance And with persistence, you can make significant progress. Balance exercises are very useful: they strengthen the core and other stabilizing muscles, improve coordination, help eliminate the compensations the body makes to exert less effort, which also translates into reduced risk of injury. You can do these simple exercises at the gym or at home, and you don’t need more weight than your own body. The exercises we bring you here work proprioceptionthey make your body adapt to an unstable environment, which favors balance.
1. Skater (skater)
The idea is to imitate the movement that skaters make to move by transferring their body weight from one leg to the other, doing it without skates, of course. During the exercise, the arms swing from side to side like a speed skater.
2. Squat with one leg
Stand with all your weight on one leg. Bend the opposite leg slightly and bring it out in front of you. Now slowly bend the base leg into a squat position keeping the knee stable and in line with the ankle. After completing all repetitions on one leg, switch sides.
3. Step and turn
Start standing, with your legs together. Engage your core and lift your chest. Drop down to the position a step forward right foot forward. The front knee should be perpendicular to the ground, keeping it in line with the ankle and behind the toes. Hold the position, keeping your hips pointed forward, knees and legs still as you rotate your torso to the right. Return to the starting position by stepping back with the right leg and repeat the step with the left leg, turning to the left.
4. Pistol chair squat
Start sitting in a chair holding a dumbbell with both hands in front of your chest. Raise your right leg a few inches off the ground. Push off your left heel to land on your left leg while keeping your right leg bent at a 90-degree angle. Reverse the movement and return to the start. Do 10 repetitions with each leg.
5. Pistol squat
Start sitting in a chair holding a dumbbell with both hands in front of your chest. Raise your right leg a few inches off the ground. Push off your left heel to land on your left leg while keeping your right leg bent at a 90-degree angle. Reverse the movement and return to the start. Do 10 repetitions with each leg.
6. One-legged deadlift
To perform a single-leg deadlift, start the exercise standing. Keep your core active. Now slowly bring one leg back, keeping it extended. At the same time, move your torso forward until it is parallel to the ground, with your arms extended at shoulder height, perpendicular to the ground. If you want it to be more intense, take a dumbbell that you pass from one hand to the other when the back leg is extended. To climb, bring your back leg forward and lift your torso until you return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise with the other leg.
7. One-legged gluteal bridge
One leg bridge. Start lying down with your feet flat on the floor, knees bent and hands on the floor next to your body. Drive through the soles of the feet, pushing through the heel to lift the hips off the ground, forming a straight line from the shoulders to the knees. Support the trunk on the mat and keep the abdomen active. Raise your right leg. Come back down with control, without dropping your leg, and come back up using only your left leg. Repeat with the other leg.
8. Crab (Crab Walk)
Sit on a mat with your legs bent, feet bent, and palms on the floor just behind your hips, toes toward your butt. Raise your hips a few inches off the ground. In this position, walk forward and backward. It is an exercise that strengthens the core and upper body. It is more demanding than it seems at first glance.
9. Giros rusos (Russian twists)
Sit on the floor and stretch your legs. Lean back slightly so that your torso and legs form a V, supporting your abdominal wall to engage your core. While swinging, turn your torso from side to side without moving your legs.
10. Zancada con giro lateral (low stepping turn)
Take a long step forward with your left leg until you are in a lunge and support yourself with your hands in front of you. Then twist to the left, tightening your core and raising your left arm toward the sky. Repeat with the other leg.