3 Tips for Improving your Balance
When you run you're just hopping from one leg to another, with some added forward motion thrown in!
If you want to be efficient in your running form, to boost your speed and use as little energy as possible, then great balance and stability is the key.
Not enough incentive?
How about reducing your injuries and niggles too?
Improving your stability and balance increases your ability to manage the huge loads travelling through the body when you strike the ground. Thereby reducing the chances of an overuse niggle or injury.
Win-win!
So here are 3 tips to get you started;
Think tall; imagine a piece of string going from your bottom, up through your spine and out the crown of your head, pulling you up towards the sky. Lifting up through the body like this naturally requires you to engage your trunk muscles, improving your stability and balance in the process. Do this when you run, when you're walking around, or when you're sat at your desk. The more you do it the better you'll get and the more natural it becomes.
Build your skills; good balance and stability come from more than just strength. You need to develop other skills like motor control, coordination, body awareness and (when you first start) concentration. It's the combination of these that really elevates your stability when you run.
Practice, practice, practice; like any skill, time and practice are all it takes to improve. Little and often is a great way to go, so you can stay consistent over the long term. Don't worry about where you are now, just focus on progress over time.
Are you ready to get started now?
>> Check out this week's YouTube session!
10 minutes working on strength and stability around the knees to start building your skill set now.
Wishing you a great week of running and Pilates,
Liz
If you want a week's worth of short sessions then check out the 7 day free membership trial HERE!
