We often take our balance for granted, expecting our body to fall in line when we need it. However, this simply isn’t the case, and we can lose strength and security when working out without proper stability. Here’s why balance is important when exercising.
Stay Safe While in Motion
One of the biggest reasons balance is essential when exercising is safety. When your body is in motion, you have less stability. A runner mid-stride puts all their balance on the next footfall. If they lose balance, they only have one foot ready to receive their full force, increasing the likelihood of a fall. Or consider a cyclist without proper balance training hurtling down a steep incline at higher speeds than usual. Anyone who works out must focus on their balance while in motion. Cyclists must improve their balance on the bike, and runners should strengthen their legs for impact. Otherwise, lack of balance could lead to severe injury.
Improve Bodily Coordination
Many workouts involve full-body motion that requires careful coordination. Think about your first time on an elliptical or a rowing machine. Exercise equipment confines your movement to awkward body motions. Better balance will improve your performance because you can move your body in sync with a machine or exercise. If you prefer workouts like dancing or Zumba, you need coordination. Otherwise, you could fall down or fall behind during the workout.
Strengthen All Muscles
Your body has both slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers. You use slow-twitch muscles during endurance exercises like long-distance running; you use fast-twitch muscles when sprinting or weightlifting. Balance exercises help improve the stability of both these muscles, giving you more power to use at short notice. A balance workout will build core, leg, and arm muscles you’ll use in other exercises.
Knowing why balance is important when exercising can keep you safer and stronger while performing at your best. The more effort you put into your balance, the more you’ll get out of each workout.
