Good balance is key to preventing falls and maintaining good hip health throughout your life.  If you have issue balancing on one leg you will want to incorporate these exercises into your routine

|Exercises|

  1. Timed Balance
  2. Elevated Hip Activation
  3. The 4 Cardinal Planes

|Timed Balance|

Stand with Feet shoulder width apart.   Lift one foot off the ground, hold, and balance for 20 seconds.   Repeat with the other side.

Progression:

  a) Increase timing to 30 seconds

  b) After you can hold balance for 30 seconds try moving your leg back and forth slowly as you hold balance.  Repeat on the other side.  (work up to 30 seconds before moving to step c)

  c) Add a small weight on one side so that you have a disproportionate balance and need to compensate.  Repeat on the other side.  (work up to 30 seconds)

 |Elevated Hip Activation|
 User a 45 pound plate or elevation that is about an inch high (you do not want it to high or too short ) Note: If using a bumper plate you may want to use a 10 or 25 pound plate as a 45 pound bumper would be too high.

Stand with 1 foot on the plate. Push into the plate with the side that is standing on the plate while raising your opposite hip to parallel – hold for 2 seconds and drop hip back down with control.

Do 12-15 reps per side

|The 4 Cardinal Planes|

  1. Lie flat on your back on the mat.  Raise your leg straight up, slowly with control.   Do not swing your leg. Make sure you keep the opposite leg straight and firmly planted on the floor.

It is important to keep your hip joint in the correct position so do not turn the toes in or out.

  •  Roll to the side for hip ABDUCTION – foot stays flat –   toes should not turn out – do not roll back or forward (this activate other muscles) Lift using a  controlled motion
  • Cross leg over – hip ADDUCTION – raise the ankle up – foot flat and body vertical
  • Hip extension

Lie on your stomach. Raise your leg pushing heel toward ceiling using your glutes. Do not recruit your hamstrings or lower back to raise your leg.

Do 1 to 3 sets of 12- 15.

Now go back and test your balance https://agelessbarbell.com/hip-balance-and-mobility/

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