Don't Give It Away!

As we get older there are two things that are a given (besides death and taxes).  We lose muscle and balance, UNLESS you do something to prevent it.  That's the good news.  You don't have to lose your muscle or your balance.  It's simple, incorporate some type of weight training which should include balance training as well into your weekly routine.  A little goes a long way.  You can balance on 1 leg while alternating bicep curls with dumbbells.  Balancing on 1 leg is a heck of a leg workout while you are doing another upper body exercise.  If you are not comfortable balancing on 1 leg you can progress.  Most stable is a parallel stance shoulder width apart.  Then staggered stance but wide, about shoulder width.  Then a narrower staggered stance until you feel comfortable balance on 1 leg.  Here's a few tips to help you balance.  Slight break in the knees, neck relaxed, shoulders back and down, abs engaged and pelvis tilted up or slightly back.  This is a position of power, you would be hard to push over in this position.  Get your balance on 1 leg before your start the upper body exercise.  Pick a spot to look at that is fixed and block everything else out, this will help you balance as well.  As you improve you won't need to focus on a fixed spot, it does help a lot in the beginning.  One of my motivations to be active as far back in my 20's, was because I wanted to keep whatever mobility and independence I could for as long as I could.  Life throws curve balls at you all the time.  Who do you know that doesn't have some time of orthopedic or metabolic issue.  I am a firm believer in dealing with whatever issues life gives you and making the best of it.  Another great tip is to make your workouts fun.  That will be my next post, there are a lot of ways to make your workout something you look forward to or to get you to at least show up.