If you’re finding that you need to work on your balance, you’ll learn some simple balance exercises for beginners in this video. Improving balance will help reduce the risk of falls, which can also increase confidence. These suggestions are simple starter exercises for you to try out.

Watch the video or read more below:

Try These Simple Balance Exercises for Beginners:

Exercise #1: Body sway

Have a chair to hand in case you want to hold it for support. Stand up tall and have your feet hip-width apart. Relax your arms down by the side of the body or hold onto a chair for more support. The options are:

Variation #1: Forwards/Backwards

Take your weight onto the front of your toes, back onto your heels, and repeat. You’re swaying the body forwards and backward.

Please hold onto the chair if needed for extra support.

Repeat 8-10 times or continue for 30-seconds.

Variation #2: Side to side

For this variation, shift your weight onto the right and then the left leg. Again, you can hold on to a chair if you want to. See how comfortable you are with these small movements.

Please hold onto the chair if needed for extra support.

Repeat 8-10 times or continue for 30-seconds.

Variation #3: Around in a circle

This last variation to try is a combination of the two above as you’ll move your weight around in a circle. Shift your weight forwards onto your toes, over onto the right leg, and then back onto the right heel before moving over to the left. The circles can be clockwise and counterclockwise.

Please hold onto the chair if needed for extra support.

Repeat 8-10 times or continue for 30-seconds.

Exercise #2: Step Standing – Heel to toe

The start position for this is step-standing with the right foot in front of the left, heel to toe.

Please hold onto the chair if needed for extra support.

Hold for 30-seconds.

Remember to switch feet so the left foot is in front. Monitor how you feel with each foot in front, do you find one easier than the other?

Progression: Heel raise

If you’re able to stand in the heel-to-toe step-standing heel position for 30-seconds, try raising up onto your tiptoes.

Please hold onto the chair if needed for extra support.

Hold for 30-seconds.

Exercise #3: Star test

Imagine yourself in the centre of a compass or a star. Stand on your right leg. How do you feel balancing on the one leg, do you need to hold on?

Slowly, step forwards with the left leg and return to the start position. Try stepping forwards a few times, before changing direction and stepping to the side. The slower you move for this one, the more your balance will be challenged.

Note: It’s really the slowness of the movement that will really help with that balance challenge.

Progression: Foot taps

Rather than stepping onto the left foot, as described above, you can tap the left toes/foot on the floor and return to the start position. This will challenge the right leg even further. How far away can you tap the foot?

Monitoring Progress with these Simple Balance Exercises:

Option #1: Do you need to hold on?

Whether you need to hold on to the support or not, is an easy way to monitor your progress. The more confident you get, the less you’ll need to hold on.

Option #2: How long can you do the exercise?

Timing yourself is a great way to check progress. Aim for 30-seconds as suggested above. However, you may find you can only do 5-10 seconds. In which case, practice and over time you’ll find that 5-10 seconds improved.

Option #3: Measure your Confidence

Check in with yourself on how easy or hard the exercise is, and rate it out of 10.

0 = can’t do the exercise at all

10 = super easy

As you repeat the exercise, you’ll find the confidence level improves.

Star test: How far away can you tap your foot?

An extra measurement for the star test is to measure how far away you can tap your foot. When you start out, you may only be able to reach a short distance away but as confidence improves this distance may increase.

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Questions?

Trying out different exercises is key to improving and maintaining the body’s flexibility, which in turn can help with recruiting muscles efficiently.

If you’ve got any questions on the above, then please let us know (click for contact details).

Remember – Listen to Your Body!

Please remember to listen to your body. Get any aches and pains checked out sooner rather than later.

Disclaimer:

As with all information given for exercises and exercise programs, when using our exercise videos or information, please use your common sense and don’t do anything that will hurt you. By performing any fitness exercises, you are performing them at your own risk. PhysioFit Health will not be responsible or liable for any injury or harm you sustain as a result of information shared on our website or YouTube channel. This includes emails, videos, and text. Thanks for your understanding.

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