I’ve never been great at balancing and I'm spectacularly clumsy so anything requiring coordination is not my strong point.
But balance plays a role in everything we do. Sitting in a chair, running, carrying groceries or children, or even standing still relies on our ability to stay upright and centered. And balance is a critical skill that tends to decline as we age, increasing the risk of falls. Unfortunately, our increasingly sedentary lifestyles limit our natural opportunities to improve balance, but it's an essential skill to maintain.
As a personal trainer, I frequently have my clients do unilateral exercises to enhance their balance, so I decided it was time to take my own advice. I bought a budget wobble board from Amazon and committed to a month of balance board exercises.
What is a wobble board?
A wobble board, also known as a balance board typically has a flat, hard top attached to a round bottom creating instability during use. This forces the body to stabilize itself, helping to improve balance. It's also suitable for unilateral exercises, allowing you to strengthen each side of your body equally.
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What I learnt from four weeks of balance training
My balance improved dramatically
When I first got the wobble board I struggled to stand on it, let alone move. But after a week I could balance on one leg and by the end of the month, I was doing squats on it.
My core felt stronger
The wobble board requires constant core engagement to stay balanced, recruiting and strengthening all the core muscles, while building stamina and enhancing overall stability. This led to me doing better in other exercises too—I could hold a plank for longer and weighted Russian twists became noticeably easier!
My focus and productivity increased
Balancing training not only recruits often neglected stabilizer muscles but also calls on internal focus. This is because it engages the body’s vestibular and musculoskeletal systems, as well as proprioception (awareness of your body’s position in space). After a few weeks of using the wobble ball, I noticed a surprising improvement in my focus and concentration—an unexpected bonus.
My posture and coordination improved
Balancing is a complex skill involving the brain, muscles and inner ear. If you don’t practice and maintain it, the coordination between these three systems can deteriorate, leading to poor posture and potential injury.
Using a wobble board, helped me learn the static and dynamic positions natural to the human form. With practice, this has led to significant improvements in my posture and coordination by the end of the four weeks.
