Try these stability and balance exercises to complement your cardiovascular and strength training. Stability and balance helps reduce the risk of injury, improving your ability to undertake other types of exercise and daily activity, and maintain independence as you age.
Start small if you need to and build up gradually. For example, try to do 1–2 sets of each exercise, gradually building up to 3–4 sets.
This workout can help you work towards meeting the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines, which recommend being physically active on most days and including muscle-strengthening activities on at least 2 days per week, and functional activities on at least 3 days per week.
Disclaimer: If you have been inactive for a while, have heart disease, or a close relative with heart disease or if you have other major health problems, or are pregnant, please check with your doctor before following these workouts.
Choose any gentle, dynamic movements like arm circles or shoulder rolls to improve blood flow and joint mobility. Then start to slowly increase your heart rate and prep your lower body by marching on the spot with high knees or jogging on the spot.
Hip circles support and train mobility through the hips, pelvis and lower back.
Calf raises train the calf muscles and your ankle stability.
Marching on the spot supports circulation, warms up the body and trains coordination and dynamic balance.
1. Start in a standing position.
2. Maintain hip-width space between your legs and step your right foot backwards.
3. Bend both knees, bringing your right knee towards the floor, while keeping your torso upright. Ensure your front shin is vertical as you step backwards.
4. Straighten both knees as you return to a standing position.
5. Repeat, stepping backwards with your left foot.
Exercise notes:
Stand next to a bench, wall or desk for balance support if needed.
To make this exercise less challenging, hold onto a wall or reduce the depth of the lunge.
To make this exercise more challenging, hold weights such as filled water bottles or increase the depth of the lunge.
Disclaimer: Use support if balance is limited.
1. Start standing on your left leg, with your knee slightly bent.
2. With your right leg, tap your toe in front, keeping your weight through your standing leg, then return your foot to the middle.
3. Tap your toe out to the side, then back to the middle.
4. Tap your toe behind you, then back to the middle.
5. Repeat on the opposite side, standing on your right leg and tapping with the left foot.
Exercise notes:
This exercise can be made more challenging by tapping at more points around the circle (e.g. at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 o’clock).
You can also make this exercise more challenging by not placing your foot back to the middle between taps or increasing the distance from your standing leg with each toe tap.
Movement can be sped up or slowed down.
The standing leg can be bent more or less to increase or decrease the intensity.
Cue: Imagine you are tapping an egg which you do not want to break.
Disclaimer: Stand near a stable support if you have balance concerns.
Physical Activity
A great way to fit more movement into your day! Try these free workouts at home or work to improve your balance, strength and energy.
