“Exercises That Improve Balance” Video

Exercises that improve balance are probably not as exciting as developing six pack abs, unless it is about improving abs and balance simultaneously!

Here’s a routine that will help balance your trunk muscles and develop your abs. Perform each exercise until momentary muscular failure. In other words, your last ‘clean’ rep, but until complete exhaustion of this muscle group. You have 10 seconds rest/transition time before the following exercise. Repeat the giant set daily until your posture improves and your body looks more balanced. You need to do this for around 2-4 weeks for there to be noticeable change. Here are the exercises. For some of them, you’ll need a big, inflatable exercise ball or weight plates.

1.) Middle Trap – Kneel down in front of an exercise ball. Lean down onto it and rest your groin and torso on the ball. Now lift your knees up and have your body in a straight line. Relax the top of your shoulders. Move your arms out to either side of you, palms turned up. Now move your straight arms up and down like you were a bird flapping your wings. The entire movement is found from your shoulder blades. Squeeze them together and relax them apart.

2.) Modified plate tree cutters – Stand up straight and hold a weight plate on either hand. You can decide which weight to use after you try the exercise to gauge yourself. Squat down and back, chest relatively parallel to the ground, chest big and back straight. From here, raise your elbows up and point them towards the ceiling, packing your shoulder blades, and then relaxing them on the way down. Support your lower back with your glutes. Always maintain a good trunk position so that you have the right abdominal and gluteal bracing muscles to protect your lower spine in this exercise.

3.) 3 Position back extension on the ball – As with the first exercise, but brace your feet against the wall and the ground, or against something ground level that you can hook them under. Level 1 is having your arms at your side, level 2 is having your arms across your chest, and level 3 is having your finger tips at your ears, not behind your head so that you don’t place stress there. Now, whichever level you choose, the movement is to come down far enough that your back is rounded and your thighs, groin, abdominal and torso area are all on top of the ball, going around it. From here, extend up, bending at your waist and lift your head high up, and slowly return. For level 3, don’t let your elbows come forward. Position two is the same movement, but twist to your right and point your right elbow back behind you and the slowly return down. Position three is doing the same thing for your left side. Doing all three positions would be considered one repetition. Do this for the desired number of repetitions or until fatigued.

4.) Vertical dumbell crossover plank – Kneel in front of a dumbell vertically positioned on the floor. Grab the dumbell’s plate with both hands and bear weight on it, leaning forward. Now extend your knees so that your body is straight, only your toes touching the floor. Allow your spine to rotate, and reach one knee over to the opposite elbow, and place it back. Think about getting your foot to your opposite shoulder as much as possible. Do 10 repetitions, maintaining good spinal alignment and good core symmetry all the way throughout.

5.) Inverted lat row on the ball – On a squat rack, set the barbell around hip height. Now, lay on the floor, with the barbell directly over your chest. Place an exercise ball near your feet. Place your toes on the ball and straighten your body. Grab the barbell shoulder width apart, slightly wider, then lift yourself up, keeping your body straight the entire movement. Try to touch the bar to the center of your chest. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions. To make this exercise easier, put more of your legs on the exercise ball, resting more of your body on the ball.

So you an do exercises that improve balance while toning the abs, simultaneously.

exercises that improve balance