This morning, Mike and I went for a walk around Jack’s Point. It’s just gorgeous. The mountains, cool air and remoteness.
Anyway, as we walked, I clumsily slipped on the wet grass and skidded quite ungracefully down the hill a little way. When I recovered, Mike reminded me, “Lucky you do Pilates!”.
This is so true!
Pilates is great for ankle flexibility and strength. This saved me from a twisted ankle.
Also, I was pleased I was able to keep myself upright and avoid a wet toosh!
These 3 exercises are perfect for keeping you connected and balanced.
- Marching on the spot. Lift opposite arm and leg, keeping a lift through your centre and lifting up out of the supporting leg.
- Heel rises – feel your feet connected to the ground. Lift up onto your toes, spreading out your toes and feeling your big toe pressing down.
- Standing balance – stand on one leg, as you send that leg behind you, tip your body forward. Make it harder? Bend and straighten the knee of the supporting leg.
Improving your balance and stability through Pilates will bring many benefits to your body.
To find balance in your body and feel grounded and strong when you move, you will be activating your core for control and developing an awareness of where the weight is distributed through your body and responding to the activity.
Exercises to strengthen your feet and ankles are also valuable when looking to improve balance. The foot is designed to bend and twist. Often wearing shoes for long periods and walking on hard surfaces limits the range of natural movement. Using a spikey ball is a great way to regain healthy movement in your feet and ankles. Also, some balancing challenges are a great way to wake up the stabilisers in the hips and legs, helping you be balanced and steady.
Part of stability is being able to respond to the environment around us – so wobbles are fine, it’s how we respond that counts.
