Balance: An Essential Element of An Endurance Training Program

BALANCE: AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF AN ENDURANCE TRAINING PROGRAM WHAT IS BALANCE? Balance is the ability to maintain the body's center of mass over its base of support. Need something more simple? Balance is being able to move around efficiently without falling on your ass. This is the missing element that allows you to run without appearing you just gave birth to a rhino, manage a bicycle without swerving like Floyd Landis on whiskey, and swim without looking like Tarzan on crack. MAINTAINING BALANCE REQUIRES COORDINATION OF THREE DIFFERENT SENSORY SYSTEMS: 1) Vestibular system – the sense organs in your head, primarily your ears, which regulate your equilibrium and give you directional information as it relates to your head position. 2) Somatosensory system – the nerves called "propriocepters" in your joints, along with the pressure and vibratory sense information in both your skin and your joints. 3) Visual system - The visual ability of your eyes to figure out where your head and body are in space, and also your spatial location relative to other objects. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU GOTTA HAVE GOOD EYES, GOOD EARS, AND HEALTHY JOINTS. TRAINING STRATEGIES FOR INCREASING BALANCE VESTIBULAR BALANCE: SOMATOSENSORY BALANCE VISUAL BALANCE Avoid loud music, loud sounds & cell phone radiation. Stand one legged or two legged on unstable surfaces such as Use blue light blocking glasses when on computer, and take breaks. Go unshod as much as possible, or use minimalist footwear. wobble boards, thick balance mats or balance disc pillows. Play a sport that requires eye tracking. Do side or front leg kicks with band or Balance on one leg while keeping gaze on something stationary, eventually train yourself look at objects farther away, then progress to closing your eyes complete, and finally add an unstable surface. Sleep 7-8 hours per night. cable. Use a mini-trampoline or vibration platform. Try Bates Method: A series of eye exercises designed to strengthen the muscles in the eye, as well as, the mental connection between the brain and the eye. Stand on one leg at elevation. Use "The Vision Gym." This is an online Look for things to stand on everywhere around you; narrow ridges, sidewalk posts, rails on fences, the back of a bench in the program that teaches you simple 10 minute eye exercises park. FOOD & STRATEGIES FOR INCREASING BALANCE When it comes to your vestibulocochlear system, there is one primary element that tends to fly under the radar: folate. Folate is a general term for a group of water soluble b-vitamins naturally found in food, while folic acid refers to the potentially harmful, oxidized synthetic compound commonly used in dietary supplements and food fortification. Because there are risks associated with folic acid intake from supplement sources, it's best to get your folates from food. GEAR FOR INCREASING BALANCE Mini-trampoline Vibration platform • Wobble board Thick balance mat • Stability ball • Balance disc pillow Half foam roller • Blue light blocking glasses • Airtube headset . Вeets Romaine Lettuce • Spinach • Asparagus • Turnip Greens • Mustard Greens • Parsley • Collard Greens Broccoli • Cauliflower • Soaked Lentils View Full Article at http://bit.ly/18MTCMF bengreenfieldfitness.com