Improve Your Balance With Socks

Did you know that you can improve your balance with socks? It’s true! But before I let you in on just how easy it can be to use socks to work on your balance at home, let’s look at how important balance really is to our everyday life. 

Balance is key to everything we do, starting as babies! Babies and toddler work so hard to learn to sit, stand, and walk as they master their balance. Then as kids, we take it to a whole new level with rollerblades, dance classes, playground adventures and more. But somewhere along the way, we stop doing balance-focused activities as adults… And as old age creeps in, we start to avoid even the simplest things that take balance – such as stepping into the tub – because we are afraid of injury.

It’s Time to Take Your Balance Seriously

If you could better your balance every day by using your socks, would you? I asked my social media followers the other day, “what would happen if you balanced on one foot every day to put your socks on?”

The answers were both funny and thoughtful. One client is sure that he would fall and end up with several concussions, leading him to give up and wear sandals all year long. 

I was surprised to learn that another client already stands on one foot as he brushes his teeth, and will be adding the one-foot-sock-balance to his daily routine. I was proud to hear that his reason for doing so is to improve his balance for all of the daily activities that he needs good balance for. Plus, his favourite hobby is trail running, where balance is essential for running over rocks, roots, wet leaves, and stumps. 

Daily balance practice, such as putting on your socks or brushing your teeth on one foot, might be difficult at first but will become much easier with practice. Adding balance exercises into your workouts will help your balance get even better! 

My Favourite Exercises to Improve Your Balance

There are so many simple ways to improve your balance while you work out, with many of them  being on one leg. Here are some of my favourites. 

Single Leg Romanian Deadlift

This is my go-to balance exercise in my strength workouts. I like to start clients on one leg with no weights. Once they have the form down, we will add a sandbag, dumbbell, or kettlebell. 

This amazing exercise can be used as a warm-up, a core exercise, or a strength exercise depending on what we are lifting. To make things harder, add in a row so that you stay in the hinged position longer (and have to balance longer). To make it easier, keep your lifted foot just barely off the ground, so it is there if you lose your balance. 

Pilates Balance Work

Pilates has a variety of exercises that will challenge your balance, but I love most to use the wunda chair and to do standing work on the tower.

Just doing standing leg pumps on the chair are super challenging when you first try. It looks so easy, yet it can be so difficult and truly humbling. It always surprises me that by tweaking the smallest thing – like lifting your leg even one inch off the ground – how my body responds. Different muscles engage, and my mind has to figure out how to adjust for the new imbalance. 

You don’t need to use the apparatus to get a good balance workout in Pilates, since Pilates is known for strengthening the core. And a strong core is key to better balance! Mat-work will help you connect to the muscles your need for balance, all while strengthening them. Even lying-down exercises like the corkscrew are working on those “balance muscles.” 

A Balance Challenge

I want to challenge you to try putting on your socks while balancing on one foot. If that is too scary, try the one-footed-toothbrush challenge! Try doing this for one week, and note if you see a difference between the first and last days. Could you do it the first day? Is it easier on the last day? 
We use balance all day, as we walk up stairs, reach for things, and even as we get out of the car. If you think your balance needs a tune-up, let’s talk! With at-home mat-classes for beginners to in-studio sessions, b.Pilates & Fitness has a solution for you.