5 Best Balance Exercise for Athletes

Balance is a key factor for athletic performance. In fact, balance is one of the very first requirements to starting any exercise. If you have no balance, you won’t be able to perform at your best and may even injure yourself.

Contrary to popular belief, balance can be learned and improved. There are exercises to help people achieve balance. For athletes, these may be a little more intense, as they’ve already check-marked the basic balance requirements when it comes to exercise.

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Best Balance Exercises for Athletes

Here are five top exercises for athletes to improve their balance, which can subsequently improve their performance as well. Perform these exercises for six to eight reps in sets of three or four. Let's get started:

#1 BOSU Ball Squat

Here's how it's done:

• Step onto the BOSU ball, and find your balance.
• Push your hips back; drive your knees forward, and get into a squat position on the ball.
• Straighten yourself back up, and tuck your hips forward.

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#2 Single Leg Deadlift

It's done as follows:

• Stand straight with your feet together. Raise one foot up, and hold it behind you with a bent knee.
• Hinge forward at your hips, driving the bent leg back and straightening it out as well. Hinge as you would for a deadlift.
• Straighten yourself back up to return to the starting position.

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#3 Overhead Reverse Lunge

Here's how it's done:

• Hold a pair of dumbbells up over your head, with your arms straight. Stand straight, with your feet close together.
• Take a step back with one leg, and drive that knee towards the floor, bending your front leg at 90 degrees.
• Raise yourself back up to a standing position, bringing both legs back together.

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#4 Single Leg Bounding

It's done as follows:

• Stand straight on one leg.
• Dip down slightly, and jump forward, using your arms to swing.
• Land with a soft knee on the same leg.

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#5 Skater Hop

It's done as follows:

• Stand straight with your feet together.
• Raise one foot up, and hold it behind you. Get into a hinged position, mimicking the stance you take while skating.
• Jump laterally in the direction of the raised leg.
• Switch legs mid-air, and land with a soft knee on the other leg.
• Alternate sides as you progress through the reps.

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Takeaway

Performing the aforementioned exercises a few times a week can eventually benefit your overall training. You may find that your form in other exercises improving significantly as well. Don’t forget that regular practice is the key.