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It is an unfortunate fact that every year thousands of people will end up in the emergency room because of a fall. In fact, it is estimated that 1 in 3 people over the age 60 will experience a significant fall resulting in bumps and bruises, broken bones and worse.
As we get older our sense of balance naturally starts to decline. This can be caused by loss of eye site, strength and coordination among as other factors. It is this lack of balance that makes seniors so much more likely to take a spill. If you are over the age of 40, balance training should become an essential part of your fitness routine.
Why Does Balance Matter?
Maintaining our balance as we age is crucial to maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle. Loosing our sense of balance can rob us of our ability to enjoy things like dancing, gardening and playing with our grand kids.
Being unable to confidently keep yourself upright makes a lot of these activities simply too dangerous to take part in. Being able to balance means being able to move. Being able to move means being free.
What Can You Do?
Luckily balance is a skill. And since it is a skill, it is something that we can improve with practice. Balance training is simply putting yourself in a position that makes balance a little challenging.
By routinely challenging yourself like this, you will be able to maintain or even improve your balance over time. It's just like playing the piano, learning to paint or any other skill.
Balance training doesn't need to be difficult or time consuming. All you really need to do is to regularly stand on your GABO Board. Because the surface is unstable you will need to work to keep your balance. Getting used to this will make standing of the ground a snap.
Here's how to get started:
1) Adjust your GABO Board. The GABO Board is fully adjustable so you are going to want to find a setting that challenges you but still lets you stand without the edge of the board touching the ground.
Click here to learn more about the Gabo Board
2) Stand! This is the fun part. Just stand on the GABO Board for ten minutes. If you can't do ten, simply work your way up. You'll get there soon enough. You don't want or need to push yourself really hard in the beginning. It might seem too simple, but studies have shown that this actually works!
If you are just starting out, make sure to stand in a doorway or near a sturdy object. Even better would be to get a training partner to spot you.
3) Keep making it harder. This is the part that most people miss. If you are regularly using your GABO Board, your balance will improve and your body will get used to whatever setting you are using.
To make sure that you keep getting better you need to slowly increase the difficulty. Work your way up until you can keep your balance on the GABO Board for ten minutes without the Stability Ring. From here, you can start to add more advanced exercises.
How Often Do You Need To Practice Balance?
The good news is that you don't need all that much. Studies have shown that just 10 minutes, 3 times a week is enough to improve your balance. If you can stick to it, this small investment of time can have a huge impact on your life.
While it doesn't take much time to improve your balance, it is really important to be consistent with your practice. You want to build on your progress a little everyday. If you only practice your balance every now and then, you won't see much improvement.
A good tip is to make your balance training a habit. It should be as routine as brushing your teeth. Try to do your standing workout at the same time every day. Before you know it you'll be pulling out your GABO Board without even thinking about it!
To Learn More About the GABO Board: CLICK HERE
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