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7. Walking For A Fitter You: Easy Exercises For A Better Balance

Remember, how our grandparents and sometimes even parents used to tell tales about how they had to walk miles to go to school, get groceries or just visit a friend’s house? However, unbelievable as it sounds, this incidental activity is the secret behind them being so taut and fit. But, today most of us lead a sedentary lifestyle, which makes walking a far-fetched option.

While being wrapped up in the comfort of cars and transportation, let us not forget the numerous benefits of simply taking a stroll ­– and, the list is longer than you’d think. Walking helps burn calories, refreshes your mind, and most importantly improves agility and balance. If you just rubbed your eyes in disbelief, we will let out the secret once more: Walking is a wonderful tool to improve your balance!

Balance is essential, irrespective of your age and level of physical fitness. By improving your balance, you will be able to train yourself better, and maintain your agility when you have to make a sudden move, in sports, while dancing, or just in your daily life chores. You can also better respond to tripping and slipping hazards and avoid being called clumsy!

Here are a few exercises you can practice, the next time you decide to take a walk!

The Heel-to-toe Fashion

This is the most basic and easy way to improve your balance while walking. All you need to do is stretch your arms as much as you can from your sides, keep your chin up, look forward, and as you take a step, place the heel of your foot just in front of the toe of your other foot. Make sure that you are walking in a straight line and gradually you will feel the tension as you stretch it out. This is a great way to increase the agility and strength of your toes and maintain balance.

The blind walk

Make sure you practice this exercise in a safe and familiar environment as you are required to close your eyes and try to walk. We rely on our visual system to provide us with balance as it assures us of our surroundings. Closing your eyes and walking a few steps is a good way to find out how good your balance is. Start with 20 steps keeping your eyes closed. Once you have gained a grip on the exercise you can make it fun by walking backward or sideways.

Walk on your heels

Walking on your heels and then on your toes only will help you gain strength and train your muscles. Try to walk for 10 steps on your heels only, with your toes raised from the ground. Then walk normally for some time and switch to your heels again whenever you are ready! Make sure you go easy with this exercise as it is possible that too much pressure on your heels can strain your calves or the sole of your foot.

Zig-Zag walking

Your body naturally shifts its balance when you change directions like moving from left to right or vice versa. So, slithering like a snake might be a very good exercise to maintain your balance. No, we do not want you to crawl on the floor! All you have to do is walk in a zig-zag motion and pretend that your body is swaying from left to right. It not only improves your balance but also increases the flexibility of your hips and ankles.

Walking on a curb

Walking on a narrow log or surface might sound fun but it is super beneficial for maintaining your balance. We all have been to a circus and witnessed the eye-gawking rope walking. Well, it is somewhat similar to that, minus the height and danger. Walking on a log or any raised surface will give you the feel of a circus troupe and improve your balance!