06/02/2026
Remember seeing those deportment classes, where young ladies would learn to walk with a book balanced on their head? ๐ Designed to improve posture, and sometimes thought to help balance.
All it created was rigidity. And the ability to balance a book on their head ๐
Thereโs nothing natural about it.
But most importantly, thereโs nothing functional about it.
Balance isnโt precise.
Itโs often quite messy ๐ฌ
Standing on 1 leg is a great way to start improving balance. It loads the standing hip and causes the foot, ankle and lower leg to work harder.
Progression in balance is crucial, so once that is easy, adding a head turn really switches things up .
Turning the head challenges the vestibular system, the part of the inner ear that helps you stay upright. When you move your head, those balance signals shift. Practising this teaches the brain to stay steady even when information is changing. It also ramps up stabilising muscle work. Visualโbalance coordination improves too. Most of us rely heavily on our eyes for balance. Moving the head forces the eyes to adapt quickly, training them to stay focused even when things arenโt still.
Itโs real-world balance ๐
Life doesnโt happen in perfect stillness, or in perfect forward lines. We turn, look around, react and adjust constantly.
The balance exercises we do in every class reflects real movement, making balance more practical and resilient. They help reduce falls risk by challenging multiple balance at once, a powerful tool for improving stability.
And itโs valuable for everyone, not just older people.
Start now. Itโs never too late, or too early.
