Your Fifth Balance Tool, Core Strength

It is well known that we have four main balance systems, (1) semi-circular canals of the inner ear, (2) somatic sense, what we feel in our body, (3) vision, locking onto a fixed object, and (4) the thousands of mechanoreceptors on the soles of our feet. HOWEVER, in the same way we rarely think of the liver as a major center of the immune system, we rarely think of core (pelvis and more) strength in relation to balance.

You can readily test the importance of core strength in balance by locking your pelvis, as in the image below, by bending one knee up toward your chest and pulling it gently toward the midline. I find this immediately stabilizes my balance, and I train my core pretty regularly.

Your core is the center of stability and strength in your body, much like the foundations of a house. My favorite core exercise is shown about two-thirds through this video (made with an iPhone in a motel gym a few years ago, so no high tech masterpiece).

Try it to get an estimate of your core strength.

Have a fun day, life is too wonderful to waste.

Kev aka FitOldDog

PS Exercise is one key to a healthy old age, so engage syntropy to keep entropy at bay.