If you’re a woman over 50 who’s starting to feel a little unsteady on your feet, read on…
As a Yoga Teacher focused on teaching women over 50, I'm hyper focused on helping you improve your balance and preventing falls.
We all stumble from time to time, but we don't have to end up on the floor.
I have stumbled down my stairs, but thankfully I've been able to recover my balance quickly so I don't end up hurting myself.
If you think about it, when you stumble, you only have a few seconds to react and recover so it's super important to have good core strength, strong legs and feet.
Here are my top 5 super simple ways to improve your balance in 2 minutes a day:
Stand on one leg – Work up to 30+ seconds, even 10-20 seconds makes a difference (while brushing your teeth works). Notice which leg feels stronger than the other.
Strengthen your legs and core – Try sit-to-stands (going from a seated to a standing position), work up to 10 times. See if you can do them without using your hands, but start using your hands especially when going back down to seated if you need to.
Practice yoga balancing poses – Tree Pose is a good one to start with. Again work up to 30 seconds but any amount helps.
4. Improve ankle strength and mobility – Try heel raises and ankle circles (see video about foot strength below).
5. Try standing still in Mountain pose and closing your eyes – Closing your eyes will challenge your balance.
Your Action Step
Choose one thing (yes just one) from the above list and practice it consistently this week. Even 2 minutes regularly can help.
Remember to always have a sturdy chair, counter top or wall nearby for support when practising balance exercises.
Check out this short video, Yoga for Stronger Feet & Ankles | Women Over 50, showing you how to strengthen your feet and and ankles.
Watch my video of five daily yoga poses and see how good yoga can make you feel: 5 DAILY YOGA POSES FOR WOMEN OVER 4
You know taking care of yourself matters
But knowing what to do — and actually doing it consistently — are two different things.
Every week, I’ll also send you one simple, joint-friendly "movement snack" or yoga pose you can do in just 2 minutes, so you can start feeling better, fast (even on your busiest days).
