balance training
BALANCE A FINE
Balance training is an exciting area at the moment, with an influx of specialist equipment from the US and new programming ideas. Kath Hudson reports
BOSU, into meaningful exercise? Functional training has traditionally been used at the two
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ends of the spectrum: by older people and prehab/rehab patients working with physios, or by elite sports people. But recently it’s started to move towards the mainstream, with more innovation, experimentation and education to get clubs and members excited. Balance training is a part of functional training: it’s about
making the core strong – something we all need to be able to carry out everyday activities. Indeed, in its new guidelines, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) states that cardio and resistance workouts should ideally be backed up with balance training. If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to get on board with balance. “As the industry – and those of us working in it – mature,
we’re all starting to realise that resistance training can’t just be about strength, or building muscle, but that it needs to include other aspects like fl exibility, mobility and balance, as we are losing these functions with our sedentary lifestyles,” says Jon Johnston, managing director of Johnson Health Tech.
IMPROVING RESULTS In old age, better balance can help prevent falls; in youth, it can improve physical performance. Indeed, by working out on an unstable surface, challenging the stabilising muscles as well as the compound muscles, balance training can enhance overall training results in the gym. “The unpredictability of balance training opens up many possibilities. As the body reacts to the movement, many more muscle groups are worked,” explains Anthony Carey, CEO of Coretex. And yet,
according to Jonathan Lewis, head trainer of
june 2012 © cybertrek 2012
n the last few years, there has been more investment in functional training areas – but to the uninitiated, the equipment can be baffling. Without instruction, how do you know how to translate a Swiss ball, or a
CrossCore Europe, those who have always worked out in gyms have less of an understanding about balance and body awareness compared to those who have participated in movement-based activities like yoga, pilates, martial arts and dance. There is, he believes, a clear need for balance training programmes in gyms. “The key thing with balance training is understanding how
to move. It’s about spatial awareness, body awareness, weight transference and co-ordination,” says Lewis. “Our CrossCore 180 product [see p74] helps develop this. Since it involves rotational movement, people have to constantly stabilise and control the rotation. We suggest people start with simple movements fi rst, such as squats and lunges. Once they have established a sense of balance, they can progress to more diffi cult positions.” Meanwhile for operators, as balance training generally
requires explanation and therefore engagement with clients, it can be a relatively easy sell for personal trainers, helping drive this secondary revenue stream. Alternatively, it offers the opportunity for a group exercise class with a difference. The Physical Company, for example, is currently working
on a BOSU group exercise class. “BOSUs have been in most clubs for a while now, but the next move is taking them into the studio. We’re currently working on a new group exercise programme,” says John Halls, sales and marketing director at The Physical Company. “We’re also looking at ways of product integration: using different products together, such as kettlebells or free-form boards with the BOSU, or two BOSUs together, all of which makes balancing more of a challenge and helps to improve proprioception.”
INTRODUCING BALANCE The opportunities offered by the equipment are so varied that balance training really is appropriate for everyone, from improving the balance of the infi rm to sharpening the responses of elite sportspeople. So how to get started? Conducting basic exercises
on an unstable surface – squats, lunges, push-ups, planks, or even just sitting – will all work the stabilising muscles. Swiss balls and BOSUs are among the most economical solutions, with multi-purpose vibration training platforms such as Dynamic Activity’s bodycore another option. However, if you want to
take it further, a number of products are now joining the likes of BalanceMaster in the area of balance- specifi c equipment.
Balance training works more muscle groups
Read on for our balance equipment briefi ng
Read Health Club Management online at
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