Balance Training

Balance Training

Postby Max_501 » Sun Feb 15, 2015 5:34 pm

I use a variety of devices for developing balance and one of my favorites is the slackrack. Incredible balance training that I do daily because its always set up and ready to go.

http://www.gibbon-slacklines.com/en/pro ... k-300.html

User avatar
Max_501
 
Posts: 4124
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:39 pm

Re: Balance Training

Postby theorist » Sun Feb 15, 2015 7:56 pm

To those who've not done slack line work before: be careful -- as you step off, the line can snap back violently and take out the knee of the foot still on the line.

My PT, who knows that fitness for skiing is my focus, has given me some great exercises that combine strength and multi-planar dynamic balance. Note that these are advanced, so you should slowly and progressively work up to them using simpler exercises, such as the ones I've suggested:

1) Single-legged deadlifts with hip external rotation (=femur internal rotation): Stand on one leg, holding an appropriate-weight dumbbell in the opposite hand (start with no weight, then go 5 lbs., etc), straight above your head. Driving from the hip, reach down and across the stance leg with the dumbbell, ending with the hip at maximum external rotation (same as it would be with CA) at the point of maximum flexion. Ideally want to have weight hovering just above ground, a couple of feet from the stance foot, at a 9:30 - 10:30 clock position when the left is the stance foot, and 1:30 - 2:30 for the right. Return to standing, repeat 15 times, do 2 sets for each leg. If these are difficult (after working up to them), you probably have a hip instability on the difficult side(s). [Before doing these, first be able to do warrior 3 held for first 30 and then 45 seconds, and then the same while standing on an inverted bosu. Work up to this slowly, over a period of months.]

2) Stand on inverted bosu on one leg. Remaining on one leg for the entire exercise, do a single-legged squat. As you complete the squat (returning to the starting position), have a parter throw you a weighted ball (start with 2 lbs.) at one of the four quadrants (high left, high right, low left,low right). Catch the ball without losing balance, return it as quickly as possible, and repeat. Repeat 15-20 times, do two sets for each leg. [Before doing these, first be able to play catch with ball while standing on inverted bosu without squats, and with ball thrown straight to you. Then change to ball thrown to different quadrants. Also need to be able to do one-legged squats on solid ground, without any knee waver (if have knee waver, even if you can do the squat, you're not stable enough -- I had to to first walk slowly down flights of stairs while focusing on keeping the knee laterally quiet). Work up to this slowly, over a period of months.]
User avatar
theorist
 
Posts: 277
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:57 pm

Re: Balance Training

Postby Max_501 » Mon Feb 16, 2015 7:08 pm

theorist wrote:To those who've not done slack line work before: be careful -- as you step off, the line can snap back violently and take out the knee of the foot still on the line.


Really? How would that happen?
User avatar
Max_501
 
Posts: 4124
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:39 pm

Re: Balance Training

Postby theorist » Mon Feb 16, 2015 8:37 pm

Max_501 wrote:
theorist wrote:To those who've not done slack line work before: be careful -- as you step off, the line can snap back violently and take out the knee of the foot still on the line.


Really? How would that happen?


Just the way I described it -- it happened to me my first time on a slack line in 2006. The line is under the full tension of your body weight. As you begin to step off it with the second foot, the tension is released and the line snaps back. As compared to your device, this was a longer slack line, and suspended higher above the ground, so the effect was amplified. I've not been back on a slack line since, but I'm sure there's a proper way to dismount, which I didn't know at the time, and which people should learn before they attempt it.
User avatar
theorist
 
Posts: 277
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:57 pm

Re: Balance Training

Postby Max_501 » Mon Feb 16, 2015 9:03 pm

For anyone interested -

Last edited by Max_501 on Mon Feb 16, 2015 9:14 pm, edited 4 times in total.
User avatar
Max_501
 
Posts: 4124
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:39 pm

Re: Balance Training

Postby Max_501 » Mon Feb 16, 2015 9:04 pm

Here's an interesting article on the benefits of slacklining -

Slacklining for stronger knees
User avatar
Max_501
 
Posts: 4124
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:39 pm

Re: Balance Training

Postby JerryS » Wed Feb 25, 2015 5:03 pm

Max, thanks for the post. I had seen a previous comment about slack lining inside, and was wondering how you did it.

I have a slack line that I set up outdoors. It's just about the toughest balance challenge I have attempted, outside of maybe unicycling. Still working on staying up for minimal times, but getting better.

The snap back can occur only if you try to maintain weight on the line while getting the other foot on the ground. Lesson is to make a clean dismount with both feet, or if you are falling off retract the remaining foot as you go. Heavier the person, more potential for line stretch and snap back.
JerryS
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Wed Jan 30, 2013 10:00 pm

Re: Balance Training

Postby Kiwi » Fri Feb 27, 2015 3:44 am

Going to give this a try thanks Max501
Kiwi
 
Posts: 130
Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2007 3:17 pm
Location: New Zealand


Return to Fitness

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests