Simple Marker and Exercise for Longevity

One of the most simple and overall beneficial exercises you can do as you age is standing/balancing on one leg.

A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine concluded that being able to stand on one leg for at least 10 seconds was associated with lower mortality risk over the next seven years in people between the ages of 51 and 75 years old.

If you can't achieve the 10 second goal right now, the good news is you can work on it and improve.

Some of the beneficial effects of balancing on one leg are:

• Improved coordination throughout the body

• Improved brain function

• Increased strength and stability

• Decreasing risk of falling

There’s a lot that happens in your body in order to accomplish this simple task.

Standing on one leg requires sensory input from the eyes, ears, fascia and joints, interpretation of these signals in the brain, and activation of muscles by the brain to hold the position.

Think of your different muscles, fascia and nerves as parts of an orchestra. Even piece has a role and every role affects the overall performance. So practicing this exercise is like rehearsal for the entire orchestra.

By training this, you can actually rewire patterns in your brain.

Also, if you think about it, while walking or running, most of your time is spent on one leg. So optimizing this position trains the stability that can help reduce the risk of falling as you age.

Here’s a safe way to try it. Stand with your back in a corner, close to, but not touching the walls. Another option is stand near a firm countertop with your hand slightly above but not touching it. This way if you lose balance, you can easily catch yourself and prevent falling. Lift one leg slightly off the ground and keep the legs separated.

Start with a goal of 10 seconds without wobbling and then work your way up to 30 seconds or more. If it’s difficult, try actively engaging your core and gluteus (butt) muscles. Remember to breathe, ideally through your abdomen to engage the diaphragm.

You can increase the challenge even more by holding the position with the eyes closed. You’ll be surprised how different it is when the eyes are closed.

Remember to do it in a place where you can easily catch yourself or have someone else close to you when trying this in case you have poor balance.

Don’t be alarmed or frustrated if you have trouble doing this. It can be challenging if you’re not used to it. Keep working at it.

Balance training is an important part of an exercise regimen and should be done ideally every day. It’s an easy thing to do on your own. Working with a good functional trainer, rehab specialist, physical therapist or chiropractor can help take it even further.

If this causes pain, dizziness/vertigo, or if extremely difficult, consult a health practitioner who can properly evaluate and advise you.