The importance of Balance and how Pilates can help
This week I have spent a good 10-15 minutes in each of my different classes working on single leg standing work because having good balance is an essential not an extra bonus for good health and longevity. The good news is that balance is something that can be achieved easily with regular practice.
Balance in the body is fundamental to everything we do.
It affects how we move, how we stand, how we age, and how we recover from injury. A body out of balance—whether due to poor posture, muscle imbalances, or lack of core strength—can lead to chronic pain, limited mobility, and a greater risk of falls or injuries.
Balance training is just as essential for someone in their 50’s or 60’s as it is for an elite athlete.
Good balance helps:
Reduce risk of falls and fractures - 1 in 2 women over 50 suffer from osteoporosis to add to the importance of avoiding such falls.
Improves posture and alignment
Strengthen’s feet, ankles and hips
Supports bone health
Improves coordination and reaction times
Builds confidence in movement and overall wellbeing.
Our balance is governed by a set of complex systems - our nervous system, muscular system, vestibular system (inner ear), and proprioception (our sense of body position). When any part of this system is compromised, our equilibrium can be thrown off.
But the good news? It can be trained, and this is where Pilates shines.
Mat Pilates heightens your sense of where your body is in space.
This increased proprioception trains your body to make micro-adjustments, which improves balance over time—especially during standing, walking, or rotating movements.
In a good pilates class, balance is woven into each set of exercises. We work on deep core strength to help your body to stabilise. We strengthen the glutes and legs for stability. Single leg work, foot strengthening, rotational movements - all of Joseph Pilates’ original repertoire focuses on balance in the body - no wonder he named his system contrology.
So, why don’t you make a start next time your cleaning your teeth? 2 minutes of teeth cleaning standing on one leg and interchanging every 30 seconds.
4 minutes per day - That’s 28 minutes/ week of balance training without evening leaving your own bathroom!
And if it is something you are seriously interested in improving, if you’d like to learn and practice pilates in a welcoming, well taught, progressive environment with like minded people then please do contact me, Beth, either by email: EXEVALLEYPILATES@GMAIL.COM or on messages T: 07875437022 to get booked into a Mat class or the studio.
