As you enter your 50s and beyond, balance isn’t only about being stable on your own two feet. There’s a lot more that’s going on behind the scenes, involving multiple systems on the body, says Portia Page, NCPT, education curriculum coordinator at Balanced Body Inc. To help ensure you’re properly balanced—and aging gracefully—experts share essential balance exercises to master.
Aging comes with numerous physiological changes that can greatly impact balance. One major concern is sarcopenia (the natural loss of lean muscle), which reduces your ability to react quickly and make tweaks when your balance is challenged, such as walking on an uneven surface. Decreased mobility and joint stiffness are also quite common, limiting how effectively you can shift your body weight. On top of that, proprioception—your body’s ability to tell where it is in space—naturally declines.
Improving balance and mobility can decrease your risk of falls while helping you maintain an active, independent life.
“Balance training is one of the best returns on time investment for healthy aging. It improves overall mobility (ROM) in all joints which equals better ability to control weight shifts,” Page tells us. “Balance training also ensures that we are able to maintain independence—meaning we can dress ourselves with ease, carry groceries and/or grandkids, step over obstacles, get in/out of vehicles—all without assistance. Not to mention that balance training builds up our confidence—the fear of falling is sometimes worse than falling itself as it can result in [stiffening] up, making us rigid and therefore unable to mobilize and react to wobbliness.”
Kevin Snodgrass, head trainer of Vivo, confirms the importance of preserving balance with age. “Good balance is the foundation for staying mobile, confident, and independent with age. By strengthening the core and leg muscles, increasing joint mobility especially in the ankle, improving coordination, and sharpening stability, balance training helps older adults move more freely and safely in everyday life,” Snodgrass says.
4 Balance Moves After 50 That Prove You’re Stronger Than Most
The exercises below require coordination of multiple systems at the same time, mimicking real-life movement. Acing all four means you have solid lower-body strength, mobility, reflexes, and core strength.
“These moves are not just balance drills and exercises—they are more like ‘aging insurance’—if you can do them well, you’re not just functioning—you are ‘aging in reverse,’” says Page.
Single-Leg Stand
“The single-leg stand tests raw balance, ankle stability, hip strength, and proprioception,” Page says.
- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart.
- Shift your weight to one leg.
- Lift your opposite foot slightly off the ground.
- Maintain a tall posture and level hips.
- Perform 3 sets of 20 to 30-second holds per leg, 5 to 7 days a week.
- To progress this exercise, lift your leg higher to thigh or hip level, close your eyes, or balance on an unstable surface.
Tandem Walk
“The tandem walk mimics narrow-base walking—essential for navigating crowds, curbs, and tight spaces,” Page notes.
- Picture a straight line on the ground.
- Place one foot right in front of the other, heel to toe, as you walk forward for 10 steps.
- Make sure to keep your eyes forward and your core activated.
- Walk back.
- Perform 3 to 5 sets of 10 steps, 3 to 4 days a week.
- To progress this exercise, incorporate head turns, walk backward, or reduce arm usage.
RELATED: Over 50? If You Can Do This Many Knee Pushups, Your Upper Body Is Stronger Than Most
Sit-to-Stand
“If you can get off a chair without your hands, you’re maintaining the leg strength and control needed to get off the toilet, out of a car, and up from the ground—a big win for independence and confidence,” Page notes.
- Begin seated at the front of a sturdy chair, feet under your knees.
- Lean forward just a bit.
- Try to stand up without using your knees, hands, or additional support.
- Use control to slowly sit back down.
- Complete 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, 3 to 4 days a week.
- To progress this exercise, perform single-leg stands or hold weights.
Single-Leg Deadlift
“This exercise, which works the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back, builds strength, improves hip mobility and replicates real world movement patterns (bending over to pick something up),” Snodgrass says.
- Stand tall, feet hip-width apart.
- Lift one foot off the floor and find your balance.
- Maintain a flat back, hinge at the hips, and lower your chest until it’s roughly parallel to the floor.
- Hold for a moment before returning to standing.
- Complete 3 sets of 8 reps on each leg.
- As you progress, hold onto a dumbbell
Leave a Reply