Balance Challenge
When was the last time you?...
Balanced on one foot while tying your shoe. OR Walked on a narrow plank while maintaining your balance.
Children do this all the time during "play" because, kids being kids, it's always more fun to turn something into a game or make it more challenging. I remember the races we'd have after school on the old railroad tracks— testing our balance skills by seeing who could go the furthest and fastest.
But as adults we tend to be more risk averse— often looking for the easiest and/or safest way of doing something, because we know the potential consequences of a fall.
However, improving your balance is as much of a necessity to hiking fitness as cardiorespiratory endurance. You'll want better balance and quick muscle control when you do get "tripped up" by that sneaky tree root, rock, or tripping gremlin (yes, they do exist! 😉) on the trail.
Balance and core strength are essential components to ALL activities (exercise and non-exercise) that we do.
Everything from getting out of bed in the morning to navigating uneven terrain on your favorite hiking trail requires good brain-muscle coordination, control, and balance to prevent falls and fall-related injuries.
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