Balance is the foundation of everything we do. If we do not have balance we don’t have a strong starting place and it can affect the amount of power we are able to generate. If you have heard your coaches referencing this a little more often, it is because we really think if you master this first stage it will be the catalyst to improving your lifts while reducing injury!
So what does being balanced mean? It starts with trying to keep your feet rooted to the ground. Having your weight evenly distributed. Most people can find balance standing still, it is finding it while moving that can be the tricky part. Having your toes come up off the ground as your lift and shifting forward as your squat can lead to a huge lack of efficiency. The more we shift away from a balanced centre the less power we can generate with our body.
So how can we improve this? The first place is to revisit the most basic positions, like a squat or a hinge. If you can move through these positions without a loss of balance we can start to add weight with tempo. Having you move slowly through the movement will allow you to feel the shift of the feet, if you are still having trouble with the “feel” a coach’s eye can be a huge help. If you feel yourself start to shift, stop and readjust. The more slow repetitions the better to help better understand.
Master staying balanced through your lifts and watch your PR’s soar!
Example drills for balance work ;
3 sets of
Tempo air squats (5 seconds down, 3 seconds in the bottom, 2 seconds standing up)
Followed by
3 sets of
Pause Goblet squats
(1 second @ ¼ way down, 1 second @ ½ way down, 1 second @ bottom position)