yoga on the mesa

Balance and Strength Exercises

The combination of balance and strength are both essential pieces when you want to create a body that is durable and injury-proof. You may have low back pain, knee pain, hip pain, or other physical limitations, but the culprit is usually the same, lack of balance.

So somebody says, “my balance is great,” and they lift up a leg to prove they can stand on one leg. But this isn’t the balance I’m referring to. Yes it is a form of balance, though I mean balance from the standpoint that muscles are acting in a balanced fashion to move and support your body in space. When muscles are balanced, joints are able to move through their entire excursions of motion. 

In order to create balanced muscles, it involves creating strength. Strength is going to be defined in this instance as positional strength, strength based on positions of joints and bodies. Because after all, we are moving in space all the time. So we need to create balanced ratios of length tension relationships. “What does this mean?” If I reach for a doorknob, certain muscles in the front of my shoulder must shorten while muscles behind my shoulder lengthen. As I proceed to open the door, the tissues behind my shoulder must shorten and the ones in front must shorten. This is called a “balanced length tension relationship.” However, if my muscles don’t know how to be strong long or short, and remain “locked” in one position, this is a recipe for disaster.  

Below is a 20 minute video for you to try out getting a baseline understanding of what muscles might be contributing to your back pain, hip pain, knee pain, or shoulder pain. As usual, reach out with any questions you have in regards to the video or any other questions you have!

 

 

 

 

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