Balance Training to Swim Stronger, Bike Longer and Run Harder

TO SWIM HARDER, BIKE LONGER AND RUN STRONGER

Let’s talk about balance, not work life balance but the physical ability of balance and why is it a clever idea for triathletes to include balance exercise in your workouts. Yoga includes many balances exercise but their other ways to get your balance fix!

You need strong balance to move efficiently. Without balance, everyday tasks such as climbing the stairs, or walking would be difficult and would require greater muscular strength. For triathletes, balance helps you swim harder, bike longer, and run stronger.

By improving your balance, you can improve your sports performance and skills as your body is better able to react to changes in terrain, use less energy and be more efficient. Everyone regardless of age or ability can improve their balance with practice and time.

According to Louis Stack, a Canadian National Speed Skiing team member “Balance conditioning is a way to train the body to make better use of the strength you already have,” says Stack. “When you train someone for stabilization, proprioception, and balance, by default he or she is at less risk for injury. Good balance reduces the need for additional effort.”

Another way of looking it is if you haven’t trained the body to stand on one foot well, how can you move efficiently to the other?

Benefits of improving your balance

Improved Strength & Stability
Improved Focus & Concentration
Improved Proprioception & Coordination
Improved Neuromuscular connection (communication between the muscles and the brain)
Prevent injuries.

We’ll look at some of these benefits in more detail and then how and what balance exercises to include in your training.

IMPROVED STRENGTH & STABILITY

A stronger and more stable body will be better able to maintain optimal and efficient movement as you fatigue. Going faster for longer. Balancing poses challenge our bodies strength and stability increasing our core strength and resilience. Stronger core muscles, the muscles that move, support, and stabilise the spine will help keep a good relationship between your thorax and pelvis.

Balance exercise not only strengthen your core but all the muscles of the standing / balancing limb. Especially the feet and lower leg muscles. This is incredibility important for running as we put 3 to 4 times our body weight in force with each step. the amount of force we put through our feet and ankles with each step.

IMPROVED PROPRIOCEPTION

Your will have a better level of control over your body’s movement and awareness. Our bodies naturally sway, move slightly from side to side either due to internal factors, breathing for example or due to external conditions, the type of ground underfoot. The nervous system makes these constant tiny adjustments to ensure we are in balance. Noticing these movements and especially our ankle movements can separate intermediate from advanced athletes.

IMPROVED FOCUS & CONCENTRATION

Any endurance athlete know that a strong positive mind is just as important as a strong body. Being able to concentrate and focus your mind on the task at hand can reap huge benefits.

I know this from personal experience. Whilst doing a VO2 Max run session of 10 x 400 m last month I noticed the reps where I kept my concentration were 2 to 3 seconds quicker than reps where my mind wondered. If I kept my focus on foot cadence, taking the shortest line, breathing relaxed, pushing off the ground and engaging my glutes then the rep was faster. Just think that over a 5 km losing concentration could cost you 30 to 40 seconds and over a 10 km that’s over a minute!

Whilst balancing you must concentrate hard otherwise, you’ll fall over. Your powers of concentration like any skill can be improved over time and balance exercises are a wonderful way to do this as well as practicing during your swim, bike and run sessions.

BALANCE EXERCISES

Balance exercises can be static or dynamic with the best programs including both with a focus on good postural alignment and coordination.

Static Balance

Our ability to keep our body in a position and posture whilst it is stationary. The centre of mass is over the base of support and the surface underneath is solid. Standing for example.

Dynamic balance

When the body moves outside its base of support whilst maintaining postural control, such as running or walking or when the surface underneath is unstable such as paddleboarding. Good dynamic balance allows our body to react to sudden changes in balance quickly, such as slipping whilst walking and helps prevent injury.

Balance exercises should be added to your regular training routine. Here are some points to consider when adding these exercises.

Add them in twice a week starting with the simplest and increasing the difficulty.
Make sure you train both legs or sides.
Continue only to fatigue.
Notice where your head is…. its heavy.
Notice how long it take you to recover your balance. The quicker the recovery the better your balance is getting.
Use static balance exercise at first.
Progress to more advanced dynamic balance exercises.

Here are some examples of balance exercise that I practice, some in yoga some not.

Static Balance Exercises

Tree Pose - YOGA Easy

Standing with the hands together at the chest or on the hips, fix your gaze slightly down and forward. Concentrate and lift one foot off the ground. Take the knee to the side and bring the sole of the foot to the standing calf or upper inner thigh. Make sure you don’t put the foot on the knee. Stand up tall, root down through the standing foot and breath for 30 seconds. Feel the body natural “sway,” slight movement and keep your balance.

To progress take the arms overhead, increase the length of time your hold the pose, lift the gaze or close the eyes. Can you maintain your balance?

Tree Pose at Valencia European triathlon championships September 2021

Warrior III - yoga Moderate

From standing take one leg back and your torso and head forward coming into a T-shape. Keep the hips squared. This will challenge the strength in your glutes to stabilise the pelvis, the strength in your standing leg especially in the hamstring and lower leg and the range of movement in your hamstring.

Hold for 5 breaths or until you fatigue.

Half Moon Pose - yoga Hard

We’re being practicing this in this autumn’s Monday flow yoga classes. An intermediate pose that requires both strength and flexibility in the standing leg and a delicate balance of pushing down and reaching out.

Standing on the right leg bring the right hand to the floor or yoga block. Lift the left leg up and stack the hips on top of each other. Lift the left arm to the sky, wrists stacked on top of each other. Hold and balance.

Dynamic Balance Exercises

These exercises help you to get a better sense of where your body is in space and improve balance recovery.

Tree Pose on a wobble board

Paddleboarding

On the water you are on an ever changing dynamic surface. Your body has to constantly adjust its balance and whilst you’re paddleboarding you’ll feel your core and legs working. Since I’ve been paddling regularly my lower leg and feet have got much stronger.

If you’re in the UK and local why not try a paddle with Paddleboard Maidenhead .

Warrior iii to split squat

Have a look at my recent instagram video for instructions, or see below.

From standing lift one knee, take the leg back behind you and bring your torso down coming into a T-shape. Rise back up to standing with the knee bent without putting the lifted foot on the floor. Go back to T shape then take the foot to the mat behind you. Cross your arms over your chest and drop straight down into a split squat. Rise up, drop down into split squat and take a twist this time. Rise up and drop down to split squat once more, this time lift the arm and take a side stretch. Make sure you drop straight down rather than forward and keep the back foot and ankle strong.

Running warm up – leg forwards, side and backwards

I use this as part of my running warm up to activate my glutes to run stronger. You can also use a resistance band below your knee to make it harder!

Start with one hand on a support such as a wall and work up to no support at all!
Standing on a step or raised platform.
Lift one leg out in front, keeping it straight do 10 pulses with the leg forward, 10 pulses with the leg going out to the side and 10 pulses behind you.
Switch sides and then repeat twice. Feel your standing leg glute engage.

Try some of the exercises above and why not come to a yoga class to start incorporating balance training into your regime.

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BALANCE TRAINING