Balance

[RedStreak]

Anyone have any excersizes to practice balance? Ive recently noticed that i am better balanced on my right foot b/c my left is my lead, and i practivce kicking more with my lead. When i kick with my right, though, its a bit more uncomfortable and off. i do some basic one-legged excersizes, but anyone care to share what they do?

[koto_ryu]

Try standing on one leg and throwing multiple kicks with the other without letting the foot touch the ground. That one helped me out.

[sirmattu]

i do the same as koto ryu, but when you do it you have to make sure you fully pivot and everything like you would do for a normal kick.

[RedStreak]

Word, thats what i try to do, but thanx; now i know the effort is worth it. How about general balance? U know, like having a better well-balanced feel in ur stance or while punching and ducking or what have u, or even wrestling. I started doing some things to gain a more sturdy stance and mobility, but any more tips?

[jcmack]

medicine balls are good for balance. Try throwing medicine balls with a friend whild in different postures, (two legged\ one legged). Make sure that the throws are executed in unexpected ways by your partner. Try to catch these balls without losing balance. It teaches you how to be balanced while having to accomodate an outside force. It has a very good real world application to actual combat.

[g snipe]

General balance / core strength

Stability balls and Bosu Balls are great for balance, coordination, and core strengthening besides... which is where so much power comes from. Bosu Balls are especially good. Anyway, here are a couple exercises (not specifically jeet kune do related!)

Upright balance/coordination:

Set 2 Bosu Balls (bb) on ground. Jump laterally from one to the other, feet leaving first one and landing on second one simultaneously. Or, put 4 bbs on ground and jump forward, sticking landing on each.

Good general core exercises for balance and strength:

Get in pushup/high plank position w/ hands on stability ball (sb). Be sure butt isn't too high or low, and don't let shoulder blades come together/back arch. Push off sb and land in same position. (This is pretty tough!)

Put bb on ground, upside down. Get in pushup/plank position gripping sides of bb. "Run", bringing each leg up to chest alternately, only one foot on ground at any time. Or, jump feet apart and back together. (This version more tiring than the first one). Really good for ab strength and coordination, and so for balance, but good form is really really important.

Do dips from bench w/ feet on stablility ball, free weights on bosu ball... you get the idea. I'm sure there are other better ones out there, but these are the ones I've used.

[shirase]

you could also try standing on those balance board things. Theres some at the gym i go to and in between sets i stand on them. Ive noticed that as the weeks go by ive gotten much better at standing on them.

[Broadsword2004]

Just do your martial arts kicks SLOWLY; you'll have a hard as hell time balancing at first, but after a day or so, you try it again and you'll have improved. Just keep training. Balance is acquired through practice. Do your spinning back kick slowly, say. Turn and pivot, lift your leg, extend it out slowly, then back slowly, then out again, etc.......over time your balance will improve.

Also good hip flexor strength helps too. And CLOSE YOUR EYES if you can. Most people balance with their eyesight. If you ask the average person to stand on one leg with their eyes closed, they fall over. They just can't, because once they close their eyes, they totally lose their sense of balance. By practicing balancing with your eyes closed, and then kicking with your eyes closed, your body adjusts and learns to sense balance WITHOUT your eyesight. This will greatly improve your sense of balance, plus if you ever must cross a log or something that is like 50 feet above the ground, you'll have a much better sense of balance and won't get dizzy most likely.

[RedStreak]

Hip flexor strength? Can u elaborate, in terms in how u work that? Just trying to get all the imput i can...