Workout of the Month: Off Balance

3rd August 2020

ALL LEVELS / strength and bodyweight balance workout / 20 mins

Equipment: exercise mat

We bring you a high-intensity bodyweight balance workout — a perfect session for those looking to challenge their core strength and balance. We have summed up all you need to know about it.

Natural movement is not always symmetrical. Even when we are still (sitting or standing), we often favour one side of the body, e.g. leaning on one leg, crossing legs in sitting, etc. Repetition of one-sided movements can result in movement imbalances, which often leads to movement dysfunction and increased injury risk. With this in mind, it’s vital to include asymmetrical movements in your weekly workouts. Such movements will raise your awareness of imbalances and help you to improve on these. Remember, we are not seeking perfection; instead, we are focusing on restoring movement to a functional level with a lower risk of injury.

In this bodyweight balance workout, you will perform 8 exercises back to back for 3 rounds, taking 20 seconds rest in between each exercise:

Back scale – 30s (15s each leg)
Squat – 30s
One leg floor bridge – 30s (15s each leg)
Push up – 30s
Windscreen wiper – 30s
Squat jump – 30s
Crab walk – 30s
Burpee – 30s

Take a 20-second rest between exercises and only 20-second at the end of each round.

The only equipment you need is a mat or soft flooring. The workout is accumulative – which means that each successive exercise builds on the previous one, in terms of complexity. The exercises are also paired – asymmetrical followed by symmetrical.

The workout targets multiple fitness skills across important movement patterns such as hip extension and crawling. The asymmetrical movements will challenge your core through balance, which is further challenged during the next symmetrical movement. As you master the movements with skill, don’t be afraid to add speed – this will significantly increase your heart rate for an added cardio burn.

BODYWEIGHT BALANCE WORKOUT: OFF BALANCE

EXPERT TIPS

Perform each exercise with good form and control
Perform the first round at a slower tempo, to master the movements; then add speed as necessary
Notice any asymmetry in the first exercise, then work to balance this in the second exercise
If you don’t want to complete the whole workout, consider performing one round as a warmup for other workouts

Track your progress and make a note of the total number of reps at the end of this bodyweight balance workout — try to beat it next time.