5 Balance Exercises for Runners to Improve Stability

Balance exercises for runners are essential to improve stability. A runner's biomechanics, proprioception, and coordination improve proportionally to how well they maintain their balance.

Better balance allows you to run more efficiently, maintain a stable centre of gravity, and hone your form, strength, and power. A person's straight-line speed directly correlates to how well you maintain your balance.

Below, we will discuss some balance exercises for runners that can help them improve their stability. You can also check out these strength exercises for running.

Balance Exercises for Runners to Improve Stability

Check out the following five simple balance exercises for runners that can help improve stability:

1) Single Leg Balance on BOSU Ball

Your running gait will improve with these exercises (Image via Pexels/Nappy)

Before attempting this exercise, you should gauge if you're able to balance yourself properly on one leg. Try to stand on one leg at a time, engaging the core and glutes, and maintaining stability.

If you're able to do that, you should move on to performing the single leg balance exercise on a BOSU ball, which is one of the most basic balance exercises for runners.

The objective is to maintain stability while balancing on a surface that's not perfectly flat. Stronger abdominal, thigh, ligament, and tendon muscle strength is needed for that. You should try to maintain your balance for at least 30 seconds.

2) Leg Swing

Second in our list of balance exercises for runners is leg swings. To do this exercise for balance, follow these instructions:

Stand in a doorway with the door open and muscles engaged. Keep both feet firmly on the ground, and lean one hand against the door frame for support.
While maintaining your balance on your right foot, swing your left leg forward and backward a short distance.
The goal is to increase the backward and forward motion of the leg by up to 30 degrees. Don't move on till you've got good command of your legs and can maintain good posture while doing so.
Switch legs, and do the same with your other leg.
Move away from the door frame, and continue the balance drill without using anything to steady yourself to increase the difficulty and see better results.

3) Lateral Bound

Maintaining balance and a stable centre of gravity is important for runners (Image via Pexels/Run ffwpu)

This is one of the best balance exercises for runners to train their lateral movement muscles, which are often ignored in other training movements.

Instructions:

Keep your arms at your sides and shoulders back and down.
To do that, you should put your weight on your left foot, bring your right knee up to your hip, and flex your left elbow.
Jump right by launching off the left foot, switching arms as you land on the right foot, and bringing the left knee up to the hip.
Taking a brief pause, jump left, landing on the left foot while bringing the right knee up to hip height.
Keep going for 20 reps, alternating sides (ten per side).

4) Single Leg Reach

This is one of the best balance exercises for runners. These drills help runners improve their equilibrium and increase their core, hamstring, and glute strength.

Instructions:

A tennis ball, or another small, easily-grasped object, is required for the ground. If you don't have a tennis ball, you can use something like a bean bag or a box instead.
Set it down up to two feet in front of you on the floor.
You should look to stand on one leg and bend at the hips to reach for whatever is on the floor. Try to get as close to the thing as possible. Keep your chin up and shoulders back.
Follow that by switching legs and repeating the steps. Repeat the process eight to ten times on each side.
The goal is to maintain stability while bending forward. Increase the number of repetitions and sets you perform.
Increase the difficulty of the exercise by walking on the balls of your feet while keeping your heels up.
For at least a minute, keep walking in both directions.

5) Single Leg Bound

Balance exercises can help runners hone their form and speed (Image via Pexels/Pixabay)

Last in our list of balance exercises for runners is single leg bounds. This one can help you build stability and balance when performed regularly.

Instructions:

Begin the one-legged bounding exercise by assuming a runner's stance.
The next time you jump, try landing on the opposite leg. Arm motions similar to those used in running will be required.
Just to make sure you're not going to fall over; stay in the landing for a second.
The goal is to maintain your balance and stability on each leg as you leap forward.
If you want to test your limits, try front-to-back, back-to-front, and side-to-side one-legged bounds.

Takeaway

Perform these aforementioned balance exercises for runners to improve your balance and stability. You can also check out these core exercises for runners.