What balance training

[JC50]

do you do off-water?

I play with IndoBoard, Wobble Board, some Yoga, and put together a Slackline; but none with any regularity and after a marathon surf yesterday (after a month out of water) in no-wind greasy, but bumpy (as in little bumps from many angles that kept me either wobbling like a deer on ice, or on my ass) I vowed to work in a daily routine, preferably a combination of above.  Tried slacklining earlier this year and it kicked my ass, so I'm hoping that putting time there will pay dividends.

Surfing when you're out of shape is one thing, but not so bad if you have patience, smoothness, good timing, and of course lots of experience. But, SUP'ing when your out of balance is just downright cruel punishment to my fragile ego...

[crtraveler]

Indo Board, and inverted Bosu ball weight training at the gym.  I have tried slackline also, it does kick your butt!!

[kwhilden]

The Balance 360 works quite well, especially with weights or a weight-bar.
http://www.balance360.com/servlet/StoreFront

note... if your goal is to learn SUP while wearing cowboy boots, this balance trainer can't be beat!

[Pureadrenalin]

There is number of workouts to train for balance. One of them is the Indo board with balance cushion not the cylinder trainer. Its the most realistic form of balance compared to SUP also plays a big role with muscle memory. Second would be training with a swiss ball. Plyometrics is also great to do if you are a liitle more advance. CST is a must because strenghthening the core has a big role with balance,form and function on a daily basis. 

[exetersup]

My 2 cents:
Indo board is fun, can get dangerous on hard wood/cement floors, but on a rug/carpet it's great. It's also a great way to practice switch stance balance.
Also, kettlebells seem to be gaining popularity for full body/core training
see: http://www.liftkettlebells.com/

[JC50]

Good words all, thanks.

Dumbells or KB's while on Indo Board is an old favorite (with cylinder and/or inflatable "whoopie cushion")..but I need higher ceilings at current location...  I've also got a friend who likes to lift while standing on a swiss ball but haven't tried that either. Yeah Exeter, work on the IndoBoard on the carpet before hard floor...more forgiving. Gymnast rings are great for upper body workouts and if you've got an area you can mount them where you can Indo underneath you can advance your techniques while holding rings so when you lose it you don't crash too hard. Problem with that is you're balancing with arms up high, not low & relaxed like you wanna be.

That Balance-360 looks like an excellent tool. Gotta break in the boots first though, and lose a few buttons on shirt...

I think probably the most important thing with balance exercises is consistency (regardless what tool used). I did a big move late Summer and have been slow to unpack. I was surprised at how off balance I was when on the water yesterday. Today was significantly better; body had a nights sleep to "reset". Just like with CV & strength exercise, body improves between workouts.

[Deb]

An off-water, no equipment, exercise is to close your eyes, stand on one foot, and try to lean over (or crouch down) and touch your toes first with one hand, then the other, and rise up again. This is brain training. I started out as someone who probably couldn't pass the sobriety balance test stone sober. Now I have almost zero balance problems on the water.
The other thing that really helped me a lot was to get out on the ocean on a much smaller, narrower board for a couple of weeks (8'10" x 26") - made my "old" board feel like a breeze to balance on.

[stoneaxe]

Balance is a combination of vestibular, visual, and propreception. I've had to retrain myself to use visual and propreception more since my vestibular system is screwed.
Before I started SUP I was using one of the inflatable discs with a circle of plywood for balance therapy. I've tried a number of other things prescribed by therapists as well but nothing compares to being on the water. One of the great things for me about SUP is usually having a broad flat horizon as a visual clue.

LOL...I'd fall over doing Deb's exercise.

[Pureadrenalin]

An off-water, no equipment, exercise is to close your eyes, stand on one foot, and try to lean over (or crouch down) and touch your toes first with one hand, then the other, and rise up again. This is brain training. I started out as someone who probably couldn't pass the sobriety balance test stone sober. Now I have almost zero balance problems on the water.
The other thing that really helped me a lot was to get out on the ocean on a much smaller, narrower board for a couple of weeks (8'10" x 26") - made my "old" board feel like a breeze to balance on.

Deb is correct with training on smaller SUB's. Right now 8'6 from a 14' has been a great experience and fin setup made all the difference. Thats why I want to go another size smaller by summer maybe 7'4. Its more challenging physically and mentally because you always can play with fin setups to get it just where you need it.

[Deb]

Hey Bob - I still fall over too. (And still probably couldn't pass the sobriety balance test, stone sober either). That was a young, 30-something trainer who suggested the eyes closed trick.

[Shawn Michael]

My 2 cents is that the Indo board/voodoo board with the cylinder are not really helpful...maybe the cushion is better.  

Doing 1 leg DL's or warrior III with the eyes closed is the best on-land training IMO...but the stoneax charging the rough water or going on a tipper SUB is what really offers progress...the winter has been so flat here that I feel like I am backsliding though...


I am trying to get back to doing all my paddling despite conditions with a symetrical parallel stance rather than the split stance I go to when it is rough.  If the pros do Molokai that way and it would seem logical that it would keep the musculature in much better balance and power.  Assymetry = eventual injury unless you balance it in the gym

[linter]

check this out, some new Indo type cushion:



"Indo Board has a new 24" giant cushion, to balance your Stand up Paddle or surfboard on. Great for practicing On your boards."

[Pureadrenalin]

Looks cool and everything but why use your expensive SUP gear when you can get the same results with an indo board that is cheaper. The only advantage I see its looks good to paractice the pivot 180 turn stance. Just my opinion. Aloha

[stoneaxe]

Can't see using my board that way. The disc I have is (I think) 16" in dia. and cost me like $10. I added the circle of plywood (28") and it functions in much the same manner as what you see in the vid except that it is unstable in all directions.

I agree with you Deb. The eyes closed exercises were a big part of the balance therapy (and the toughest) that I was doing. I still have problems when i walk into a dark room. Walking out of a darkened theatre is always a laugh for my wife as i bounce of things....

[linter]

i hear ya, bob.  if i get soap in my eyes on the shower and close em, i start to tip over.

that big cushion thing is pretty goofy.  i have one like yours, $10 from Job Lot.  Maybe I'll try it on my ULI!