Bodyweight Exercises: The Value Of Balance
One component that bodyweight exercises develop better than any other exercise program (as opposed to "movement programs," like dance or karate kata) is balance. Many bodyweight exercises use the act of balancing as an integral part of the exercise. For example, handstand pushups rely on how the body maintains balance to develop the muscles of the lower back and spine, in addition to your shoulders. Weightlifting requires only that you balance the bar. The "movement programs" mentioned before arae excellent for developing balance and coordination, and that is why a bodyweight exercise program is such a great complement to them.
But having good balance comes in handy in many different ways. Sure, it's impressive to be able to walk from the bar to yor dorm and not fall down like everyone else (as if they would notice or remember). And it's a real skill to have if you have to walk across an icy parking lot or sidewalk. I remember the sidewalk in front of a particular building in Chicago (I won't mention the name, except to say it was Arthur Anderson) became like a sheet of glass in icy weather, because they used some material that, in my humble opinion, didn't make for a good sidewalk. Balance was really needed to traverse that block. Balance could have been used INSIDE that building, too. But I digres....
In my job as trial attorney, balance comes into play frequently. No, it's not to dodge a gavel or book thrown by an angry judge. It's to be able to remain calm and focused when something unexpected happens in a trial. Maybe a witness testifies differently than what I expected. Maybe the trial starts sooner or later in the day than planned. Maybe it's a different judge. But whatever happens, I need to remain focused and cannot be thrown off by anything.
Having good physical balance, in my opinion, translates into having good mental and emotional balance. Much like my body will pull itself right if I start to fall out of a headstand, for example, I can feel mentally that I am being pulled back to center if something unexpected happens. The concept of maintaining balance and staying focused becames ingrained into your fibers, which becomes ingrained into your psyche.
Most lawyers can maintain focus. If something goes wrong, a trial lawyer has a script or outline to come back to, to re-center himself or herself. But there's a difference between just going back to the script and staying balanced within the script. For example, say I expect the witness to say that he heard the conversation on the porch. But when I ask him that question ("Did you hear the conversation on the porch?"), he says "No." Now, remaining focused would simply mean asking him the rest of the questions in the script, and getting disjointed answers. But remaining balanced would allow you to possibly get the answer from him. Simply asking "Why couldn't you hear the conversation on the porch?" could bring the answer "Because I was in the car." Next question: "When you got out of the car, could you hear the conversation on the porch?" Answer: "Oh, yeah. Every word."
Bodyweight exercises integrate balance within muscle development and aerobic exercise. The balance exercises also help you practice focus and, if you are so inclined, a little bit of meditation.
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But having good balance comes in handy in many different ways. Sure, it's impressive to be able to walk from the bar to yor dorm and not fall down like everyone else (as if they would notice or remember). And it's a real skill to have if you have to walk across an icy parking lot or sidewalk. I remember the sidewalk in front of a particular building in Chicago (I won't mention the name, except to say it was Arthur Anderson) became like a sheet of glass in icy weather, because they used some material that, in my humble opinion, didn't make for a good sidewalk. Balance was really needed to traverse that block. Balance could have been used INSIDE that building, too. But I digres....
In my job as trial attorney, balance comes into play frequently. No, it's not to dodge a gavel or book thrown by an angry judge. It's to be able to remain calm and focused when something unexpected happens in a trial. Maybe a witness testifies differently than what I expected. Maybe the trial starts sooner or later in the day than planned. Maybe it's a different judge. But whatever happens, I need to remain focused and cannot be thrown off by anything.
Having good physical balance, in my opinion, translates into having good mental and emotional balance. Much like my body will pull itself right if I start to fall out of a headstand, for example, I can feel mentally that I am being pulled back to center if something unexpected happens. The concept of maintaining balance and staying focused becames ingrained into your fibers, which becomes ingrained into your psyche.
Most lawyers can maintain focus. If something goes wrong, a trial lawyer has a script or outline to come back to, to re-center himself or herself. But there's a difference between just going back to the script and staying balanced within the script. For example, say I expect the witness to say that he heard the conversation on the porch. But when I ask him that question ("Did you hear the conversation on the porch?"), he says "No." Now, remaining focused would simply mean asking him the rest of the questions in the script, and getting disjointed answers. But remaining balanced would allow you to possibly get the answer from him. Simply asking "Why couldn't you hear the conversation on the porch?" could bring the answer "Because I was in the car." Next question: "When you got out of the car, could you hear the conversation on the porch?" Answer: "Oh, yeah. Every word."
Bodyweight exercises integrate balance within muscle development and aerobic exercise. The balance exercises also help you practice focus and, if you are so inclined, a little bit of meditation.
The FITNESS Portal - programs that fit FIT into your life
Physical Fitness In 30 SECONDS A Day??? - free report to change your life in less time than it takes to eat a pizza
