Advanced Balance Exercises on Hypervibe’s Whole Body Vibration Machine

Written by: Dewald, Published on: 15/09/2016

Each year, more than 2 million seniors go to the emergency room with injuries caused by falls, and the root cause of these issues is often represented by balance problems. A fall can have serious consequences, from fractures that heal in a couple of weeks or months to disability that may last forever.

To avoid these you should incorporate balance exercises into your weekly routine, and mix them with strength movements for the lower body and core muscles. Balance exercises can be done at home using only a chair as equipment, or a more complex fitness machine, such as the Hypervibe whole body vibration platform.

The advantage of choosing the latter is that you can combine strength with balance exercises in one routine, without requiring additional tools, and you can also use the machine for warming up and cooling down. For best results, balance and strength exercises should be done 2-3 times per week, alternatively with cardio exercises.

At the beginning you may need to use more support, such as a sturdy chair or the handles of the WBV machine, but as you progress you should be able to hold the chair with only one hand, or to stand without requiring any support, even when doing more complex exercises.

If you choose to do the whole body vibration routine below, you can try to increase the difficulty by adjusting the frequency or amplitude, or by trying to do some of the exercises with your eyes closed. But make sure to always hold the machine’s handles if you do this, and to maintain proper form – knees slightly bent, back straight and abs engaged.

If you choose to do these balance exercises using only a chair, you can practice the movements anytime, anywhere. Here are some exercises that you can do while at the office, during a short break, or at home:

Standing on one foot – stand behind a sturdy chair, holding it for balance, and bend the left knee, lifting the left so that all your body weight is supported by the right foot. Hold the position for 10 seconds, and repeat this exercise for 1 minute per side.
Balance walk – raise your arms laterally at shoulder height, and walk-in straight line, with one foot in front of the other. As you walk, lift your back leg and hold the position for 1 second before stepping forward. Repeat the exercise for 1 minute, alternating sides.
One-legged squat reach – stand on your left leg with the right foot off the ground, near your left ankle, and bend the left leg at about 90 degrees. Keeping the back straight, reach the outside of your left foot with the right hand, then return to the starting position and repeat the move for 30 seconds. Switch sides and continue for another 30 seconds.
Liftoff – stand with your feet together and bring your arms by your sides; bend forward until your back is parallel to the ground, and extend your hands down. Lift the left leg behind while raising your arms out to the sides, and maintain the position for 2-3 seconds. Repeat for 30 seconds on the left side, then switch sides and continue for another 30 seconds.
Static squat – stand with your feet hip-width apart and bend your knees and hips, slowly lowering your body as if you were sitting in a chair. Keep your abs tight, back straight and arms straight out. Your knees should be above your toes. When your thighs are parallel to the floor, hold for 2-3 seconds, then stand back up by contracting the glutes. Do 3 sets of 8 reps, with short breaks between sets if needed.

If you want to use your Hypervibe whole body vibration machine, here’s a routine you can do for advanced balance. Do each of these exercises for 1 minute, and adjust the frequency if needed to a value that feels comfortable for your current fitness and balance level.