Six Steps to Mastering the Basic Balance:
This foot placement
is a beginning position. |
1. Stand in
a doorway holding onto the door jam for support.
2. Place the foot of your stronger ankle
(or knee) on the board, on the double rounded end which touches
the floor.
3. Place your other foot (the weaker ankle
or knee) on the other side of the ball so that both feet are
pointing in the same direction.
4. While holding onto the door jam, put
equal weight on both feet and begin to balance on the ball.
5. Keep your feet flat and your knees bent
slightly.
6. Push your toes down until the toe edge
of the board touches the floor. Then push your heels down
until the heel edge of the board touches the floor. |
If you feel a slight stretch but no pain, then
you have enough flexibility in your ankles to do this maneuver -
and are off to a balancing start!
If the backs of your legs (calves or gastrocs)
are too tight or too painful, and you are unable to put your heels
down and balance without holding onto the door jam, you will need
to remove some air from the ball. However, if you prefer more stretch,
add 4-6 strokes of air to the ball with a small hand pump.
Once you have established the correct air pressure
and found a comfortable position on the CAB, it's time to leave
the door jam and move to the center of a room or other open area.
| Keep practicing until you have
mastered the basic balance and can increase the challenge
by angling your feet clockwise (or counter clockwise) in small
increments, or moving your feet in the center of gravity forward
or backward from the ball (as when using a see-saw).
Note the foot closest to the fulcrum or the ball must work
harder to balance than the foot that is farthest from the
ball.
HINT: Pump more air into the ball to make
it more challenging to balance! |
This position is slightly harder to balance
than in the photo above. |
Work That Weaker Ankle!
If one ankle is weaker than the other keep the foot of the weaker
ankle forward on the Ankle Board.
To give the front (weaker) ankle a greater challenge lift the heel
of your back foot and balance on those toes. .Always keep the front
foot flat.
As your skill level improves try the many ankle strengthening exercises
you'll find in the booklet included with your board.
Much more challenging for the right ankle and knee than the
positions above. Notice that the right foot is very close to the
ball and the left foot further away from the ball. Knees are bent.
|
