The best exercise

This thread has reminded me of a time a couple of years ago when DGD (then 4) was hopping around the garden. I said 'I wish I could do that, DGD' and she replied 'Never mind, perhaps you'll be able to do it when you're older'!

I don't know, I think you need to focus on a point at eye level.

Why is standing on one leg so difficult with eyes closed? I can stand on one leg with eyes open but topple over immediately with eyes closed.

Marmight I am also supposed to go up on tiptoes (both at once though) which is another thing I have been forgetting to do

M0nica you don't have the condition that was diagnosed by Doc Martin do you?
Your body makes its own alcohol if you have too much yeast in the gut - I think it was called 'Auto-Brewery Syndrome'

I am just wondering if I have it as I can't balance at all, sometimes not even on two legs
It would be cheaper than drinking anyway.

I stand try standing on one leg but i do it in the doorway, then if i feel i am going to fall i grab the frame!! lol.

Can't do it with my eyes closed though, but good idea by poster to try with one eye first will give it a go.

Have also tried doing it when brushing teeth as i have the basin to hang onto if i feel i will fall.

One of my exercises for an Achilles tendon problem is to balance on one leg on the ball of the foot and then alternate. I have to cling onto the banister at the top of the stairs like grim death. I used to do a lot of ballet - fat lot of use that was

If not being able to balance on one leg with my eyes shut is a sign of impending doom then I must be long dead and buried and appearing here in ethereal form. I do notthink I have ever been able to balance on one leg with my eyes shut.

In one medical test for a job I was asked to stand on two legs and shut my eyes. After a short period the doctor put his hand on my back and told me to open my eyes. It seems I had been swaying back and forth so far, he thought I would fall. That was 35 years ago.

Ah well, I will float through to the kitchen in my ethereal way and make a cup of tea.

My friend just uses a finger to steady herself, she says it makes all the difference.
Eglantine?

I think not being able to balance with your eyes shut is supposed to be an indicator of how soon you're going to die. ( This is probably because you hit your head because you fall over!)

I recently damaged my knee and one of the exercises my physio got me doing was balancing on one leg

I am mildly dyspraxic, were I to do this, I would fall flat on my face.

At my pilates class this morning our teacher asked us to stand on one foot and gently swing the other. Three of us promptly walked to the wall to prop ourselves up while we did it.

We do balance at Pilates. I'm pretty good at it!

Sex for 90 seconds ... sounds a bit ambitious to me

This is an excellent exercise and usually so difficult. My initial error was to try it and do nothing other than count the seconds. Wrong for me. I have greater success whilst doing something else which takes up some of my (limited) concentration. My best has been 65 secs but, golly, I don't find it easy. Just as well I'm up for a challenge.

I had heard about this, there is no way I could do this without holding onto something & as for doing it with my eyes closed please come & scrape me off the floor

We do exercises standing on one leg in my Pilates class, to improve balance and so prevent falls. If you find it difficult it's OK to put one hand on a wall while you're practising. When you're better at it, close one eye and then two, to remove all visual stimuli and make the exercise harder.
With practice you can improve your balance greatly and then who knows what you'll be able to get up to!

Jalima I did this too after breaking a leg - thought I was doing well until I tried closing my eyes (see my previous post)!

When standing on one leg do remember to hold stomach muscles in.
If I can find them these days!

I'm glad to see this thread because this is one of the exercises that the physiotherapist recommended to me a few months ago and I have failed spectacularly to do it.

When I tried again this morning I managed about 15 seconds on the good leg and 3 seconds on the other one. Not great to try with an electric toothbrush in your mouth if you have balance problems
I tried again, staring myself in the eye in the bathroom mirror and did a bit better; I promise to do better next time.

Fab sense of humour everyone! I do this every morning when I'm cleaning my teeth. If you concentrate on focusing on one spot it helps maintain the balance.

I read recently that it's important to close your eyes - I can only last 4/5 secs doing this! see this test:

saveourbones.com/hows-your-balance-take-this-30-second-test-to-find-out/

Sex while standing on one leg? - or with eyes closed? - or for 90 seconds? - sounds a bit skimpy to me!

Reminds me of a joke..........

Woman at cooker: "Bert, I want you to make mad passionate love to me right now!"

Bert, seated at kitchen table, looks up from his newspaper: "Why?"

Woman: "'Cos I want to time an egg!"

I thought sex is the best exercise? Perhaps the two can be combined?

Adore this thread! If laughter is the best exercise I’ve definitely reached my target today!!