This feature is the first in our series of PROPRIOCEPTIVE TRAINING!

What is that, we hear you all say!

Well, it is a very long word that means your body’s ability to react properly to external forces. For example - if you ride bulls for fun, you must have the ability to react to gravity and the changing forces of the bull to keep from being thrown off. That’s proprioception. But proprioception is also your ability to walk across a room without falling down. So, in a nutshell, it is about sensing and controlling your body's movements!

The majority of injuries are sustained because of:

Lack of balance – the ability of the body to right itself

Lack of Core Strength – the ability to maintain core stabilisation, balance and control

Lack of Quick Reaction – the ability to mentally and physically react more quickly and powerfully

As you carry out your training routine – no matter what type – you are using a combination of muscular activity, range of motion at the joints, and body posture. These are all the products of sensory-nerve activity which control activity.

Certain forms of training enhance joint-position sense, kinaesthesia, balance and coordination, muscle reaction times, and overall muscular strength and should be incorporated into every athlete’s normal training routine, even if you don’t see these as directly related to your own sport.

Let’s Get Wobblying!

Stand on the Wobble Board, with the knee of the support leg maximally extended, and the non support leg flexed at the knee and raised.

Cross the arms over the chest

Maintain balance by making corrections in your ankle joint, not by activating the knee or hip or by repositioning the upper body

For the first 10 weeks, aim to stand on the Wobble Board for 5 minutes per foot, at least three times a week. After 10 weeks, increase to 10 minutes per foot at least five times a week

Come back soon and find out other new and interesting ways to improve yoru proprioception