Physical Literacy - Session 3

Skill Focus: Balance and Stability

Every action and movement we complete throughout the day involves an element of stability and balance! For athletes, they work together to ensure efficient movement and body control throughout a practice or game.

Improving stability and balance can make a big difference in sports performance and reduces the risk of injury. By concentrating on one side of the body at a time we can help improve a potentially weaker, non-dominant side and increase the intensity of exercises completed without equipment.

Value: Play What You See

Sometimes our body and our mind are not in sync! We might be feeling strong mentally, but our body isn’t able to perform the way we want it to (or vice versa!). Being aware of imbalances and making adjustments as needed can help us push through, whether it’s a tough assignment at school or an especially challenging sports practice.

Opening Community Circle

  • Call your life play - on a scale of 1-5 how are you feeling today?
  • What do you think balance and/or stability means?
  • Why is important to have good balance and stability? For sports and for life?
  • Can you think of examples in different sports where athletes have/need good balance and stability?
  • What would you like to get out of today’s session?

Warm-up #1

This is a general, dynamic warm-up that is great to use ahead of any session. View in the Warm-Up Library.

Skill Focus: Balance and Stability

Demonstrate each exercise for students. Then students should complete 10 reps of each, moving through all 7 exercises. That is one full set. Rest for 1min then repeat, aiming for a total of 3 sets total.

Students should utilize their fitness journal to document success and RPE. Click on each exercise for a video demonstration!

Varations to Increase/Reduce Difficulty

  • Increase/reduce range of motion
  • Slow down/speed up movement
  • Increase/reduce number of reps
  • Stand on an unstable surface/hold onto something for support
  • Add weight to increase difficulty

Cool Down #1

This is a walking cool down. While walking around the outside of the gym or marching in place, complete the following stretches and breathing routine. View in the Cool Down Library.

Closing Community Circle

  • Call your life play - on a scale of 1-5 how are you feeling after this session?
  • Did you find it easier to complete any of the exercises on one side than the other? If so, why do you think this was?
  • What did you focus on when attempting these exercises, what were you thinking about?
  • Which exercise did you enjoy the most and why?
  • Which exercise do you think has the biggest benefit and why?