How to Do
How to Do Stork Hold Arms at Sides Single Leg Balance
The stork holding arms at sides single leg balance should begin with a good posture to avoid injury. Brace the spine by drawing your lower abdomen inward. Your core muscles should be activated to support your posture as you perform the exercise.
If any pain is experienced, immediately stop the stork and hold arms at sides with a single leg balance.
Beginning
Beginning Arms at Side of Stork Single Leg Balance
1. Stand with your feet slightly apart and your core engaged.
2. Raise one leg off the ground, arms at your sides.
3. Hold this stance for 30 seconds before returning to your normal standing activity, e.g., brushing your teeth, talking on the phone, between exercise sets, etc.
Movement
Arms at Side of Stork Single Leg Balance Movement
1. This is similar to the exercise Stork Stance Hold Arms Abducted.
2. Start by standing tall, back straight, shoulders back, and chest out.
3. Keep your arms out to the side and next to you, bending at the elbow so that your arms touch the outsides of each of your legs.
4. One leg is going to be slightly bent and always on the ground.
5. Bring your body forward so that the other leg goes straight behind you.
6. Keep your arms to the side where they have been since the start of the exercise
7. Position your body so that it's parallel to the ground. You want it to be as straight as possible.
8. Hold this position for the appropriate amount of time.
9. After completion, return to the starting position and you can switch legs so that the one that kicked back is now on the ground and slightly bent.
Benefits
Arms at Side of Stork Single Leg Balance Benefits
Single-leg workouts increase our body's spatial awareness and balance. For people suffering from back pain, this is a viable option. Because the overall loads are often lower than with bilateral lifts, single-leg workouts allow you to target the legs with significantly less force on the spine.
