Four Balance Points

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Wow, what a month?! Just flew by… Started on a sad note when we left my parents at SFO after a month and now the month is coming to an end on a high note as I get ready to drive from Joshua Tree to Tahoe with the kids.  After all, it is all about that balancing act of high and low notes.

Kids and I left Derek behind (balancing act of life) as we drove to Joshua Tree for Spring Break, to meet with friends.  If you don’t know, Joshua Tree is part of the high desert (NOT dessert) of California, which means it is at an elevation of ~4500 feet and it is a breath taking place - especially if you are with friends who know all the cool hikes. ;)

Our first day consisted of a 7.4 mile hike with 3 kids, ages 7,6 and 4.  And they all did a GREAT JOB.  Today, we did the Rattlesnake Canyon, which is rated as a “difficult” hike, with those 3 and they ROCKED again!  As I was trying to be calm watching my kids climbing over boulders to make it to the top, I thought about the importance of balance.  Balance is way beyond staying on one foot and not falling.  It is the independence…. When kids learn how to walk, they don’t need their parents’ hands anymore.  The key thing is to have all your balance points ready to catch if the floor beneath you slips. 

As we were doing some semi-difficult climbs, I kept telling the kids “four balance points”, meaning the hands and the feet.  I didn’t want them to be carrying anything on their hands or keeping asking for my hand.  Of course, my hand, arms and everything else were there to help them in the really tricky spots but otherwise, I wanted them to see that once they have their “four balance points” ready to catch, they were safer.  It worked (at least for the majority of the time)! I explained to them that if they are holding my hand, it takes away one balance point from each one of us.  As a result, we might easily put each other at risk.  

Once we came up with the “four balance points” rule, we ALL worked on our planks, most of the time. :) Ela certainly mastered the use of her all fours to go over rocks that were 10 times of her size (or bigger).

Given how much fun we had with this new rule, I decided that it would be good to come up with a fun, quick routine of “Four Balance Points”. I know that not everyone has access to giants boulders to practice the rule but we all have a flat ground to develop those balancing skills.  First of all, find yourself a somewhat open clear floor space - garden or park would also work.  Then try the following drills:

  1. Plank side step: Start with a hand plank stand (hands under shoulder, butt down, lower back up, legs straight ). Lift right hand up slightly to move it one step to the right, then follow with right foot, then left hand and left foot. Move 3 steps to the right and then 3 steps to the left to get back to the starting point. Repeat for 3 times.

  2. Crab side walk: Start with a table top position with stomach facing towards the ceiling/sky. Drop the butt lower down but don’t touch the ground. Lift right hand up slightly to move it one step to the right, then follow with the right foot, then left hand and left foot. Move 3 steps to the right and then 3 steps to the left to get back to the starting point. Repeat for 3 times.

  3. Plank walks: Start with a hand plank stand. Move hands one step forward withOUT moving the butt up, then move the feet forward keeping the legs straight. Move 3 steps forward and then 3 steps back. During the step backs, initiate the movement with the feet and then follow with the hands. Through out the move, DO NOT move your butt up. Repeat for 3 times.

  4. Crab walks: Start with a table top position with stomach facing towards the ceiling/sky. Drop the butt lower down but don’t touch the ground. Move hands one step forward, towards your feet withOUT moving the feet, then move the feet away from the hands. Move 3 steps forward and then 3 steps back. During the step backs, initiate the movement with the feet by moving the feet closer to the hands and then moving hands away from the feet. Through out the move, KEEP your butt down without touching the ground. Repeat for 3 times.

  5. REPEAT moves 1-4 3 times.

Let’s get all our Balance Points activated all the time so we can be independent when going over BIG hurdles.  Since you have already done it at some point in your lives - BIG HIGH FIVE to you all!

can you spot the parking lot? this was already on the way down!

Even grown ups had to fit through there - using all fours

Can you spot Kaya using all fours?