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When was the last time you skipped rope? Or did pogo hops? <\/p>\n
Right.<\/p>\n
Everyone knows that when it comes to the body, it\u2019s \u201cuse it or lose it.\u201d We lose muscle mass as we get older, a condition known as sarcopenia<\/a>. But we also lose muscle strength and power as we age, a condition known as dynapenia<\/a>, which affects reactivity. And that plays a role in balance and fall prevention \u2014 at any age.<\/p>\n Good balance is beneficial for living a longer, healthier life \u2014 at any age. Check out our series featuring the latest research, a balance IQ test and simple at-home exercises.<\/p>\n \u201cYou start to lose reactivity the moment you stop moving quickly,\u201d says Trina Altman<\/a>, a personal trainer and fitness writer<\/a> based in the South Bay. Plyometric exercises <\/a>\u2014 explosive, fast-paced movements, like jumping, skipping, running and hopping \u2014 are critical in balance training for fall prevention, she says. \u201cBecause we lose the ability to exert force quickly as we get older. Plyometrics \u2014 involving motor control, coordination, agility and reactivity \u2014 trains quick responses.\u201d<\/p>\n Altman takes a real-world approach to balance training: When you fall, you don\u2019t typically fall on one leg, she reasons. It\u2019s more often due to a sudden misstep, like tripping over a crack in the sidewalk or stepping off an unforeseen curb. Or someone bumps into you at a concert. How quickly the brain and body react after tripping \u2014 with your foot automatically thrusting forward, for example, to prevent yourself from face-planting \u2014 is what plyometrics trains for. <\/p>\n \u201cIf you want to get better at standing on one leg for balance, stand on one leg,\u201d Altman says. \u201cBut if you really want to prevent yourself from falling and breaking a bone \u2014 and dynapenia \u2014 do plyometrics so you don\u2019t lose muscle power and bone mass.\u201d<\/p>\n Plyometric exercises are important for balance training at any age, Altman says. That said, safe progression is key as plyometrics are a more athletic routine. If you\u2019re an older adult who\u2019s physically deconditioned, or someone who doesn\u2019t exercise regularly, and you want to train for better balance, Altman recommends starting with strength training <\/a>to build muscle mass first as well as stiffness in the tendons and ligaments (doing pushing, pulling, hinging and squatting exercises with progressive overload). <\/p>\n \u201cHaving strength is important for being able to balance,\u201d Altman says. (If you have a health condition such as osteoporosis, joint pain, neuropathy, a vestibular disorder or foot issues, she recommends starting with physical therapy before progressing.)<\/p>\n Then, Altman says, move on to balance training with static and dynamic exercises. \u201cYou know: How long can you stand on one leg without having to put your foot down?\u201d Then proceed to more athletic plyometrics, making sure to note any prerequisites for each exercise. (They\u2019re typically just easier versions of the same exercises and Altman assigns them to all her clients doing plyometrics.)<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re training plyometrics, you\u2019re training the explosivity of your tendons, and that\u2019s bulletproofing whatever joint that tendon is attached to \u2014 the tendons in your foot or ankle or hip,\u201d Altman says. \u201cBut you do plyometrics progressively, so you\u2019re strong enough and don\u2019t tear a muscle or a ligament or tendon.\u201d<\/p>\n Plyometric routines don\u2019t need to be long or crazy-intense, Altman says, in order to work toward better balance. Cardio isn\u2019t the goal. \u201cIt could simply be a minute each of two different plyometric exercises, twice a week,\u201d she says. \u201cLike two sets of 10 jumps or two sets of eight skater hops.\u201d <\/p>\n Here are four plyometric exercises Altman suggests, from easiest to hardest. Increase the number of sets and reps over time to make the routines harder. They\u2019re demonstrated by Los Angeles Times staffer Mack Baysinger.<\/p>\n ![\"Get](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1787083033_19_.png\")
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