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THE JOURNAL

Balance training: what science says

Balance is the most neglected physical quality. Eight studies show that 11 to 15 minutes, 3 times a week, measurably improve it within weeks – here is the evidence-based routine.

5 min read By Kevin, founder of STAASH

Woman training on a STAASH balance board on its cork mat

I have trained in gyms for years, and I have watched the same pattern everywhere: people count reps, kilos, kilometres and heart rate. Almost nobody trains balance. My position is simple: balance is the most neglected physical quality, and it is also one of the fastest to improve. A few minutes, three times a week, measurably changes it within weeks. This is not a feeling. It is what the research shows.

1

Balance is a trainable skill, not a gift

Most people treat balance as something you either have or you don't. The data say otherwise. The largest review on healthy young adults, Lesinski et al. 2015 (Sports Medicine), pooled 25 randomised controlled trials in people aged 16 to 40. The conclusion is clear: balance training improves balance performance, and the review goes further by identifying the dose that works best.

Zech et al. 2010 (Journal of Athletic Training) reached the same verdict across 20 trials: balance training improves postural control and functional balance, and longer programmes produce larger effects. In other words, consistency pays.

The effect is not limited to one age group. In children and adolescents aged 6 to 19, Gebel et al. 2018 (Sports Medicine) found the strongest effects with 12-week programmes at 2 sessions per week. And in adults over 65, Lesinski et al. 2015 showed that balance also improves with 11 to 12 weeks at 3 sessions per week. Balance responds to training at every stage of life.

2

Balance training makes you more powerful, not just steadier

This is the part that surprises most athletes. Balance work does not only make you steadier. It transfers to performance.

  • Gruber et al. 2007 (Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research): after 4 weeks of balance training on unstable surfaces, explosive strength (rate of force development) increased by +14 %.
  • Taube et al. 2007 (International Journal of Sports Medicine): in elite athletes, 6 weeks of balance training produced jump-height gains comparable to those of a strength programme.

The reason is neural. Balance training teaches your nervous system to recruit the right muscles faster and in the right order. That skill shows up everywhere: in a sprint start, a jump, a change of direction, a heavy squat.

3

Instability complements strength training — it does not replace it

I want to be precise here, because the fitness industry often exaggerates. The position stand of the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, Behm et al. 2010, states that trunk muscles are activated more on unstable surfaces. It also states that instability training complements traditional resistance training; it does not replace it.

So keep lifting. Then add balance work on top. The two qualities build on each other.

And the difficulty matters. Gebel et al. 2019 (Frontiers in Physiology) measured leg muscle activity on a balance board and found that it rises as the board setting becomes harder. That is exactly why a board with adjustable levels is useful: you progress by changing the setting, not by guessing.

4

The evidence-based routine

Here is the protocol I recommend. It follows the most effective dose identified by Lesinski et al. 2015. No improvisation, no marathon sessions.

The dose

  • Duration: 11 to 12 weeks
  • Frequency: 3 sessions per week
  • Session length: 11 to 15 minutes
  • Structure: 4 exercises × 2 sets of 21 to 40 seconds, with about one minute of rest between sets

The 4 exercises on a balance board

  • Static hold. Feet parallel, knees soft, eyes on a fixed point. Keep both edges of the board off the floor as long as you can.
  • Squats. Slow descent, knees over toes, board level. Stop at the depth where you still control the board.
  • Push-ups. Hands on the board, body in one straight line. Your trunk has to work hard to keep the deck level.
  • Surf stance. Feet placed across the deck, side-on, like on a surfboard. Shift your weight from front to back foot under control.

How to progress

Start with the easiest setting. When you hold 40 seconds cleanly on every set, move to the next level. With our Pro Kit, you begin on the flat side of the half-moon (a stable base), then turn it to the curved side (a gentle tilt), then move to the cork roller. Each step raises the demand without a brutal jump in difficulty. If you are starting from zero, read your first 10 minutes on a balance board first.

5

Why a wide deck makes these exercises easier to do properly

A routine only works if your form is right. On a narrow board, form breaks down before your balance does.

That is why every STAASH balance board uses our WideBase™ format: a deck 39 cm wide (79 × 39 cm). The most common barefoot foot length in Europe is 27 cm for men and 24.5 cm for women, according to Jurca et al. 2019 (Scientific Reports, 1.2 million scans). In surf stance, your foot sits across the deck. The WideBase deck is 39 cm at its widest and stays wide towards the ends, so a 27 cm foot stays entirely on the wood. Most wooden boards are 30 to 35 cm at their widest.

  • Squats and holding: your whole foot is on the deck, so you work on balance instead of fighting for foot position.
  • Push-ups: a wider surface for your hands and a straighter line through your shoulders.
  • Surf stance: your feet fit across the deck, front-facing or side-on.

I explain the full reasoning in why we chose a 39 cm WideBase deck. If you are comparing materials, read wood vs plastic balance boards, and for a broader overview, our balance board buying guide.

6

My verdict

Balance is not a bonus quality. It is a trainable skill that most people ignore, and the evidence shows it responds fast: 11 to 15 minutes, 3 times a week, for 11 to 12 weeks. Add it to your strength training, follow the dose, and progress by level. Then measure yourself: time your static hold today, and again in four weeks.

7

Start the routine today

The STAASH Pro Balance Board Kit gives you everything the protocol needs: the 39 cm WideBase birch deck, the cork roller, a reversible half-moon to progress level by level, and a non-slip mat that locks the board in place on tiles or parquet. Our free training app (QR code) guides you through squats, push-ups, holding and surf stance. Prefer to start simple? Take the essential balance board kit, or browse the full balance board collection.

8

Sources

A look at the STAASH range

Birch, cork, and nothing that ends up in a cupboard

Explore our full range
STAASH Balance Board Pro Kit in Green – board, roller, half-sphere, ball & cork mat #color-green

Balance Board Pro Kit (5-in-1)

Balance Board Pro Kit (5-in-1)
169,90€
STAASH cork balance disc 30 cm – non-slip natural cork stability trainer

Cork Balance Disc

Cork Balance Disc
39,90€
STAASH Yoga Mat Set in Latte – non-slip mat, knee pad, towel and carry strap #color-coffee-brown

Yoga Mat Set

Yoga Mat Set
79,90€
STAASH balance board Starter Kit in Green — birch deck, cork roller and massage ball #color-green

Balance Board Starter Kit (3-in-1)

Balance Board Starter Kit (3-in-1)
129,90€
STAASH Balance Board Pro Kit in Green – board, roller, half-sphere, ball & cork mat #color-green

Balance Board Pro Kit (5-in-1)

Balance Board Pro Kit (5-in-1)
169,90€
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