Balance training
Single-leg and unstable-surface work for footing, foot strength and reaction
Work aimed at the systems that keep you upright. Standing on one leg is the base, closing the eyes takes vision out of it, and unstable surfaces such as a slack line, a foam pad or a mini trampoline add the rest. One common home test is 20 seconds on one foot with the eyes shut, checked on both sides. Another is getting a sock and a shoe on while standing on one leg. Coaches program it because balance fades quietly with age, and a fall is what ends independence for a lot of older people. It also costs nothing and needs no room, so it folds into things you already do, such as brushing your teeth or waiting for the kettle.
People on record
Sorted by strength of stance
Does it: documented as part of their own routine. Recommends: explicitly advises other people to do it. Discusses: covered it substantively without clear personal adoption; this can include criticism or disagreement.
- Kelly StarrettDoes it
Doctor of physical therapy · The Ready State
Works his foot strength during Zoom calls. He hands blocks to athletes with instructions to stand on one while the coffee brews. Twenty seconds on one leg with the eyes closed is the benchmark he uses, and a side-to-side difference is fine to have as long as you know about it, he says.
Source: The Tim Ferriss Show: Dr. Kelly Starrett, The Magic of Movement and Mobility (#664)
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under fitness or longevity.
- Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Resistance training
Lifting weights 2-4 times a week to build and hold muscle
On record from 43 of 62 tracked people: 37 do it, 4 recommend it, 2 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Protein-forward eating
Roughly 1g of protein per pound of target bodyweight, spread across meals
On record from 21 of 62 tracked people: 15 do it, 5 recommend it, 1 has discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Zone 2 cardio
Easy aerobic work you can hold a conversation through, 3+ hours a week
On record from 12 of 62 tracked people: 5 do it, 5 recommend it, 2 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Cycling
Steady riding, outdoors or on a stationary bike, as daily low-intensity cardio
On record from 9 of 62 tracked people: 9 do it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Stability and mobility work
Daily joint, foot and breathing work to keep strength usable
On record from 8 of 62 tracked people: 7 do it, 1 has discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Daily stretching
Long, regular stretching sessions to undo years of tightness and keep training possible
On record from 7 of 62 tracked people: 6 do it, 1 has discussed it
Protocol entry · notes paraphrased from cited sources, quoted excerpts copied from the transcript they link to. Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed. How this works.