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.
Who backs it
Sorted by strength of stance
- 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
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Resistance training
Lifting weights 2-4 times a week to build and hold muscle
Backed by 43 of 62 stacks: 37 do it, 4 recommend it, 2 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Protein-forward eating
Roughly 1g of protein per pound of target bodyweight, spread across meals
Backed by 21 of 62 stacks: 15 do it, 5 recommend it, 1 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Zone 2 cardio
Easy aerobic work you can hold a conversation through, 3+ hours a week
Backed by 12 of 62 stacks: 5 do it, 5 recommend it, 2 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Cycling
Steady riding, outdoors or on a stationary bike, as daily low-intensity cardio
Backed by 9 of 62 stacks: 9 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Stability and mobility work
Daily joint, foot and breathing work to keep strength usable
Backed by 8 of 62 stacks: 7 do it, 0 recommend it, 1 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Daily stretching
Long, regular stretching sessions to undo years of tightness and keep training possible
Backed by 7 of 62 stacks: 6 do it, 0 recommend it, 1 have 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.