Parkour and Freerunning > Movement

Balancing IDEALLY on balls of feet or whole feet?

(1/5) > >>

nuclearapplepie:
I started to balance a couple months ago, but offset by ankle problems. But now I'm putting balancing exercises back into my routine

The rail I'm using is a round rail. A couple months back I was able to crouch walk on the rail, and now I'm still able to. I am not able to walk straight up on it yet. Right now I'm training stationary crouching on the rail. But here are the issues:



I am able to stand up with right feet forward with much better control than left foot forward, so it probably just fear factor and need more practice. I attempted to stand up a couple months ago, but failed. So today I think that I know what the problem is.

It just seems SO much easier to stand up straight with my entire forward foot flat on the rail. I tried both sides, right foot forward and left foot forward, I can stand up straight fairly fast and can hold it for a while(Left forward still need work on).



So my question is should I continue to train crouching and progressing into walking with my entire feet flat on the rail? I was afraid it is the wrong technique for rail balancing. But it makes senses to me because I'm not a freaking ballet dancer! Or should I stick with this way now and eventually progress into walking on the balls of my feet?

Also I might have a favorite-side problem. The rail I'm working on has a bigger drop on one side than the other. So consequently right now, whichever way I'm training on it I ALWAYS tend to lean toward the safe side. And I feel fine losing balance toward the safe side, but whenever I start to lose balance on the other side, I start to panic.

And also, I feel like walking standing up straight on a rail doesn't give as much a work out for the legs as semi crouching. What do you guys prefer when you work on your balance?

THANKS!

Mr.WWII:
I just practice all types of balance possible. And just do whatever feels right. If you're just walking on the rail then flat feet is fine. It's only when landing precisions and whatnot that we say it's best to be on the forefoot

Ryan Sannar:
Possibly try finding another rail that its easier to get up on. Keep practicing until its easy on that rail then switch back.

nuclearapplepie:
So if walking flatfeet feels solid and natural, then it's not a bad habit?

Nick Fernandez:
Think about it this way: Do you walk on your toes? Or would you balance on a ground level surface, like a sidewalk curb, with flat feet?

I'm not a doctor, but I don't think walking flatfeet is a bad habit, on a rail or not :). I'm sure that once you've got some good balance with flat feet, though, walking on your toes can provide some more balance training since you have less surface to adjust with.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page