Eyes and Balance

It’s rare that someone comes in and doesn’t mention wanting to work on balance.

Balance can be frustrating to train because you have to challenge it in order to improve it. I learned this acronym in Built to Move, and it’s one worth knowing:

SOLEC — Standing On One Leg, Eyes Closed.

That’s the test.
Stand on one leg, close your eyes, and see how long you can last.

Your eyes play a huge role in balance, and when you take that input away, the challenge increases dramatically. Try the test once with your eyes open, then again with them closed, and compare the difference.

There’s a wide range of what’s “good” here — even a few seconds eyes-closed is a solid start, while 15 seconds is the gold standard.

This simple test shows just how much your vision influences your stability. Give it a try today and see where you stand.

— Justin Miner