Strength and BAlance

A new favorite phrase I’ve been repeating around the gym:
Don’t turn a strength exercise into a balance drill.

I’m mainly talking about two exercises here—rear foot elevated split squats (RFESS) and calf raises.

Let’s start with RFESS. This is an excellent movement for building unilateral strength and exposing the hips and knees to a healthy range of motion. And yes, there’s a balance component—but that shouldn’t steal the spotlight.

Too often, people struggle through the movement just to stay upright, compromising depth, control, and intent. I’ve surprised a few folks by encouraging them to grab a PVC pipe or hold onto the rack. Why? Because better balance leads to better movement quality. And better movement quality leads to more strength, more stability—and eventually—better balance. But if you’re too wobbly to hit proper depth, you’ll miss the mark on all of it.

Same thing with calf raises. If you're a high-level runner, sure, single-leg calf raises without assistance might make sense. But for most people? Putting a hand on the wall or rack gives you the support you need to focus on strength and capacity through the lower leg—not your ability to stay upright on one foot.

If your goal is balance, we can absolutely program for that. But when the goal is strength, let’s not confuse the two.

Don't turn a strength exercise into a balance drill.

—Justin Miner
@justinminergain