Balance Exercises: Why They Matter After 40 and How to Train Them
Balance starts to slip from midlife onward, and it's one of the easiest things to train. A few minutes of balance work, two or three times a week, plus single-leg strength moves like step-ups, split squats and carries, is enough to see real progress. Start on two feet near a wall or counter, then work toward one foot, eyes closed, and moving.
Most of us never think about balance until we trip on a curb and only just catch ourselves. The good news: balance responds to practice, and a lot of it comes free with the right strength training.
The 10 second one-leg test
In a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2022, Araujo and colleagues asked 1,702 adults aged 51 to 75 to stand on one leg for 10 seconds, without support. About 1 in 5 couldn't. Over roughly 7 years of follow-up, 17.5% of those who failed died, compared with 4.5% of those who passed. After adjusting for age, sex and health conditions, failing the test was linked with an 84% higher risk of death from any cause.
It's an observational study, so it shows a link, not cause, and all the participants were from Brazil. But the test is useful. Failure rates climbed with age, from about 5% at 51 to 55 to about 54% at 71 to 75. Try it yourself, next to a wall: stand on one leg, lift the other foot behind you, arms at your sides, eyes ahead. Can you hold 10 seconds?
Why balance matters: falls
According to the CDC, more than 14 million older adults in the US, about 1 in 4, report falling every year. Falls are the leading cause of injury, and of injury-related death, for adults 65 and older, and the fall death rate rose 21% between 2018 and 2024.
Exercise is one of the best-studied ways to lower that risk. A 2019 Cochrane review of 108 trials and 23,407 people found exercise programs reduced the rate of falls by about 23%. Programs built mainly on balance and functional exercises had the strongest evidence.
"Balance, flow and core strength" is number 5 in the American College of Sports Medicine's 2026 fitness trends.
A balance progression
Practice next to a wall, counter or sturdy chair. Move up a level when you can hold the current one for 30 seconds without grabbing, two sessions in a row.
| Level | Exercise | Target |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Two feet | Feet together, arms at your sides | 30 s |
| 2. Narrower | Heel-to-toe stance, one foot directly in front of the other | 30 s each way |
| 3. One foot | Single-leg stand, other foot just off the floor | 30 s each leg |
| 4. Eyes closed | Back to level 1 or 2 with eyes closed, then single-leg with eyes closed | 10 to 20 s |
| 5. Moving | Heel-to-toe walk, single-leg reach (touch the floor ahead of you), slow step-ups | 10 steps or reps each |
Two to five minutes is enough, even between sets.
How strength work supports balance
Balance isn't only about your inner ear. You also need strong hips, legs and ankles to catch yourself when you wobble, and a strong trunk to stay upright. Some strength exercises train both at once:
- Step-ups. Your whole body weight on one leg, rising and lowering under control.
- Split squats. A narrow, staggered stance that asks your hips and ankles to stabilize you on every rep.
- Single-leg Romanian deadlift. Hold a counter or wall with one hand at first.
- Carries. A farmer's carry trains you to stay tall and steady while walking with a load. A suitcase carry, one weight in one hand, adds a sideways challenge.
- Calf raises. Strong calves and ankles help you recover from a stumble.
A 3 day full body workout with a step-up, a split squat or a carry each session covers much of this without any extra time.
How to start if you're coming back
- Week 1: take the 10 second test. Practice levels 1 and 2 for 2 to 3 minutes, three days a week, next to a counter.
- Week 2: start three strength sessions with step-ups or split squats using bodyweight only, holding a rail if you need to.
- Week 3: move to level 3 if you're ready. Add a light farmer's carry at the end of each strength session.
- Week 4: try the eyes-closed level, and retest the one-leg stand. Write your times down so you can see the change.
Walking on grass or trails helps too, once you feel steady. See what walking does and doesn't do.
A week of balance plus strength
Short balance practice on most days, three strength days, one full rest day.
| Day | Session | How long |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Full Body A, with balance practice between sets | 45 min |
| Tuesday | Walk, then balance progression | 20 + 5 min |
| Wednesday | Full Body B, with balance practice between sets | 45 min |
| Thursday | Balance progression only | 5 min |
| Friday | Full Body C, with balance practice between sets | 45 min |
| Saturday | Walk on grass or a trail | 30 min |
| Sunday | Rest | None |
Full Body A, B and C each cover a squat, a hinge, a push, a pull and a carry or core move, in about 45 minutes.
Steadier on one leg, stronger on both
Practice balance most days and let the strength days build the legs and hips that hold it. Full Body, 3 days is free in Liftspan: it's built for your equipment and around any joint you flag, every weight is set for you and moved up as you earn it, and each block ends with a lighter deload week. Rather use paper? Download the sheet.
Common questions
How long should I be able to stand on one leg?
In a 2022 study of adults aged 51 to 75, being unable to stand on one leg for 10 seconds was linked with a higher risk of death over the following years. Ten seconds is a useful minimum; 30 seconds on each leg is a good training goal.
How often should I do balance exercises?
A few minutes, three or more days a week, is enough to improve. Short, frequent practice works better than one long session.
Does strength training improve balance?
It helps, especially single-leg moves like step-ups and split squats, and carries. Research on falls found the strongest evidence for programs built around balance and functional exercises, so combine strength work with some balance practice.
Is it normal for balance to get worse with age?
It's common. In the one-leg study, failure rates rose from about 5% in people aged 51 to 55 to about 54% in those aged 71 to 75. But balance responds well to practice at any age.
What if I'm afraid of falling while practicing?
Stand in a corner or next to a kitchen counter so support is always within reach, and start at the easiest level.
Using Liftspan? See how Liftspan moves your weights up in the help manual. New to it? Liftspan is a strength training app for lifters over 40 that builds your plan around your joints and moves the weight for you.
Sources: Araujo et al. 2022, 10-second one-legged stance and survival (British Journal of Sports Medicine), via the University of Eastern Finland · CDC, Older adult falls data · Sherrington et al. 2019, Cochrane review of exercise and falls in older people living in the community · ACSM, Top fitness trends for 2026. General information, not a substitute for a clinician.
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