It’s easy to view fitness as a collection of individual traits…strength, endurance and flexibility. Each of these can be measured individually, based on the weight of your dumbbells, the miles on the treadmill or the fluidity of your yoga sequence.

But there’s often a glaring error that’s missed.

What use are your strength, endurance, or flexibility skills if you don’t have the balance and coordination to walk, run, or hold a tree pose?

I know what you’re thinking…”I don’t have time to add in a balance routine.” The good news — you don’t have to fit in any extra time at all.

In fact, science shows that integrating balance into your other routines has a greater benefit than doing a balance workout on its own. That’s right…for optimal impact, add balance into your strength training workouts.

Why? It all comes down to the brain.

When you add balance to another activity, such as strength training, it increases the amount of coordination involved. This physically rewires your brain in ways that are completely different than could be done by strength training alone.

By combining balance with your strength training routine, you’re not only simultaneously improving your balance and toning your body, you’re also enhancing your cognitive performance.

The part that I find most fascinating is the science behind training your body and training your brain. These brain enhancements differ, depending on the type of exercise. Strength training and cardio trigger brain chemicals that enhance neuron growth and survival. On the other hand, balance and coordination call on higher-level cognitive processes that seem to increase the number of synapses connecting the neurons.

But don’t let all the science intimidate you. Today, I’ll show you a 4-min video from my Lift Weights To Stay Young that will show you exactly how to add balance to your weight training routine!

Take the guesswork out of exercise! This 30-day guide shows you exactly what workout to do each day.

• Staying Strong – Reset your body with four 15-minute workouts! This target-training DVD sculpts your arms, legs, glutes and core while using light weights. The progression of exercises are designed to give you maximum results in record time.
• Lift Weights To Lose Weight DVD -Two 20-min upper and lower body tightening workouts to tone your entire figure and boost your metabolism!
• Lift Weights To Lose Weight 2 DVD – 50-Min workout that includes the best of weight training with a Pilates twist!