Footbag

• By vishwa on Health, Inspiration, Training

• March 14, 2012

Comrades, I present to you the footbag. Watch the video. You will obtain a clear idea of what it is.

My interest in a sport like footbag is to improve my balance. Unfortunately, I have a neurological condition that results in an unstable gait. I can remember that my maternal grandmother and her two brothers had the same kind of condition. Two of my paternal uncles also suffered from it. Though this condition was dormant in all of them, they suffered its wrath after they reached the age of fifty. They all had an increasingly unstable gait. One who saw them walk would assume that they were drunk. They were all unable to walk when they were nearing 60 years old. Naturally, I feel that this condition is a genetic disorder. Though I have yet to get a neurologist’s opinion to confirm my own.

I will try to explain how it is affecting me. For example, walking in a straight line for me turns out to be difficult. I can make out that my gait is unstable. I can also make out this difference easily at my gym. Many of my gym clients easily execute certain movements that requires balancing, be it a piece of equipment or balancing their bodies; whereas I struggle. I know that this condition will increasingly affect me in the later part of my life. Generally, these conditions tend to worsen as we age–it is dormant now. Though I can sense that things are not absolutely normal with my balance. However, it is not something that I have to worry about now.

My mentor, Todd Reinhard, and I recently exchanged our views on this topic. He suggested to me that I need to start addressing this issue by training regularly to improve my balance. Perhaps, that will benefit me. Moreover, I have nothing to lose. All that is required for me is to include some kind regular training that will improve my balance.

Since Todd was involved in the game of footbag a few years ago, he suggested that I should start including, at the least, some knee-juggling on a football—to start with. He also said to me that many elite athletes include the foot bag as a tool in their training regimen to improve their balance–I had to agree. I have included some basic movements to improve my balance—flamingo, flamingos with eyes closed, flamingos with head movement, heal-toe walking, etc. Very soon I will include knee juggling on a football.
http://youtu.be/bzxWK-tNTzg