Better balance helps in all sorts of situations.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Looking for new, fun, ecofriendly ways to get fit? Rodale.com has you covered with our ongoing examination of the American College of Sports Medicine’s Top 20 worldwide fitness trends for 2009. This time out, we focus on exercises that will give you better balance.

THE TREND: Balance training. Balance isn’t just for tightrope walkers. This year, balance training ranks No. 10 on the ACSM’s list, up four notches from 2008. Two years ago, it didn’t even make the top 20. The boom in balance exercises is likely due to its importance to those growing older, and to sport-specific training for younger athletes, says study author Walter R. Thompson, PhD, professor of exercise science at Georgia State University. “We believe that these exercise activities are trends because they are more focused than a general exercise routine, which may be more attractive to the nontraditional gym member,” says Thompson.

WHAT IT CAN DO FOR YOU: All of our everyday activities rely on balance, so you don’t have to be a jock to benefit from balance exercises. Plus, better balance can protect you from sprains and falls. In fact, a new study published in the British Medical Journal found that home-based balance exercises reduced the risk of sprains for people highly prone to them—for example, athletes—by 35 percent. On top of all that, improving your balance can enhance the benefits of your other workouts by keeping your movements smooth and efficient.

HOW YOU CAN DO IT: Activities like tai chi, yoga, and Pilates are good forms of balance exercise. If you’re an equipment junkie, you can use exercise balls, wobble boards, foam rollers, or BOSU balls to build better balance. The beauty of balance training, though, is that you can do many of the exercises without any equipment at all, and in the comfort of your home or during a break at the office.