Tips for improving balance?

I started in an awesome CLF school last week and, it's my first ever brush with any martial arts. The only issue I've really come across so far is my balance. I consider myself rather athletic, but I have difficulty when changing stances quickly. If I slow down, with some focus, i can keep my balance but, If I try to switch quickly/fluidly I tend to stumble. This also happens when I'm doing certain kicks in rapid succession.

Any tips/tricks/drills aside from practice that you guys can recommend?

Thanks!

learn to juggle... do mills mess standing on one leg with three 9lb iron balls. :)

you won't get the shapes immediately. Your body needs to get used to the weight shifting as you are in transit.

with time and practice, stability will follow. Keep practicing those very things that give you difficulty. If it seems like a long time and you are really trying, seek correction. It could be some really simple thing like where your foot is.

juggling is all well and good, but it's no replacement for task specific requirements of kungfu set learning.

You just started with a Kung-Fu school. You might condider not perfecting yourself for class so they don't have anything to teach you and you do not have anything to learn.

To improve balance whatch the people in class you think have better balance than you. figure the mechanics out of what makes the exercise or form work better for them at that point than for you.

To improve balance, for a Kung-Fu School...Go to class and be successful the old way. Learn what you can from the lessons. Analyze what you are doing relating to how the instructor is seeming to show you. Observe those you think are better than you at certain tasks or in certain areas.

Learn what you are taught.
Analyze what you are doing with what you are shown.
Observe mistakes and don't make them; superior methods and mimic them.

How to improve balance at a Kung-Fu Scool...The old ways--L.A.O.

Learn
Analyze
Observe

No_Know

Yoga:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu9Sq1RvuoA

Ankle strength is a very important part of good balance. Toe raises with or without weights can help strengthen them.

Richard

Quote:

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Originally Posted by uki

learn to juggle... do mills mess standing on one leg with three 9lb iron balls. :)

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xQ3ss3aXJk

poor Uki.... :P

skateboard!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mooyingmantis

Ankle strength is a very important part of good balance. Toe raises with or without weights can help strengthen them.

Richard

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true, in fact the ankles are the body's first and preferred line of defense against the center of mass being moved outside the base of support (in fact, it's called an "ankle strategy"); but to really improve functional balance you really need to work the ankle musculature in context of balance perturbation, since the contractions need to be trained in response to an incoming force, which is multi-planar, and also learn not to overcorrect; so toe-raises, heel pumps, etc. are all fine in a general sense, but in and of themselves aren't enough

like fighting, the way to improve balance is to practice balancing...

also, it is good to practice with the eyes closed, since that engages pure proprioceptive response, as opposed to combining it with visual input, which compensates for decreased proprio; which is fine, until you get older and the eyes start to go, suddenly the ankles are on their own...but only do this after you are proficient with eyes open as it's much harder

but I have the feeling I answered this guy's question already a few weeks ago in another thread...

i found that the one thing i had going for me when i started kungfu was my balance. i had some serious cross over from all my years skateboarding. i just dont fall down unless you put me on wheels and send me off at high speeds. i can be tripped, sweeped, thrown, tackeled, etc. but i dont fall down.

there are about a bizzilion and a half things you COULD do to improve your balance, but the real question is what ARE you doing?