Another Use for a Pillow

Want to improve your agility?
Want to reduce your risk of an ankle or knee injury?
Work on your balance.

Among the many skills a basketball player requires, good balance helps you move quickly in different directions, react to changes on the court, and avoid injury.

One popular exercise used to both evaluate and improve balance is the single leg balance test.

While you can go online to find lots of different programs to improve your balance, people often tell you that you need special equipment, like a BOSU, wobble board, or balance disc.

While these are all useful for more advanced balance and proprioceptive training, not everybody has access to a health club or can afford to buy them to use them at home.

One solution is laying there on your bed.
Yep, your friendly neighborhood pillow.

If you've already perfected your single leg balance on the floor (with hands on hips, eyes closed and supporting knee slightly bent x60 seconds) then you're ready to use your pillow.

Place it on the floor and perform a single leg balance exercise with your foot on top of it.
If that's still too easy, try 2 pillows. That should give you a good start.

Working on your balance using pillows at home is an easy and inexpensive way to improve your performance and reduce your risk of injury.

Just don't forget to wash the pillow cover once in a while or else you might start dreaming of sweaty feet.