What are the advantages of coordination training?

Coordination is quite common, but it is rarely trained specifically. Coordination offers many advantages, especially for athletes. In this article, we'll tell you exactly what the advantages of coordination training are and how you can improve your skills.

Those who improve their coordination train the interaction of brain, muscles and nervous system. The whole thing can be compared to a conductor who manages to bring an entire orchestra into harmony.

In terms of coordination training, the cerebellum is our conductor. It ensures that all movement sequences are executed correctly. So all movements start in the brain, coupled with the right intensity. The coordinative abilities are the basis for almost every movement - may it be a sprint or simply keeping your balance.

Especially for athletes, training the coordinative skills provides many advantages. Nevertheless, it is far too rarely integrated into the training schedule. The following skills are improved through coordination exercises:

This is the so-called "fine-tuning" of the execution of movements. Coordination training enables movement sequences, such as the leg movement while swimming, to be executed more precisely, safely and economically. The perception and classification of executed movements is sensitized by training coordination and can consequently be optimized more easily.

If you train your coordination regularly, you will get an improved orientation ability. Here, in particular, the external influences are meant. Do the weather conditions change? Do other athletes overtake you while cycling? With coordination exercises you always keep the spatial overview and can therefore perform better, because you can adjust better to the environment.

Good reaction skills are not only required in sports. In everyday life unexpected things happen again and again to which we have to react. It can happen that we have to sidestep a cyclist, catch a pen or even do an emergency stop by ourselves. Regular coordination exercises keep body and mind alert and in tune.

Several partial movements are combined to create overall movements that are ideally coordinated in terms of time, space and dynamics. The ability to couple is required in almost every sport and also plays a decisive role in everyday life. With regular coordination exercises, the coupling of individual movement sequences also succeeds.

The ball is thrown up, the player aims and simultaneously strikes with the right intensity. Not only does the player have to hit the ball with the right strength, but he or she also has to aim for a point in the opponent's field where the ball should ideally arrive.

Every movement brings its own rhythm with it. The feeling for your rhythm is trained, for example, through coordination exercises with the coordination ladder or during ABC compile. If you maintain a certain regularity in your movements, you can reach your desired goal much faster.

Especially in competitive sports, it is important to be able to switch quickly. Soccer and other sports require the ability to switch quickly from one stance to the next. With the right coordination training, you'll be able to react much more agilely, even in fast-paced situations.

A good example is triathlon. Here, triathletes must switch between three disciplines and get into the new movement of the next discipline as quickly as possible.

Coordination training also exercises the balance. A distinction is made between static and moving balance. Static balance refers to balance while standing. In swimming, for example, this can be the position on the starting block.

In order to avoid injuries while running and to move ergonomically, the moving balance is also of major relevance. Thus, targeted coordination training not only ensures perfect balance, but also minimizes the risk of injury and falls.

You can do the following exercises to increase your coordination skills in the gym or at home:

A very popular and well-known exercise is the standing scale. Stand on one leg and lift the other leg backwards into the air. Now move your upper body forward until it is level with your swinging leg. Stretch your arms forward and hold the position for about 10 to 20 seconds. Then repeat with your other leg.

Important: During this exercise your hips should remain aligned and not tilt sideways.

For this exercise, stand about hip-width apart. Now take a big step forward with one leg. Bend your knee to about 90 degrees and make sure that your knee does not extend beyond your toes. Stay in this position for a short time and then switch legs. With the lunge you not only train your front thigh muscles and coordination, but also stretch your muscles in the leg and hip area.

For this exercise, stand on one leg and raise the knee of the other leg 90 degrees forward. Close your eyes while doing this. To increase the intensity over time, you can try a one-legged squat.

Jumping rope also trains your coordination. With different jumps you can train not only your coordination but also your endurance. This way you train several things simultaneously.

With coordination exercises you can increase your coordination skills and benefit from them in all areas of your life. Whether it's maintaining balance or linking multiple movements, with a little training you'll quickly achieve your first successes and reach a whole new level in your sport. Coordination exercises can also be practiced anywhere and are fun.