I thought I did but just tried a test called the ‘sharpened romburg’. Basically one foot in front of other, arms folded across chest and eyes closed.

You are meant to be able to stay upright for 30 seconds without falling over. I can just about manage it every second time I try with a lot of swaying.

Is this why I’m so useless on a mountain bike?

Just tried. I think I have the balance of a dead cat. Wobbletastic for about 20secs before failing.

Edit: yeah poor analogy – a dead cat won’t fall over. A wobby cat then.

You can improve your balance with one of these.

I struggle to do it with my eyes open! But I have great balance cycling, running and doing other things. So I think I’d like to know who has decided 30 seconds is the goal and why.

I couldn’t do it either and I have generally good balance I think.

Easy.

but I’m still useless on a bike 🙁

How can that be so hard!!!!

Easy.

We are trying to take steps forwards aren’t we – not just standing there? Maybe I’m just useless!

I have the balance of a cat. A three-legged cat on a skateboard

I was standing still

I am very like a cat.
Nothing to do with poise, balance or elegance, more that I will tolerate people if I think they might be about to give me some food

First go about three seconds

Then loosened hips, more weight on front foot and a piece of piss.

You’re basically turning off all your natural balance mechanisms and then seeing if you can balance. Daft but if you use other ways of transferiing weight possible to adapt to.

How can that be so hard!!!!

That’s what i thought until I toppled into my wardrobe….

the other one is the sit-rise test : being able to sit crossed legged and get up without using your arms. I was amazed at the people in the family that couldn’t do it

I thought you’re meant to do it on one leg? I can and frankly I defy our cat to do similar. It’s meant to get more difficult with age.

that is easy to be fair, just need to relax into it.

On the other hand my night riding is terrible as I have the depth perception of our one eyed cat “mike meowski”

Standing on one leg with eyes closed is a great ankle strengthening exercise I do lots

The one legged eyes closed I find easier than the 2 feet on ground in parallel.

Apparently the former indicates how long you’ll live, although I think I read that in the daily mail so probably not true..

Nope, I can’t do it even for 10 seconds.

My brain is probably already half dead.

I could do it with my right foot forward, but not the left.

After a bit of thought I realised I wasn’t putting enough weight on the rear foot. Once I did that it was easy.

You are meant to be able to stay upright for 30 seconds without falling over

I can do that indefinitely*

*well I got cramp in my right foot after a minute or so but it didn’t make me lose balance, it just hurt!

the other one is the sit-rise test : being able to sit crossed legged and get up without using your arms. I was amazed at the people in the family that couldn’t do it

I can’t even cross my legs!

Did it for two minutes and then got bored – balance good, attention span poor

I have all the balance and poise of an upturned pyramid. Cats point at me and snigger.

I have the poise and balance of an upturned pyramid. Cats point at me and snigger.

the other one is the sit-rise test : being able to sit crossed legged and get up without using your arms. I was amazed at the people in the family that couldn’t do it

Once upon a time I could do that, I could sit in a full lotus, but not be able to get up without using my arms from that.

I can’t even sit cross-legged these days, my knees won’t let me, which makes it very difficult to put decals on certain cars, like the Focus, because the bottom of the front doors cuts inward very sharply and it’s difficult to both see what’s going on, and apply heat and pressure to get the stuff to stick properly. Bloody nuisance. 🤬

Has anyone tried taping their cats tail under it’s belly and see how long it can balance on a fence?!

both feet on the ground one in front of the other is really tricky for me.  One foot on the ground and the other held off the ground in front easy peasy

I was doing it barefoot tho and with both feet on the ground inline you are confusing the brain with unusual signals

47s before losing balance. Then tried it with weak foot forward. Just a few seconds.

Was regularly practising standing on one leg with eyes closed at one point over the summer, forgot to do it recently!

I can balance like an old cat,an old cat that doesn’t care too much about falling over,this only offers yet another place to have a sleep. 😴 🐈 😻