Maybe a slightly misleading title here - perhaps you are thinking how to time-manage your workouts with your ordinary life obligations. But that's for another time. We're talking BALANCE as in handstands, head balancing and so forth - the acrobatic art which requires not only a good sense of balance (inner ears working overtime) but strength in the shoulders, upper body and core. Enjoy the examples and maybe give the 'art' a try. You'll enjoy it - we certainly do!  We begin in Tanzania. An acrobatic gymnast 'top' in the making, there. Wait for it...   One for the current heatwave weather...   Finally, we can't resist this little kid in handstand advertising his gym - one in California which has recently produced world-champion acrobatic gymnasts...      

Gymnastics is not an easy sport, and it certainly helps to start young (as soon as they can walk!) - but keep in training and you can go on for many years. Regular conditioning exercise is essential - for strength, flexibility, and endurance (cardio). You need to refine your sense of balance and spatial awareness... have confidence in your coaches, be brave when they tell you to - and off you go! No prizes for guessing that this is, indeed, our favourite sport! We're deliberately including images of quite young gymnasts, because we admire their commitment to the training. But we have olympians in today's mix as well.  Be impressed.