THE EQUILIBRIUM WORKOUT

READY TO REVEAL YOUR OFF-KILTER KINKS?

The Bunkie tests, developed by Benita de Witt, a physiotherapist in South Africa, are comprised of five assessments that consider whether muscles within the same fascia lines (the cling filmlike stuff that encases them) are in balance. And, kindly, Fraboni tossed in one bonus test – a single-leg heel raise – to ensure the assessment covers you from your head down to your toes.

Here’s why the fascia indicator, instead of looking at muscles individually, is a good tell: you want to think about how the body moves as a whole, rather than just specific groups. As for the workout, you’ll just need a bunkie (derived from the Afrikaans word for ‘little bench’). Complete the tests one after the other. The end goal is to be able to hold each position for 40 seconds. If you are weak on one or both sides, implement the test(s) as an exercise within your regular workout routine two or three times a week.

Be warned: these tests are tough. ‘If it feels foreign to your body, it doesn’t mean you’re doomed – it just provides info on where to focus your work,’ Fraboni says. Keep working at it. And be sure to perform the tests on both sides of your body.