The Smartest Retirement Plan Involves Croquet
Thinking about retirement? Learn how Beryl found her passion for croquet before she retired, setting herself up for an active and social future.
Croquet is a surprisingly effective and enjoyable way to build your balance, improve your stability, and boost your confidence on your feet. If you are looking for a way to stay active that is both safe and genuinely beneficial for your long-term mobility, you are in the right place. For many people, maintaining confidence and stability is a top priority, and croquet offers a solution that works on your balance without you even feeling like you’re exercising.
It’s more than just a game with mallets and hoops; it’s a proactive and social way to invest in your independence. But how does it actually work? It comes down to a few key elements of the game that naturally train your body and brain.
How a Simple Stance Becomes Your Foundation
One of the first things you learn in croquet is the stance. To make an effective shot, you stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, with your knees slightly bent. This simple action immediately lowers your centre of gravity, creating a solid and stable base.
This is the exact kind of posture that physiotherapists recommend for improving stability. Every time you line up a shot, you are practicing and reinforcing this foundational balance, training your muscles to hold a steady and controlled position.
Why a Smooth Swing is Great for Core Control
Croquet is not a game of brute force; it’s a game of control. The classic croquet swing is a smooth, pendulum-like motion that comes from your shoulders. To perform this movement correctly while keeping your body still, you naturally engage your core muscles.
This core engagement is crucial for maintaining your balance, not just on the croquet lawn but in everyday life. A strong, stable core helps you control your movements, preventing the unexpected sways or stumbles that can lead to a fall.
How Walking the Lawn Trains Your Body and Brain
A game of croquet involves a gentle walk around a soft, grass lawn. This surface provides a subtle but constant challenge to your balance system. Unlike walking on a flat, hard pavement, a lawn requires your ankles, legs, and brain to make thousands of tiny, unconscious adjustments to maintain stability.
This process is a form of real-world balance training that strengthens your muscles and improves your proprioception—your body’s internal sense of its own position in space.
A physiotherapist explains:
"Activities like croquet are excellent because they force the body to manage balance while multitasking—thinking about the shot, moving, and reacting to the game. This 'dual-tasking' is crucial for building the kind of robust, real-world stability that helps prevent falls in everyday situations."
Quick Questions
Is croquet safe if I'm worried about my balance?
Absolutely. Croquet is a low-impact, self-paced activity. The focus on a stable stance is a core part of the game, so you're building stability from the moment you start. You can always take your time, and there's no pressure or sudden movements involved.
Absolutely. Croquet is a low-impact, self-paced activity. The focus on a stable stance is a core part of the game, so you're building stability from the moment you start. You can always take your time, and there's no pressure or sudden movements involved.
Do I need to be fit to start playing?
Not at all. Croquet meets you at your current fitness level. You'll find your fitness, balance, and stamina will naturally improve the more you play in a way that feels enjoyable, not exhausting.
Not at all. Croquet meets you at your current fitness level. You'll find your fitness, balance, and stamina will naturally improve the more you play in a way that feels enjoyable, not exhausting.
How is croquet different from just going for a walk?
Walking is fantastic exercise, but croquet adds several important layers. It integrates coordination (hand-eye), concentration, and dynamic balance challenges—like stopping to assess a shot, turning, and bending—that are crucial for training the body to handle varied, real-world movements.
Walking is fantastic exercise, but croquet adds several important layers. It integrates coordination (hand-eye), concentration, and dynamic balance challenges—like stopping to assess a shot, turning, and bending—that are crucial for training the body to handle varied, real-world movements.
Take Your First Step with Confidence
Croquet is more than just a delightful way to spend an afternoon in the sun. It's a proactive investment in your long-term health, confidence, and independence. Every game sharpens your mind, connects you with new friends, and, most importantly, reinforces the very balance that keeps you steady on your feet.
Ready to find your feet?
All you need to start is a pair of flat-soled shoes. Your local Queensland club has all the equipment and friendly faces ready to welcome you.
[Visit comeandtrycroquet.com to Find Your Nearest Club and Book a Free Introductory Session]
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