People are obsessed with balancing things. There are world records for balancing 12 hockey pucks on your forehead (50 minutes, 29 seconds), balancing a banana on your finger (11 minutes, 28.38 seconds), even balancing a banknote on your nose (7 minutes, 24.16 seconds).

But when it comes to balancing themselves, people experience real challenges — especially as they get older.

One study found that around 34% of people ages 65 and older report balance/walking problems, and 23% reported falls.

Muscle weakness, lack of core strength, foot and joint problems, and (surprisingly) vitamin D deficiency account for many balance problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Whatever the cause, a study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that when people over 50 can’t balance on one leg for 10 seconds, they have an 84% greater chance of dying from any cause in the next 10 years than their steadier peers.

How can you improve balance and master the one-legged stand?

Exercises that increase the strength of your thigh, calf, hip, and abdominal muscles improve balance dramatically. You can also practice one-legged stands facing into a corner (if you start to fall, the corner catches you) for 2 minutes daily.

A JAMA Network study found that doing at-home strength and balance exercises for a year cut the risk of falling during the next year by 74%.