Could Bouncing a Tennis Ball on Your Next Run Enhance BLS?
Running is already one of the best ways to clear your head. The rhythm of your feet hitting the pavement, your breath falling into a steady pattern—it all works to bring body and mind into sync. But what if you could take that natural rhythm one step further?
Enter: the tennis ball. This simple, lightweight tool might just turn your morning jog into a bilateral stimulation powerhouse.
What Is Bilateral Stimulation (BLS)?
Bilateral stimulation (BLS) means alternating engagement of both sides of the brain and body. In EMDR therapy, BLS is used to help people reprocess difficult memories and reduce emotional distress (Shapiro, 2001).
Outside of therapy, simple BLS activities—like walking, drumming, or even tossing a ball back and forth—can help calm the nervous system and sharpen focus. Learn more about BLS here.
What It Is
If you’ve ever jogged while dribbling a basketball, you know how it changes the feel of your run. Bouncing a tennis ball adds a similar dimension, but in a more portable way.
Here’s the idea: as you run, you bounce a tennis ball lightly in front of you, alternating hands. This motion introduces an extra rhythm that engages both hemispheres of the brain. The combination of steady running and hand-to-hand dribbling creates a layered form of bilateral stimulation.
It doesn’t require athletic skill—just a willingness to experiment with rhythm and flow.
Why It Works
Running already provides bilateral stimulation through alternating leg movements. Adding a tennis ball enhances this effect:
Dual-layer BLS: Your legs provide one rhythm, while the ball creates another, doubling the hemispheric engagement.
Working memory engagement: Keeping track of the ball lightly taxes your working memory, leaving less room for intrusive or ruminative thoughts (van den Hout & Engelhard, 2012).
Flow state potential: The challenge of coordinating movement and ball-handling can create a focused, present-moment state (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990).
Neuroplasticity: Studies suggest learning new motor tasks (like juggling or dribbling) reshapes gray matter and supports cognitive flexibility (Draganski et al., 2004).
Together, these effects make running with a tennis ball not just exercise, but brain exercise.
How to Try It: Step-by-Step
Choose your ball: A standard tennis ball works well. If you want less bounce, try a racquetball or softer stress ball.
Warm up first: Begin your run as usual, focusing on your breath and stride.
Start simple: Hold the ball in your dominant hand. As you jog, bounce it gently a few times. Don’t worry about a perfect rhythm.
Alternate hands: Once comfortable, switch hands every few bounces, or try passing the ball from left to right as you jog.
Experiment with patterns: You might try bouncing once per step, every few steps, or alternating every half-block.
Keep it playful: Drops are part of the process—pause, pick it up, and keep going.
👉 Safety tip: Practice in a safe area—like a quiet park or track—before trying this on a busy sidewalk.
When to Use It
For focus: Before a big presentation, test, or project—get your brain centered.
For stress relief: After a difficult day, use running + ball play to shake off tension.
For variety: Add novelty to your workout and keep exercise engaging.
For teens: This can be a playful, non-intimidating way to get moving.
Therapist’s Note
Adding a tennis ball to your run may sound simple—even silly—but it’s exactly this kind of creativity that makes bilateral stimulation practical outside the therapy room. It’s not about performance or athletic skill; it’s about engaging the body and brain in new, regulating rhythms.
If you notice that running with a ball helps you feel calmer or more focused, consider sharing that with your therapist. Together, you can explore how to bring the same principles into sessions—or find other daily activities that give your nervous system the same gift.
Contact me here if you’d like to learn more about using bilateral stimulation in your healing journey.
