Yoga for better balance is a sequence of poses to improve your body balance and coordination. Balance, coordination, agility, and strength are essential for healthy living, irrespective of the age. When there is a disruption in the harmony of the body, mind, and soul, there is a tendency to lose balance. The yoga poses outlined here work on establishing strong coordination among the three aspects of humans, thereby offering better balance and agility.
Yoga for better Balance – 7 Poses
Tadasana is the first pose in the Yoga for better balance sequence of postures. The simple standing pose stretches the entire body. As you come on your toes, stretching all the way up, and close your eyes, the pose teaches you the trick of balancing through the mind.
Stand with your feet separated hip-width apart. Keep your spine straight. You’re your palms on your outer thighs. Inhale and swing your arms over your head and stretch your torso. Simultaneously, press your feet firmly on the floor. Once you are stable, lift your heels and come on your toes. Close your eyes and fix your gaze in the space between your eyebrows. Hold the pose and balance for the next seven to nine deep breaths.
Vrikshasana is the next pose in the Yoga for better balance series. It is one of the basic balancing poses that helps to enhance the body-mind coordination. It also strengthens the spine. Practice it against a wall till you feel comfortable and confident.
Stand with your feet separated hip-distance apart, resting the palms on your waist. Inhale and straighten the spine, aligning it with the neck and head. Engage the core muscles and tuck your pelvis in. Roll the shoulders down and away from your ears. Bend your right knee and rest the right sole firmly on your left inner thigh. Balance yourself by pushing your left feet firmly into the mat. Join your palms at heart center. Close your eyes and gaze at the point between the eyebrows. Hold the posture for seven to nine breaths.
As you exhale, gently open your eyes and release the bent leg. Repeat on the other side.
Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana is the third pose in the Yoga for better balance series. It teaches you balancing and coordination while opening and strengthening your hips and hamstrings.
Stand with your feet separated hip-distance apart. Roll your kneecaps outward and engage your thighs. Straighten your spine and align it with your head and neck. Rest the palms on your waist.
Shifting the entire bodyweight to your left leg, inhale, bend your right knee and hug it to the chest with both hands. Hold the big toe using a three finger grip with your right hand, resting your thumb on top of the big toe. Exhaling, gently stretch out your right leg to the front, as high as possible. Let the left palm rest on your waist. Close your eyes and hold the posture for seven breaths.
Take an inhalation and gently bend the leg towards your chest without releasing the grip. Exhaling, stretch your leg to the right. Inhale and hug the right leg back to the chest. Exhale, release the grip, and come back to starting position. Shake out the leg before repeating on the other side.
The warrior pose is next in the Yoga for better balance series. This Asana lengthens and strengthens the entire body. Closing your eyes while holding the posture is known to improve the balance.
Stand with your feet separated hip-distance apart. Roll your knee caps outward and engage your thighs. Straighten your spine and align it with your head and neck. Rest the palms on your waist. Exhale and fold forward. Place your palms on either side of your feet.
Inhale and lift your right feet. Keep lifting until your leg comes parallel to the floor and is at hip level. Allow your toes point to the floor. Bending your left knee, join your palms at the heart center in Namaste Mudra.
Stretch your torso forward allowing it to come parallel to the floor. Close your hips and straighten the bent leg. Gazing forward, keep the palms in Namaskar Mudra. Hold the posture, engaging your leg and core muscles, for the three to four breaths. Close your eyes and bring your focus to the space between the third eye and hold the Asana for the next seven breaths.
Inhaling, straighten the torso. As you exhale, release the leg and palms and come back into standing. Repeat the same on the other side.
Ardha Chandrasana is the fifth pose in the Yoga for better balance series. This balancing posture also helps to lengthen your spine and make it supple and healthy.
Inhale and lift your right feet. Keep lifting until your leg comes parallel to the floor and is at hip level. Allow your toes point to the floor. Bending your left knee and pressing the palms into the floor, lift the right leg until the hip level. Let the toes look to the right.
On an inhale, lift the right arm to the ceiling. Open your hips to the right. If possible, gaze up at the right fingertips. Roll back the shoulders, engage the core muscles and thighs, and hold the pose for the next nine to eleven deep breaths.
To come out of the pose, exhale, close your right hip, and place your right palm down. Release the right foot next to the left foot. Inhale and slowly roll up to the starting position. Repeat on the other side.
Natarajasana is the sixth pose in the Yoga for better balance series. Open your mind and strengthen your entire body with this balancing and toning yoga asana.
Stand on the mat with your feet separated as wide as your hips. Roll the shoulders down and away from your ears. Let the palms rest on your waist. Shift your weight to your left leg, grounding the left foot into the mat. Take a deep inhalation and bend your right knee behind you. Bring your right heel close to your right buttocks.
Hold your right ankle with the right hand. Stretch out the left arm to the front while pressing the left foot deeply into the mat. Keeping your spine neutral, breathe out. At the same time, lift your right heel higher. Gazing at a point in front of you or on the tip of your nose, hold the posture for nine to eleven deep breaths. Exhale and release. Repeat the same with other leg.
Parivrtta Parsva Konasana is the last pose in the Yoga for better balance series. The pose is a twist and hence, brings in a challenge where you need to balance while deepening the twist.
Stand with your feet as wide as your hips. Lengthen your spine and align it with your head and neck. Roll your shoulders back, allowing shoulder blades to come close to each other. Engage the core muscles, tucking in the pelvis. Rest the palms on your waist. Inhale and as you exhale, fold forward from your hips, placing your palms on either side of your feet to come into Uttanasana.
Pressing the palms firmly into the floor, keep your right leg about three feet away from the left. Bend your left knee, allowing the left thigh to come parallel to the floor. Tuck your right toes. Join your palms at the heart center.
Take a couple of breaths to stabilize. With the final exhalation, twist to your left, bringing the right elbow outside the left knee. Open your left shoulder and chest to the ceiling, deepening the twist, as the palms remain at your heart center. Gazing up, hold the posture for seven to eleven breaths.
Inhale and release the twist. Exhale and come back to Uttanasana. Repeat on the other side.
It is essential to practice these yoga poses regularly to build the balance you want. A minimum of 21 days of practice is advised to see noticeable differences. So start today.
Hari Om,
Thank you for this docucment.
With Warm Regards
Arun Kumar.R