These 4 Yoga Poses Can Help You Improve Your Balance

Our ability to balance prevents us from falling down while moving or even while standing. A number of our body systems work together to maintain our balance. However, at times due to inactivity, old age, injury and several other conditions, we may lose our balance and that would impact our quality of life in a real drastic manner. There are several ways to improve balance; yoga being one of them. We already know that yoga is very effective in treating several conditions and also known to be beneficial in maintaining a healthy and improved life. There are also some yoga poses that work as real effective balance exercises and help in improving our balance and mobility.

Let us look at some of the yoga poses that can help us improve our balance:

Vrikshasana or Tree pose is a yoga pose that helps in improving balance and it engages your core muscles, especially the obliques, so as to maintain proper alignment from your head to the foot. Joining both your hands to prayer(Like doing Namaste), helps in keeping your chest open and also extends the upper back and make you stand upright and in a much better posture. Let us know more about Tree pose and learn how to perform it.

• Stand in “Tadasana” or the Mountain pose, by placing your feet at hip-distance apart, hands placed at your sides and your palms facing front.
• Slowly shift the entire weight of your body to your left foot and bend your right knee.
• Grab your right knee in your left hand and make it place against the inner side of your left thigh.
• Now as you make your hands join to form a “Namaste”, engage your entire core.
• Concentrate on any one point in front of you and hold it for 2-4 breaths.
• Now, bring back the right foot down to the floor.
• Repeat the same on the alternate side.

This is a challenging yoga pose where you have to stand on one leg and perform the yoga move as mentioned below.

• Come to the lunge position by placing your right foot just behind you, landing on your foot’s ball, and bending your left knee in front, pressing the feet firmly into the floor.
• Be noted, that your right knee must not touch the ground.
• Simultaneously straighten the left leg while your lift the right foot just behind you.
• Curve your right foot and imagine that the foot is pressing against the wall that is behind you. Your right leg must be lifted and remain aligned with your back and hips so that it is parallel to the floor.
• Bring both the palms together to form the prayer (Namaste posture) and hold for at least 3 breaths.
• Step back your right foot down to the floor and stand upright.

One more yoga move that works as a great balance exercise is the Garudasana or the Eagle pose. The binds that are to be made in this yoga pose help in loosening the joints for proper balance in for improving mobility. Eagle pose forces the performer to keep the hips square, even when they are balancing on one leg.

Let’s know below how to perform eagle pose to improve balance:

• Stand in the Tadasana or the Mountain pose.
• Ensure that toes on your right foot are touching the floor firmly.
• Slightly bend your knees and sit your hips back as you lift your left leg and cross it over the right thigh. You can also cross your left foot around the left calf, if you can.
• Now, get both your hands to the level of your eyes and cross your left arm underneath the right arm.
• Then, bring both your palms together by crossing your left forearm over the left forearm.
• Make sure that your hips are kept square and chest is lifted and open, in a way that the head, shoulders and your hips are aligned well.
• Finally unbind or release your arms and legs, come back to the normal position.
• Repeat the same on the other side.

Natarajasana or Dancer’s pose can be included under the list of some best balance exercises. In the Dancer’s pose the prime intension is to improve your balance. Doing bridge pose or boat pose before doing dancer’s pose would be great as they open up the hips and also stretch the quadriceps.

Below are the steps to follow for performing this yoga move:

• Stand in Tadasana or the Mountain pose.
• Shift the entire weight of your body on the left foot and lift the right heel towards the buttocks, while bending your right knee.
• Take your right hand back behind you and grab the right ankle or the outside of the right foot. Make sure that you keep the hips square and chest lifted.
• Now, lift your right foot up and back in a way that the right thigh and your right arm are at parallel to the ground.
• Raise the left arm at your side by making sure that your palms facing towards the ceiling.
• Hold for about 3 breaths and then get back the right foot down to the floor.
• Repeat the same on the alternate side.

Now that we are aware of some of the yoga poses for improving balance, it is the right time for you to begin with your yoga practice and make a regular routine of performing these yoga poses and improve your balance. You will be benefited if you do these yoga poses under the guidance and supervision of a yoga trainer. Kindly keep in mind that if you have remained inactive for long, or suffer from any health condition or if you are an elderly person; you must consult with your doctor before beginning any exercise, may it be yoga even.