{"id":56474,"date":"2021-12-21T05:15:14","date_gmt":"2021-12-21T10:15:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=56474"},"modified":"2021-12-21T06:51:23","modified_gmt":"2021-12-21T11:51:23","slug":"standing-yoga-poses-improve-balance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/standing-yoga-poses-improve-balance\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Amazing Yoga Poses for Better Balance"},"content":{"rendered":"

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You probably learned to balance at the ripe age of two. But honing the skill is essential to your overall fitness performance as an adult, too. Rebecca Weible, yoga coach and owner of Yo Yoga! studio<\/a> in New York City, says yoga urges us to improve our balance, posture and evenly distribute our weight in our feet. \u201cLook at your own shoes. You\u2019ll notice how worn out the heels are. Is one sole more battered than the other?\u201d Weible says.<\/p>\n

Mastering balance-focused yoga<\/a> poses is one way to bring awareness to your weight distribution, while also building strength<\/a>, stability and alignment. \u201cIt makes a huge difference when we\u2019re running<\/a>, weightlifting, doing plyometrics<\/a> or performing agility moves,\u201d Weible explains. Whether you\u2019re doing tree pose or Warrior III, \u201cyour whole body needs to be involved with yoga,\u201d Weible says.<\/p>\n

Check out these five yoga<\/a> poses to help you improve your balance and coordination.<\/p>\n

5 Great Yoga Poses for Head-to-Toe Strength<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re new to yoga<\/a>, Weible recommends using a wall or chair to help you stabilize. \u201cThe goal is to notice the wall and lighten your touch. You can move from having your entire hand on the wall to just your fingertips,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

1. Tricky Kitty<\/h3>\n

This beginner\u2019s yoga pose<\/a> is an excellent progression to standing positions, like tree pose or Warrior III. Weible likes this pose for balance because you\u2019re much closer to the ground, and your body is immediately forced to find balance.<\/p>\n

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How to: <\/strong>Get into tabletop position with your knees directly below your hips and your arms and shoulders perpendicular to the floor (a)<\/strong>. Step your right foot back and keep it tucked (b)<\/strong>. As you inhale, simultaneously lift your left hand and right leg off the floor. Your left fingers are pointing straight in front of you and your right foot is flexed and forms a straight line with your back and head (c)<\/strong>. Focus on a point on the ground and keep your chest lifted and open so your upper body could provide support (d)<\/strong>. As you exhale, slowly bring your right leg and left hand back down to the ground in tabletop position (e)<\/strong>. Repeat the same movement on the other side.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 5 Yoga-Inspired Shoulder Openers<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Tree Pose<\/h3>\n

Tree pose reminds us to engage our core muscles, specifically the obliques<\/a>, in order to maintain alignment from head to foot. Bringing your hands to prayer (mudra) isn\u2019t just for aesthetics; it helps keep your chest open and extends your upper back so you stand straighter. Need to modify? Weible suggests placing the tip of your toes on the mat or resting your heel against the standing ankle for more support. From there, your foot can flutter to the calf and work its way above your knee on your thigh, but you should never have your foot on your knee, as it\u2019s too straining for that joint.<\/p>\n

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How to: <\/strong>Stand in mountain pose (tadasana) with your feet hip-distance apart, hands by your sides, palms facing forward (a)<\/strong>. Begin to shift your weight onto your right foot and bend your left knee (b)<\/strong>. Slowly grab your left ankle with your left hand and place it against your inner right thigh, pressing your left foot sole with your toes pointing to the ground (c)<\/strong>. Engage your core as you place your hands in prayer pose (mudra) (d)<\/strong>. Focus on a point in front of you and hold for two or three breaths before bringing your left foot back down to the ground (e)<\/strong>. Repeat the same movement on the other side.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>5 Restorative Yoga Poses to Ease Your Muscles (And Your Mind)<\/a><\/p>\n

3. Eagle Pose<\/h3>\n

The binds in eagle pose help loosen the joints for balance and improve mobility<\/a>. Weible says as people age, their balance starts to change, but poses like eagle can help prevent falls. This pose forces you to keep your hips square, even when you\u2019re balancing on one leg, so you\u2019re not shifting side to side.<\/p>\n

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How to: <\/strong>Stand in mountain pose (tadasana) with your feet hip-distance apart, hands down by your sides, palms facing forward. Make sure the toes on your left foot are firmly ground on the floor (a)<\/strong>. Have a slight bend in your knees and slightly sit your hips back as you lift your right leg and cross it over your left thigh. If you can, cross your right foot around your left calf, too, or use a block to rest your right foot on (b)<\/strong>. Bring your hands to eye level and cross your right arm underneath your left. Then, cross your right forearm over your left to bring your palms together (c)<\/strong>. Keep your hips square and your chest lifted and open so that your head, shoulders and hips are all aligned (d)<\/strong>. Unbind your arms and legs, and repeat the same movement on the other side.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>The 7 Best Mobility Exercises You Haven\u2019t Tried Yet<\/a><\/p>\n

4. Warrior III<\/h3>\n

You\u2019ll feel like a single-leg warrior once you master this challenging balance pose. But your back leg doesn\u2019t have to be lifted crazy high, Weible says. Start with a lower lift that\u2019s closer to the floor, while keeping your spine straight. When you\u2019re balancing, your standing leg can be a little bent to have a more grounding effect.<\/p>\n

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How to: <\/strong>Get into a lunge position by stepping your right foot behind you, landing on the ball of your foot, with your left knee bent in front, pressing your feet firmly into the ground. Make sure your right knee doesn\u2019t touch the floor (a)<\/strong>. Simultaneously straighten your left leg as you lift your right foot behind you. While some people lunge forward, it can ruin your balance, so try straightening your front leg instead (b)<\/strong>. Keep your right foot flexed and imagine it pressing against the wall behind you. Your right leg should be lifted and aligned with your hips and back so it\u2019s parallel to the ground (c)<\/strong>. Bring your palms together in prayer and hold for two or three breaths (d)<\/strong>. Step your right foot back down to the ground and come to standing.<\/p>\n

5. Dancer\u2019s Pose<\/h3>\n

The key to balancing in this elegant pose is to keep your hips square, even as you open the hip, Weible says. Because your arms<\/a> are lifting your foot, it helps to open your chest and have a slight back bend. Bridge or boat pose are great progressions to practice before moving onto dancer\u2019s pose because they open the hips and stretch the quadriceps.<\/p>\n

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How to: <\/strong>Stand in mountain pose (tadasana) with your feet hip-distance apart, hands by your sides, palms facing forward (a)<\/strong>. Begin to shift your weight onto your right foot and lift your left heel toward your butt, bending your left knee (b)<\/strong>. Reach your left hand behind you to grab the outside of your left foot or ankle. Be sure to keep your hips square and your chest lifted (c)<\/strong>. Lift your left foot up and back so that your left thigh and left arm are parallel to the floor (d)<\/strong>. Raise your right arm at your side with your fingers pointing to the ceiling (e)<\/strong>. Hold for two to three breaths before bringing your left foot back down to the ground. Repeat the same movement on the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n

Not a Daily Burn member? Sign up at\u00a0dailyburn.com<\/a>\u00a0and start your free 30-day trial today.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Originally published on February 25, 2017. Updated on December 21, 2021<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All images via Shutterstock <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Master these five balance-focused yoga poses to improve your posture and coordination, develop stability and alignment, and build some head-to-toe strength. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":90,"featured_media":68837,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,6,19],"tags":[153,281,145,341,355,286],"class_list":["post-56474","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exercise","category-fitness","category-yoga","tag-flexibility","tag-strength-training","tag-stretching","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2yoga","tag-yoga"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56474","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/90"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56474"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56474\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/68837"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56474"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56474"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56474"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}