5 Balancing Poses to Keep You On Your Feet

Many years ago, my mother fell and broke her hip. Or maybe her hip broke and she fell accordingly. Sometimes it is impossible to know what the chicken is and which is the egg. In any case, the fall was almost the end of it.

In short, after a visit to the hospital, she progressed well in the detoxification treatment. One day before she returned home, she went to kidney failure. Apparently, the combination of several drugs was too much. Her caregivers completely stopped her medication and she slowly restored herself. But the incident made me understand why it is often said that falls can be the start of the end for the elderly.

More than 800,000 people are hospitalized each year for injuries resulting from falls. One in five fall causes a serious injury such as broken bones or head trauma. In fact, falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain lesion. Here are some additional statistics on falls and their sometimes catastrophic effects.

What is balance and why is it important?

In simple terms, balance is our ability to recognize our position in relation to the objects around us, including the surface on which we hold or walk. A good feeling of balance allows us to perform our daily tasks with a feeling of stability and ease. For example, something as common as walking in the street and turning your head to talk to a friend requires a healthy feeling of balance. Without balance, simple activities are not only difficult, but can even be dangerous.

As they get older, some of the factors that contribute to a good balance can start to decrease. The view can decrease. Internal ear problems can disrupt the vestibular system. Neuropathy can decrease proprioception.

External causes such as slippery or unequal surfaces, poisoning or disease can cause falls. But they can also occur due to a lack of attention or an underdeveloped proprioception. The good news is that yoga can help you. Many asanas are specially designed to improve balance. And the centering of our mind on our body sharpens mindfulness, so that we are more likely to recognize the signs of imbalance in subtle in our body before falling.

There are many yoga poses that support balance. All standing poses – Think of Trikonasana (triangle installation), Virabhadrasana I and II (Warrior I and II), etc. – can help strengthen our legs and cultivate balance. And of course, the standing poses with a leg such as Vrksasana (pose of trees) are balancing poses.

It is important to question our balance in different ways. Although we often think of permanent balance poses when we hope to cultivate proprioception, balancing in different guidelines is also important. This is why I have several types of balancing in the examples below.

The most important thing is to remember that balancing, like all Asana, is a practice, not a performance. Meet your body where it is. For example, if you have to hold on to a wall in a standing balance, please do it. Even with this additional small support, you always develop the skills of balancing.

5 Balancing installation

1. Feet: Pay attention to our feet, massage them, the exercise of our toes, etc., keeps them healthy and reactive to the surface that we negotiate. Start your practice with these simple exercises. But you don’t need to limit it to your practice on the matrix. You can also practice them while you are sitting watching TV or whenever you have a free moment. One of my longtime students who had never been able to balance on a leg practiced these daily for about nine months and was able to balance for the first time in his life! At the time, she was 70 years old.
2. VRKSASANA (tree installation): There are, of course, a lot of standing poses that you can practice to perfect your balance. Follow the instructions for this article. It is useful to remember that even when you feel trembling in your balance installation, you always learn the skills of balancing. When you strive to try not to fall into the installation of trees, you really develop proprioception. So don’t feel discouraged. Remember that it is a practice, not a performance!
3. Parsva Balasana (pose of bird dog): As I explained above, it is important to challenge our balance in different ways. The installation of bird dogs is a basic strengthening and a balance of balance. Because it strengthens the nucleus – back, back and internal – it stabilizes us to increase balance. But the act of “standing” on a knee and an arm also develops proprioception. In addition, balance your head in an other than straight position helps stimulate your vestibular system. Read these instructions to help you refine your practice.
4. Ubhaya Padangusthasana (hands and large toes pose): This installation offers the opportunity to balance in another way – at the back. The practice of this Asana in its most common form, with the straight arms and legs, can be difficult if your hamstrings and your calves are tighter. Do not hesitate to fold your knees and hold the back of your thighs instead of holding your feet. This message can give you some advice on practice safely.
5. Savasana (Pose of corpse): Years ago, I attended an early morning lesson which only lasted an hour. The teachers estimated that with such a short class, they did not need to include Savasana. While I loved their teaching in other Asanas, the class without Savasana has always made me feel dispersed and without land. In retrospect, I can see that this is a recipe to move in the rest of the day without sense of balance. Savasana is actually one of the best yoga balancing poses. It balances your body at a deeper level than simply balance a leg. Give yourself 10 minutes if your training is an hour or less, and 15 minutes or more if it is longer.

Of course, there are many more balancing poses than the five examples I have given. The inversions are excellent, and as I wrote above, all the poses standing at wide position are useful. The most important factor is the attention you give to your body while you train. Keep your concentration inside your body, on the sensations you feel. Remember that frantic and shallow breathing creates agitation – not a large recipe for balancing. Make sure your breathing is continuous, deep and calm.

About Charlotte Bell

Charlotte Bell discovered yoga in 1982 and started teaching in 1986. Charlotte is the author of Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life: A Guide for Everyding Practice and Yoga for Meditators, both published by Rodmell Press. His third book is entitled Hip-Healthy Asana: The Yoga Pratitioner’s Guide to Protect of the Hips and Avoid Si Joint Pain (Shambhala Publications). She writes a monthly chronicle for Catalyst Magazine and is online Yoga U publisher. Charlotte is a founding member of the board of directors of Greentree Yoga, a non -profit organization that brings yoga to poorly served populations. Musician for life, Charlotte plays an oboe and an English horn in the Salt Lake Symphony and the Sextuant Folk Red rock Rondo, whose DVD won two Emmy Awards.