Balancing Yoga Poses For Beginners

Balancing yoga asanas or balancing yoga postures is a pose in which you balance on one leg, or balance using your arms. These poses develop the functions of the cerebellum, help avoid falls and injuries, and improve muscle coordination and posture. In addition to helping to strengthen your hamstrings, calves, quads, glutes, and abs, balancing poses also teach us how to stay grounded and balanced even when tumultuous situations strike us in life.

Balancing poses are challenging, balancing them can be difficult to do at first, however, the body is very adaptable and with regular practice, they become easier. When learning balancing yoga asanas, make sure you build one with a strong foundation. Begin – Begin with basic standing poses such as tree pose, high lunge, eagle pose, balancing bound angle, and big toe pose. Progress will be quick in just a few weeks of regular practice.

Along with restoring physical balance, balancing poses enhance our focus and deepen our connection to ourselves. Here are some simple balancing poses for beginners, that help to keep our balance.

Balancing Yoga Poses

Build a strong foundation for your asana practice with dedication and patience. These balancing yoga poses will be able to remain steady for long periods of time. Get step-by-step instructions and reap the benefits.

Vrksasana (Tree Pose)

A popular balancing pose, Tree Pose — Vriksasana — requires proper weight distribution and posture, which can help stretch the hips, thighs, torso, and shoulders. It brings balance and equilibrium to your mind and is also a wonderful pose that teaches balance while toning the muscles of the legs.

• Stand absolutely straight on the mat, the distance between the two feet should not be too much.
• Keep your hands straight on either side of your body.
• Now bend your right knee and place the right foot on your left thigh. Keep in mind, during this time the sole of your right foot should be kept straight on the left thigh.
• During this, try to maintain your balance and at the same time keep taking deep breaths.
• Now keep both your hands near your chest in the posture of Namaskar.
• After this, slowly move your hands above the head in this posture.
• Focus your attention on something in front of you.
• Your body should be absolutely straight in this posture.
• Maintain the balance of your body for some time.
• After this, take your hands down and come to your starting position.
• After that repeat the same process again with the other leg.
• Similarly, doing this asana three to five times a day will be beneficial for you.

Garudasana (Eagle Yoga Pose)

Eagle Yoga Pose — Garudasana — is a standing balancing yoga posture that represents the bird. It strengthens the legs and also makes them more flexible, tones the entire body, and particularly elongates the arms and thighs.

• Stand straight on the yoga mat.
• Slowly bend the knees of both legs down.
• Now try to wrap your left leg as far behind the right leg as possible.
• In such a situation, the heel of your left foot will come on top of the heel of your right foot.
• Note that your left foot should touch the lower part of the right shin.
• Now raise both your hands above the shoulders.
• Now wrap the right hand around your left hand.
• Keeping the body in balance, slowly bring the hips down.
• Do not let your knees bend here and there. Keep it in the center of your body.
• Keep yourself in this position for about 15-30 seconds.
• During this, keep inhaling and exhaling slowly.

Chaturanga Dandasana (Four Limbed Staff Pose)

This foundational balancing pose creates proper alignment that boosts energy, fights fatigue, and builds confidence and empowerment. This asana aligns your whole body and builds strength in your erector spinae, the muscles on either side of your spine.

• Lie down on your stomach by laying a yoga mat.
• Keep the toes of both your feet straight on the ground in such a way that the weight of the body can be lifted on them. Now try to raise both your knees slowly while emphasizing the toes.
• Taking the breath in, lift the weight of the body on both hands. Make a 90-degree angle at the elbow between the upper and lower part of the hand. Your whole body will come parallel to the floor.
• Both hands and toes will remain on the ground. On these, the entire part of your body will remain.
• Do this asana for 10 to 30 seconds. While exhaling, slowly come to your starting position.

Natarajasana (Dancer Pose or Lord of the Dance Pose) 

A popular balancing pose, Natarajasana  — a lovely combination of structure and movement that is standing, balancing, back-bending asana as well as all about coordination and balance.

• Stand up straight.
• Raise the right leg, bend it at the knee, and lift it as far back as possible.
• Raise both hands from the front, take them behind and hold the right leg with the hands and bring it as high above the head as possible, standing on the left leg.
• Keep your head still while looking forward.
• Stay in this posture for as long as possible while maintaining balance and then slowly come back to the original position.

Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose)

This is a standing balancing asana in modern yoga as an exercise where you raise one leg at hip level and hold onto its big toe with your hand. It builds balance, improves concentration, and promotes a sense of stability.

• Standing straight, lift the left leg and place it on the thigh of the right leg and hold the toe with the right hand.
• Keep the left hand on the cut. With the thumb of the hand towards the back and the fingers towards the stomach, keeping the weight of the body on the right leg, straighten the left leg in front.
• The hand holding the leg should also be straight. After doing it with one leg, practice this asana with the other leg.

Vasisthasana (Side Plank Pose)

This is a balancing pose that helps you find alignment and addresses three main aspects of the body: balance, muscular strength, and stretching. 

• Sitting in the posture of Dandasana on the yoga mat, place the palm of your right hand on the ground.
• After this, slowly put all the weight of your body on the right palm and right foot.
• Then put your left foot on the right foot and keep your left arm straight up. Now focus your attention on the fingers of the left hand.
• After remaining in this posture for some time, gradually become normal.

Conclusion

There are dire balancing yoga poses such as Natarajasana, Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana, Virabhadrasana III, Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana, and many more. But a strong core and building a strong foundation are essential to learning these Asanas.

Practice these asanas regularly and feel the difference in your body, mind, and soul.