Balancing Poses

A Guide to Asanas and Balancing Poses for Better Health
By Dennis Bluthardt, Namaste Studios

Yoga is a transformative practice celebrated with increasing enthusiasm as an effective, health-boosting tool. Most people gain increased flexibility, strength, and balance from the “asana” part of yoga (which most would typically perceive as the “correctly performed pose”), yeah, you know, the balancing poses that people practice.

But as we know, there need to be correct poses in yoga in yoga. Your yoga practice teaches you what you need to know. You should add more balancing poses to help your body become a better version of itself.

Regular asana practice will make you much more effective and translate directly to a better quality of life. Anyone who practices or is looking to get started can join a class to take part in functions.

These asanas/balancing poses exist to make you a better athlete. How do we accomplish this? Through a tool that makes the body more physically efficient. The efficiency of asana practice has so many positive benefits.

Understanding Yoga and Its Benefits

Yoga is an ancient practice that dates back over 5,000 years to India. Above all else, it is a spiritual tradition with a philosophy of its own, as defined in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Yoga means “to yoke,” reflecting the idea of forming a union between body, mind, and spirit.

Throughout the centuries, this ancient tradition has given birth to many styles. Just a few include Hatha, the physical postures and breathing exercises most of us associate with yoga class (and, considered by many, the foundation of all Western styles); Vinyasa, a philosophy that focuses on synchronizing breath and movement; Ashtanga (which, confusingly, can also be called “eight-limbed yoga”), a particularly vigorous, specific type of Vinyasa popular with the young and competitive; and various offshoots designed to be particularly relaxing, meditative, and, well, “yin,” including two called Yin and Restorative Yoga.

You already know how effective yoga is in increasing flexibility and balance and developing muscle tone. These are great reasons, on their own, to take up regular practice. Anxiety levels and depression seem to plummet in those who take up regular yoga practice.

Introduction to Asanas

Asanas, also known as yoga postures, is often the “go-to” solution for the relationship between body and mind. They’re a physical response to the mental practice, created to help yogis become stronger, more balanced, bendy, and better acrobats. Of course, that’s untrue. The many different postures were not developed for overall physical health (although that is a fantastic bonus). Asanas gives a small project to the mind:

• Stand on one foot.
• Balance our hands.
• “Fly” like a crow.
• Factor in the many elements required for a “simple” high plank.

Categorize asanas into standing, balancing, or sitting. Standing postures (such as Warrior II or Extended Triangle) do not calm the mind; their purpose is to take a practitioner out of their “peaceful place,” relaxing the mind; then, as with a set of dominos, the body will follow suit. I will discuss other categories, such as inversions, backbends, seated postures in Restorative, and pretty much all the different subsets of postures, to maintain the “short talk” vibe.

Asanas affect physical health, mental stability, and overall enjoyment of life for many. Studies have found that asanas will help to improve balance in older adults, which is the leading cause of injuries in individuals over 65. More so, asanas also benefit overall fitness without other forms of exercise! Moreover, asanas aid in the performance of respiratory muscles and can decrease physiological and psychological stress indications. Therefore, the potential for using asanas in psychological and physiological health (for yoga and non-yogic practitioners) will be fascinating.

Exploring Balancing Poses

In yoga, being able to do balancing poses is the price of admission for developing stability, coordination, and focus. Balance poses upset our stability and makes us work to recenter ourselves. They require a good deal of physical strength and concentration to do them. Practicing balanced postures improves proprioception and your sense of where you are in the world. Your overall balance and well-being will improve the more balanced poses you do. And you will be more likely to be able to right yourself, to catch your balance, when you feel you have lost it. Performing balancing poses makes you feel good.

Tree Pose, Warrior III, and Eagle Pose are common balancing poses. In each of these poses, you stand on one foot. In Tree Pose, you place the opposite foot on the inner thigh or ankle of the standing foot. You are a tree rooted in the ground. In Warrior III, you extend your other foot back as you tilt forward from your hip. If you extend your arms overhead, you form a straight line from your fingertips to your other toes. The goal of Eagle Pose is both balance and flexibility. You stand on one foot, but you wrap the toes of your other foot around your calf. You extend your arms, then wrap your wrists around your opposite elbow crease.

Stand with your feet wider than your hips, with your toes pointed out, and your hands in prayer position for Tree Pose, which is for beginners. Be patient. Soon, sloppy triangles express perfect strength and patience. Stand on one foot. Then, place your other foot on either your inner thigh or calf. It does not matter where you look. Widen your eyes and look forward. Look straight ahead. Find a boundless focal point. Look, as Osho says, at the world without you in it. If you feel silly, lean with your hand on a wall or the back of a chair.

Sort your shoulders out. Do not lean to one side. Straighten your hip with the floor. Do a little work on your pelvic floor. You can slowly take your foot down. Then, do another set. Hold your foot in your hand; extend your other hand out. Breathe for ten. Extend your leg for ten seconds. Then, take your hands down. Take your foot down to the floor.

Incorporating Yoga Poses into Your Routine

Including asanas and balancing poses in your daily routine can upgrade your health. For beginners, a sequence could start with a few key foundational poses, such as Mountain Pose (Tadasana), Tree Pose (Vrksasana), and Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I). In addition to building strength and openness, these poses increase proprioception (the sense of where your body is in space). Practiced for a few minutes a day, they develop focus and calmness.

Balancing poses, such as Tree Pose, demand and develop focus while training the body. When you’re beginning to work on balance, it’s easier to balance on a full stomach (when your energy is grounded) than on an empty stomach (when your energy tends to rise upward or leave your body altogether!).

The simplest and most profound truth I remember from Mr. Iyengar had to do with breath. He suggests that we practice inhaling whenever possible without making a sound, and he also recommends retaining inhalation for absolute control and liberation.

Yoga poses, or asanas, benefit your physical and mental health in many ways. Want to improve your flexibility, strength, and balance? There are yoga poses for that! Tension in your muscles? Yep, yoga can help with that. Want better posture or more effective circulation throughout the body? Practice yoga, and you can enjoy these things, too. I’m telling you, it’s like magic!

Balancing poses are fantastic for helping you build up your core strength (which is essential for stability). Not only that, but they also challenge your balance, which can help you concentrate a little better. Yep, that’s right, yoga poses can help you maintain better physical and mental balance. Anyway, you slice it, they bring you closer to the center.

A fun and exciting journey awaits you if you’ve never tried yoga. Discover some new poses to add to your “favorites” list. The options are truly endless. If you want, you can stick to the most basic poses. Or, if you wish, you can get into the kind of stuff that contortionists do. Take your pick. Plenty of communities are out there waiting to welcome you with open arms, both online and in person, which will be fantastic to find.