4 Yoga Moves to Do at Home to Improve Your Balance

Balance is a pretty important part when it comes to yoga. Especially with certain styles.

In our recent beginners yoga survey we found that roughly 14% of beginners are scared of falling over.

So, it's a pretty legitimate fear. However, having bad balance is not a worthy excuse for not doing yoga. In fact, it's one of the main reasons you should be doing it!

Some people naturally have good balance or have built up good balance when they were a child. Your height and body type can also come into play, but you can always improve.

In this blog we'll detail 4 easy yoga poses you can do pretty much anywhere and anytime. All focused on improving your balance.

The 4 poses we are going to cover are:

1. Chair Pose

2. Kneeling Half Moon Pose

3. Tree Pose

4. Warrior III Pose

Let's go!

1. Chair Pose

The chair pose works the whole body, but you should especially feel it on your legs. Thus, it's a great move to start this routine off and a great beginners’ ways to build balance.

How to do the Chair Pose

• Stand up straight with e your feet slightly apart. Hip width is best.

• Bring your arms forward keeping your palms facing down.

• Ensure that you keep your arms straight. Don't bend your elbows.

• Slowly begin to bend your knees and push down your pelvis. Imagine you are going to actually sit down on a chair.

• Keeping your arms parallel to the floor.

• Make sure you only go down as far as your comfortably can.

• Hold this position for 30 seconds.

Benefits of Chair Pose

• It's a great way to stretch your spine, hips and chest.

• It strengthens your abs and lower back

• It puts a lot of strain on the leg muscles, Especially in the knee, the ankles, and the thighs.

2. Kneeling Half Moon Pose

This yoga pose stretches and strengthens the whole body and can help improve balance and coordination. This posture requires a stable, strong standing leg.

How to Do the Kneeling Half Moon Pose

1. Begin in a kneeling position

2. Extend one leg out inline with your hip

3. Place your hand on the floor in line with your supporting knee

4. Lift your extended leg up until it is inline with your hip

5. Lift your free arm up and reach for the sky

6. Hold this pose for 5-10 breaths

Benefits of The Kneeling Half Moon Pose

• Strengthens your ankles, legs, glutes, spine, and abs.

• It gives your spine, shoulders, calves, hamstrings, and groin a good stretch.

3. Tree Pose

The tree pose is another great beginner exercise to help build your balance. In many cases it may have been the first yoga pose you learn! Nevertheless, it's one of those foundational postures that every yogi should return to as much as possible.

How to do the Tree Pose

1. Start in a standing in with your arms at your sides.

2. Make sure your weight is evenly distributed across both feet.

3. Begin to put your weight all onto your right foot, lift your left foot off the floor.

4. Keep your right leg straight but don't lock the knee.

5. Bend your left knee and bring the sole of your left foot high onto your inner right thigh. Do not rest it on your right knee.

6. Press your foot into your thigh and your thigh back into your foot with equal pressure.

7. Take 5 to 10 breaths, then lower your left foot to the floor and do the other side.

The Benefits of The Tree Pose

• Strengthens your legs and core

• Opens your hips

• Stretches your inner thighs and groin muscles.

4. The Warrior III Pose

This one might be the most challenging out of the 4 poses we suggest. However, using the 2 poses before this should already have your senses primed for good balance.

How to Do the Warrior III Pose

1. Start with your feet hips’ distance apart, with your hands at your sides or together in front of your heart.

2. Shift your weight onto your right foot and bring your left knee until it's at a 90-degree angle and parallel with your hip.

3. Shift your weight forward and begin to slowly move your left leg behind you.

4. Keep your left foot flexed.

5. Your upper body and back leg should eventually be parallel with the floor.

6. Keep your head pointed toward the floor and in a neutral position.

7. Adjust your hips so that your pelvis is parallel with the floor.

8. Your right leg should be as straight as possible.

9. Find your balance, and, if desired, bring your arms straight out in front of you, keeping your shoulders away from your ears.

10. Hold the pose for five breaths, up to 30 seconds or longer.

Benefits of The Warrior III Pose

• Strengthens the ankles and legs.

• Tones the abs

• Stretch’s the chest, shoulders and hamstrings

• Helps to improve balance and coordination

• Can assist with posture and general proprioception.