Create balance in your life through yoga and Pilates, even better a fusion of the two… yogalates!
Have you ever slipped on a wet surface? Tripped over the garden hose? Stumbled on stairs? Fallen whilst playing with the kids? 0r just out of kilter physically and energetically?
Improved balance can prevent falls in all scenarios, which can lead to a reduction in injury and improved performance…
As a physiotherapist and yoga and Pilates consultant I regularly consult clients with balance issues related to injury, weak muscles, unstable core and poor posture…Having good balance is important for many activities we do every day, such as walking, reaching, sport and going up and down the stairs.
Exercises that improve balance can help prevent falls, a common problem in older adults. In fact reduced balance has a huge impact on confidence, ability to enjoy life and life expectancy!
How does Yoga and pilates help?
The human body uses signals from different senses to help us maintain balance and prevent falls. Our eyes help us identify if we need to pick up our feet or move one way or the other. In our ears, we have canals that help the brain identify how we are positioned — whether we’re upright or lying down for example. These canals also help us gauge where we are in relation to gravity.
Our joints and muscles also help us balance throughout the day. They adjust and react to different movements, working to keep us upright and in proper alignment.
When there’s a problem in any of these systems, you may experience poor balance. For example, if you have pain in lower back or hips, you may compensate by leaning forwards or backward. This can throw off your natural balance, making it easier to fall.
Fortunately, there are several simple yoga and pilates exercises you can do to help maintain and improve your balance.
Yoga and pilates exercises for balance.
When it comes to balance exercises, it’s important to start slowly. For most exercises, make sure you’re standing upright. Start by planting your feet firmly on the floor. You should feel even pressure on the balls and heels of your feet. Work on standing tall, lifting your gaze forward. Contract your stomach muscles to help support your core.
With all of these exercises, you can get additional support from a wall, chair, countertop, or another sturdy surface.
If you’re not sure where to start, talk to your physiotherapist about doing a balance evaluation. We can help you figure out what aspects of balance may be challenging for you and identify which exercise may be most beneficial.
Working on your balance goes beyond just strengthening muscles. It challenges your whole body to act as one unit, strengthening muscle groups that may not normally get a good workout. This can lead to improved posture, which can in turn lead to less back pain and a decreased risk stress on our joints and of arthritis.
The best part about working on better balance is how accessible it is! You don’t need any equipment to work on some of the more basic moves.
HEAD ROTATION
Head rotations can help improve balance in situations when vision changes are involved. Stand tall with your feet in line with your hips. Gently rotate your head from left to right and then up and down for 30 seconds. If you start to feel dizzy, stop or move your head more slowly. If the dizziness doesn’t dissipate, stop the exercise and try again later. You can also try this exercise sitting down first and work your way up to doing it while standing.
FOOT TAPS
Start by standing in front of a step. You can do this at the bottom of your staircase or use a sturdy step stool instead. It’s useful to have a wall, a cane, or a strong stick on hand for support if needed.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Slowly lift your left leg and tap the top of the stair or step. Repeat 15 to 20 times and then switch to your right leg. As your balance improves, you can step up on the stair instead of just tapping it if you feel comfortable doing so.
MARCHING
This marching exercise can help to improve balance and movement. Stand upright and place your feet hip-width apart. Slowly bend your knee, and lift your foot until your thigh is parallel to the floor. Don’t worry if you can’t lift your thigh that high, just lift it as high as you can. You can hold on to the back of a chair for added support if needed. Alternate legs until you do 10 marches on each leg.
SINGLE LEG LIFTS
All you need to do is find an even surface to stand on, close your eyes, and gradually lift one leg, holding it for 30 seconds. You can even use finger tips on a wall or chair initially. Switch to the other leg and do the same. For beginners, do this to each side three times, gradually adding more reps as you improve.
If you feel confident with this you can stand on a ‘wobbly’ or unstable surface such as a cushion, Bosu ball or duradisc!
More complex exercises include use of a theraband around hands or ankles, throw and catching a ball.
Asanas such as tree pose, triangle pose and warrior postures are super effective in enhancing balance, strength and agility. More advanced sequenced standing movements such as that sun salutations in yoga, pilates and yogalates.
TRIANGLE POSE
From Tadasana (Mountain Pose), step or lightly jump your feet 3 to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach them actively to the sides, shoulder blades wide, palms down.
Turn your left foot in slightly and your right foot out to 90 degrees. Align your right heel with your left heel. Firm your thighs and rotate your right thigh outward, so the center of your right kneecap is in line with the center of the right ankle.
Exhale and extend your torso to the right, bending from your hip joint, not the waist. Reach out directly over the plane of the right leg. Counter the reach by anchoring your left hip to the left. (Imagine someone is trying to pull your hips to the left.) Ground this movement by strengthening the left leg and pressing the outer heel firmly to the floor.
When you have reached as far as you are able, hinge at the hip and bring the torso to the right, moving toward your upper body being parallel to the floor. Reach your right hand down toward the floor and stretch your left arm toward the ceiling, in line with the tops of your shoulders. Your hands, arms and shoulders will form a straight line, perpendicular to your mat.
Open your torso to the left, keeping the left and right sides of the torso equally long. Let the left hip come slightly forward and lengthen the tailbone toward the back heel.
Rest your right hand on your shin, ankle, or the floor outside your right foot—whatever is possible without distorting the sides of the torso. Keep your head in a neutral position or turn to look up at your hand or down at the ground.
Stay in this pose for 30 to 60 seconds. Inhale to come up, strongly pressing the back heel into the floor and reaching the top arm toward the ceiling. Recenter, then reverse the feet and repeat for the same length of time on the other side.
TREE POSE
Stand in Tadasana. Spread your toes, press your feet into the mat and firm your leg muscles. Raise your front hip points toward your lower ribs to gently lift in your lower belly.
Inhale deeply, lifting your chest, and exhale as you draw your shoulder blades down your back. Look straight ahead at a steady gazing spot.
Place your hands on your hips and raise your right foot high onto your left thigh or shin. Avoid making contact with the knee.
Press your right foot and left leg into each other.
Check that your pelvis is level and squared to the front.
When you feel steady, place your hands into Anjali Mudra at the heart or stretch your arms overhead like branches reaching into the sun.
Hold for several breaths, then step back into Mountain Pose and repeat on the other side.
How do we create balance in our lives?
Balance can feel amazing when it’s on point, but terrible when we experience a loss of it. When our balance is working for us, our self confidence shines our minds feel calm and satisfied, and our bodies injury free and healthy. However, when our balance wanes, a cluster of feelings can arise beyond the physical..
As I’ve explained, Physical balance in yogalates is the ability of the body to maintain a given posture without tumbling over. Mental balance, on the other hand, refers to maintaining inner peace of mind regardless of outside circumstances.
Life can hand us opportunities that, in the moment, feel as though the entire world is crumbling… injury, weight gain, career and parenting challenges…however, if we learn to breathe through those moments, nuture our body and mind through movement, we can find a better balance of life both physically and energetically once balance has returned. Whether we are on or off our mats, the art of living yogalates embodies every reaction we engage with to every situation that has entered our life.
Yogalates and the Beyogalates online program teaches us to embrace both forms of balance through breath, focus and mindful movement as a means to a healthy and fulfilling life.
See you on the mat,
Lisa x
