How to find your balance
April 16, 2021
Finding Your Physical Balance
You may naturally have stable physical balance. Or, you may have noticed that your balance is not as solid as it used to be. Balance is a complicated business. Our brain receives signals from our eyes, our inner ear, our muscles, and our joints. The exercises below are approaches to increase our confidence as we stand and move.
Narrow Stance Walking
Start with walking toe to heel forward. Keep breathing.
If confident, add looking side to side slowly. With your breath.
Advanced: try with eyes closed. Only when feeling confident.
Weight Shifts
Stand on both feet solidly. Shift weight side to side slightly, lifting the opposite foot. We use this technique in Tai Chi. We always make a note of where our weight is. My weight is on my right foot so that I can lift or step with my left. This awareness of where my weight is centered is helpful to stay in balance. It is always most restful to stand evenly on both legs. Breathe as you shift from side to side.
Rock the Boat
Stand on both feet solidly. Shift weight to left foot and step forward on right rocking body forward. Rock back again and repeat as much as feels comfortable. Breath as you rock. Change feet. Repeat.
Flamingo Stand
Stand on both feet solidly. Shift weight to the right foot. Lift left knee and hold for 15 seconds. Breath as you balance. Switch sides. Repeat.
Toe Tap
Stand on both feet. Shift weight to the left foot. Tap right foot out and back ten times. Breath as you tap. Switch sides.
Stepping over the sleeping dog
Lift your leg up as if stepping over a dog or other object and step on the other side. Make sure you feel in balance. Step back over the dog with your other leg. Keep stepping back and forth as if over the dog or other thing. Breathing as you step.
Tree
Stand near a wall for support. Stand on both feet. Shift weight to the right foot. Lift left leg and place foot near the right ankle or higher up on the leg as in the drawing. Avoid placing your foot right on your right knee. Hands together in front of your heart is a helpful beginning position. As you feel confident, you can extend your arms forward and overhead. This adds more load to the pose and is more challenging. Balance for a count of 10. Breathe. Other side.
More Balance Practice
Classes in Tai Chi and Yoga will teach you more skills to enhance your balance.
Tai Chi
Tai Chi is a slow flow practice that benefits balance. When we do Tai Chi, we stand tall and remain upright as we move our legs and arms through the forms. We move slowly as if moving through water. This can often be the most challenging part of Tai Chi, finding a way to slow down. The practice can feel like a moving meditation. It is soothing for the body and the soul. According to Havard Women’s Health Watch, “A growing body of carefully conducted research is building a compelling case for tai chi as an adjunct to standard medical treatment for the prevention and rehabilitation of many conditions commonly associated with age.”
The use of our breath to support movement enhances the meditative aspect of Tai Chi. The breath is encouraged to be deep in our belly or dan tien. Below our belly button and within our abdominals, this is our source of energy. Often in life, we breathe more shallowly in our chest. When we do Tai Chi, we invite the breath to deepen, using our diaphragm, into our belly. Breathing in is like drawing the bow back in archery. We are preparing the energy for release. When we exhale, it is as if we let the bow go and the arrow fly. We learn to exhale with vigor, drawing in the muscles of the abdominals. As you develop this deeper breath, you may also become aware of drawing up the pelvic floor on your exhale.
There are three different primary forms of Tai Chi and the related practice of Qui Gong that date back 3000 years. The practice started as a martial art when dangers were most often coming from the outside. One might argue that Tai Chi is still a martial art, but now threats are often coming from inside ourselves. The oldest method is called Chen and dates back to 1670. It is a more vigorous style. Yang was a Chen student and went on to develop his form with more gentle movements in the early 19th century. Yang remains a popular style. In the early 1900s, Sun developed Sun style, Tai Chi, with higher stance, agile movements, and focus on direction changes. Today, you are most likely to find classes in Sun or Yang styles.
Yoga
Yoga is a diverse practice with multiple approaches. If you are focused on balance, you will most likely seek a gentle yoga class. In most yoga classes, we practice balance poses. We balance on one leg in tree pose (as shared above), eagle, Warrior III, and other poses. We also balance on our arms in crow, handstand, and other poses. You have likely seen people balance on their heads. We can learn balance poses slowly over time. Practitioners can begin with a hand on a wall or a chair to gain confidence. It is through practicing balance that we gain strength. We learn how to engage our core muscles - abdominals, obliques, and lower back - to stand tall. In any class, you take what you like and leave the rest. If you are invited to try a pose like a headstand that doesn’t appeal to you, stay with poses that you like. Your teacher will understand.
Emotional Balance
There is also emotional or spiritual balance. Work-life balance. Self-Other care balance. When I was younger, I was always simply in motion. I was surprised to learn in a 12-step room the notion of HALT - Hungry, Lonely, Angry, Tired. HALT became a beacon for me as I was hypoglycemic and needed to eat regularly. My mood and energy would crash without food, making me a zombie. Lonely was a harder one for me to put a finger on, honestly. I liked to be alone, but I eventually learned that I wanted to be alone a bit too much. It was a childhood defense mechanism. In truth, I need and love my friends and family and cherish our time together. Angry was also a tough one for me. I tend to be positive, I tend not to like to make waves, I swallow my anger. HALT gave me permission to notice if I was angry and allow myself the time to feel this emotion, process it, and find a way to move on. Tired was something in my youth I would rarely admit feeling. Again, this permission was a gift. I now readily admit when I am tired, enjoy a nap, whether 10-minutes or two hours, and consciously prepare for bed, allowing myself the time I need to sleep. Even if I can't fall asleep right away, I practice what my Mom taught me. She said even if you can't sleep, you can rest. I leave the phone off, and out of my hand, I focus on my breathing, I might do a body scan, I might visualize some Yoga or Tai Chi, return to my breath, and gradually allow myself to fall asleep.
Balance is about making choices as to how we spend our time. My grandfather was famous for saying everything in moderation. As I age, I realize how wise he was. I seek to balance my time each day between my various activities. The essential ones include eating, sleeping, cleaning self and home, pet care, partner care, working for money, and taking the time they take. With my other time, I make choices to workout, enjoy nature, watch a movie or television, read a book, sew or other hobbies, garden, hike, and whatever else I enjoy. When I wrote that, it made me wonder if some of those were essential, like gardening. In whatever way you divide your list, think about what you need to do, what you like to do, what you want to do, and what you hope to do - learn a language? - and make choices that allow you the time to enjoy, rest and rejuvenate.
Looking for a Yoga Class with a gentle approach to balance?
Consider Mighty Fit Yoga Flow Monday and Fridays at 9:00 AM EST.
For more Mighty Fit:
1) Join the official Mighty Fit Facebook Group!
2) Follow Mighty Fit on Instagram & Facebook! We feature new content each day so make sure you submit your pics!
3) Follow Mighty Fit on Youtube! Here you can see our various tips, tricks, and exercises to maximize your workout.