5 Yoga Poses for Better Balance and Core Strength

Some yoga poses are meant to strengthen the lower body and increase core strength so that you have impeccable balance. Balance is a big part of daily life and plays a huge role in everything you do, so it's an important part of your overall fitness.

Balance-focused yoga poses make you more aware of how your weight is distributed. They also help you get stronger, more stable, and better aligned. These workouts very important for people who play sports or do gymnastics.

In yoga poses that you do while standing, anchor one or both feet on the ground. Yoga is an old practice that involves putting the body and mind in sync with the breath. Through your connection with the ground, standing yoga poses are thought to bring all these three parts into balance.

Standing poses help the lower body, especially the ankles, glutes, hamstrings, and quads, get stronger. They also help keep the core stable and improve balance, improving mobility and flexibility.

Some standing yoga poses, like Warrior III, Eagle, Tree, and Dancer's pose, help build strength and improve balance. For standing balance poses, you have to stand on one leg, and use the muscles in the ankles.

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Yoga Poses for Better Balance and Core Strength

Check out these five yoga poses for better balance and core strength:

1) Utkatasana

The Utkatasana strengthens the ankles, calves, thighs, and back. It opens up the shoulders and chest and makes flat feet less noticeable.

Here's how to do this pose:

• Stand upright in Tadasana. Raise your arms so that the backs of the biceps face the ears.
• You can put your palms together, or keep them facing each other.
• Exhale, and bend your knees as if you were going to sit back on a chair, keeping your thighs as close as possible to the floor.
• To keep your body balanced, your knees should be over your feet and trunk should lean forward just a bit.
• Keep your shoulder blades tight against your back and inner thighs straight.
• Hold the pose for 30 to 60 seconds. Inhale as you stand up, and exhale as you let go of your arms.

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2) Garudasana

The eagle pose helps you become more aware of your posture and body, as well as improve balance and focus. It strengthens the core, lower back, thighs, and ankles while stretching the shoulders and upper back.

Here's how to do this pose:

• In Tadasana, stand up straight with your feet just a little bit apart under your sit bones.
• Put your weight on your right leg, and lift your left foot off the floor.
• Bend your right knee just a bit, and cross your left thigh over your right by bringing your left foot behind your right calf.
• Once you're stable, add your arms to the pose by crossing your right arm over your left and touching your palms together.
• Hold the pose for five deep breaths Repeat on the other side.

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3) Virbhadrasana III

The ankles, legs, shoulders, and back muscles get stronger in this pose. It also strengthens the core and makes you stand up straighter.

Here's how to do this pose:

• Standing in Tadasana is the first step. Bring both hands to your hips; straighten your left leg, and stretch it back behind you.
• Keep your hips square to the floor, and bring your left leg and torso parallel to the floor at the same time.
• You can keep your hands on your hips, or put them straight out in front of you.
• Hold the pose for as many as five breaths.

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4) Standing Split (Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana)

The Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana improves balance, strengthens and stretches the hamstrings, calves, quadriceps, and groin, and stretches the spine.

Here's how to do this pose:

• In Tadasana, stand tall with your legs close together and hands by your sides.
• Get on your knees, and put both hands on the floor.
• Bend forward over your right leg and raise your left leg up high. Your hips should be level with the floor.
• Hold this pose for five deep breaths.

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5) Tree Pose (Vrikshasana)

The Vrikshasana strengthens the legs, opens up the hips, and helps coordinate the nerves and muscles better. It also improves balance, stamina, alertness, and ability to focus.

Here's how to do this pose:

• Stand tall in Tadasana, with your arms by your sides and eet shoulder-width apart.
• Raise your arms up so that your biceps are facing your ears and palms are touching.
• Lift your left leg off the ground, and put your left foot against the inside of your right thigh (try doing this without using your hands).
• Hold the pose for as many as five breaths.