“Fall down seven times; stand up eight.” Japanese Proverb
From a neurological point of view, balance training is great for improving body awareness, body control and coordination. This allows for greater precision, accuracy and efficiency of movement. It also enhances focus and concentration.
Benefits of Practicing Yoga for Balance
- Improves balance and proprioception (the sense of where your body is in space)
- Increases body control and accuracy of movement
- Enhances coordination
- Increases body awareness
- Strengthens the feet, ankles, knees, legs and hips
- Stabilizes the core
- Improves posture
- Reduces your risk of injury
- Builds determination and perseverance
- Enhances focus and concentration
- Quiets and sharpens the mind
Timing
- Morning or Pre-Workout—to activate neuromuscular pathways and focus the mind.
Advantages of Training Yoga for Balance
- Yoga offers great variety and complexity of movement to your balance training.
- In yoga, we practice static balancing poses. We also flow through balance sequences that are, arguably, more applicable to excellence in sports.
- Practicing barefoot enhances the effectiveness of the mechanoreceptors in your feet. These mechanoreceptors pick up subtle sensations as your balance shifts. This makes your movements more accurate and precise.
We share this article with permission. This article originally appeared on Yoga 15’s blog.
