The four main systems involved in the act of balancing are the vestibular system, visual feedback, proprioception, and pressure sensors in the soles of your feet. In this yoga series, we train each of those systems by challenging our balance while focusing our attention on one of the elements (gaze, sensory feedback, sole of the foot, etc.)

To be able to balance effectively and effortlessly, we cannot be too stiff or too loose in our muscles and ligaments. We use yoga poses to develop the necessary strength and flexibility in different body parts, starting from the foundation (our feet and ankles) and moving on to calves, knees, and hips. Since stability comes from the center, we focus on strengthening our core and developing the suppleness of the spine.

Balancing involves close coordination between multiple body parts. Muscle synergy is a coordinated effort by several muscles that work together in a particular order to produce a desired action. The more we practice our muscle synergies, the more ingrained and effortless they become. In this series, we attempt to balance with legs straight or knees bent, on the toes or one foot, with eyes open and with eyes closed, with the support of the wall or chair, and without. This kind of variety helps prepare our bodies for different kinds of potential balance challenges.

Dynamic balance is the ability to maintain stability during weight shifting and transference. Our balance is most challenged when we are in motion, especially when walking on uneven or unstable surfaces, up or down the stairs, or encountering unexpected obstacles underfoot. In this series, we train our dynamic balance by moving in and out of balance poses, moving within a balance pose, moving between two or more balancing poses, and using movements that defy expectations.

Our ability to maintain a balance posture depends on many factors, including what’s going on in our heads. Feeling anxious, distracted, rushed, judged, or lacking in some way interferes with our ability to balance and can lead to further frustration. That is why, when we prepare for balance postures, we need to prepare our body and our nervous system, as well.

This series consists of fourteen chapters. Each chapter introduces a specific strategy you can use to train your balance. Each chapter includes an introductory video, one or two articles on the subject, and two or three yoga practices of various intensities that illustrate our discussed points. We’ve combined all fourteen chapters into a handy 58-page PDF file that you can revisit whenever you wish.

Balance training works only when we do it intentionally and mindfully. Instead of attempting a balance pose and then quickly giving up, we can try to maintain a balancing position for at least 30 seconds. The balance pose doesn’t have to be still, serene, and perfect; in fact, recovering your balance as you begin to fall out of the pose is just as important because it helps your body and brain figure out what needs to be done to reestablish balance.

You can do the practices included in this series in order or pick and choose the ones you need most. In each yoga practice, we will use movement, breath, and awareness to help you navigate your body’s position in space. Be sure to follow instructions on what to do with your gaze and where to place your attention– those subtle details are important during balance training.

Hi there! My name is Olga Kabel. I’ve been practicing and teaching yoga for over two decades. Over this period of time, as yoga had carried me over life’s peaks and valleys, I came to realize that yoga to me is not about achieving a particular physique, but more about how I handle life’s challenges, big and small, that get thrown my way. It is also about finding joy and contentment in everyday moments. To me, yoga is not just a thing to do, but a place to be—it’s a state of feeling more centered, more awake, and more aware of my experiences. This is why I practice yoga, and this is how I teach it. This is why I’ve made yoga both my profession and a way of life.

I don’t want you to miss out on the full potential of what yoga has to offer. Regular yoga practice has the power to transform any area of your life for the better. One thing that’s always fascinated me about yoga is its ability to affect change. We all know change is inevitable—our bodies and our lives go through it every single day. We cannot stop change (no matter how hard we try), but through our yoga practice, we can affect the direction of change. This redirection doesn’t need to be dramatic—even the slightest one will set you on an entirely new course. And this can show up in any area of your life, whether it’s your health, your work, your relationships, or your experiences of joy and contentment.