Your brain and body work together as a team. In order for your brain to function properly, your body must be in balance. Everything from your blood pressure to the way you feel mentally depends on keeping your body healthy. To achieve and maintain brain-body balance, there are things you can do every day. Eating healthy foods, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep are all important factors. You can also reduce stress levels by practicing relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation exercises. Taking care of yourself physically will help take care of your mind, so let’s get started.
1. Squat with Side Reach
Begin in an upright standing position with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and your toes pointed slightly outward. Maintain good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Clasp your hands together at chest height. Bend your knees and hinge through your hips to lower your seat into a squat position. Keep your knees behind your toes. Raise back up to an upright standing position, squeezing your glutes at the top position. Bend your body to one side and reach overhead with your opposite arm. Return to the starting position and repeat the sequence of movements, this time bending and reaching to the opposite side. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side.
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2. Shoulder Rolls
Begin in an upright standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place your arms on your side. Engage your core. Lift your shoulders, then roll them up and back until you feel resistance in your shoulder blades. Lower your shoulders to the starting position and repeat the movement. Start with 10 repetitions in each direction
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3. Swimming Motion
Begin in an upright standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place your arms at your sides. Engage your core and raise one arm overhead. Push your arm forward and down to the starting position in a ‘swimming motion’. Repeat the movement with your opposite arm, similar to performing a forward crawl. Repeat the sequence of movements. Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions on each side.
4. Chest Openers
Begin in an upright standing position with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Bend your elbows to 90-degree angles and raise both arms at your sides to shoulder height. Contract your core and rotate your arms inward to bring your forearms together. Rotate your arms back out to the starting position, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the end position. Repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions.
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5. Knee Raises
For this exercise, place one hand on the back of a chair or on a wall for balance if needed.
Begin in an upright standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place your hands on your hips. Engage your core and lift one knee, ideally up to hip height. Lower your leg down to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side.
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6. Single Leg Sit to Stands
Begin in an upright sitting position with your feet flat on the floor, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Extend your arms in front of your body and lift one foot. Engage your core, squeeze your glutes, drive your hips forward and press your supporting heel into the floor as you raise to a standing position. Lower back down to a seated position and repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side.
7. Single Leg Alternating Arm Raises
For this exercise, place one hand on the back of a chair or on a wall for balance if needed.
Begin in an upright standing position, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Engage your core and lift one knee up to hip height. Focus on maintaining balance on your one foot as you raise one arm overhead. Lower your arm to the starting position and repeat the movement with your opposite arm, remaining balance on one leg. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions with each arm. Lower your foot down to the starting position and repeat the sequence of movements on the opposite leg.
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8. Single Leg Forward Bends
For this exercise, place one hand on the back of a chair or on a wall for balance if needed.
Begin in an upright standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place your hands on your hips. Engage your core and lift one knee. Slowly bend your upper body forward while maintaining your balance on your supporting leg. Return to an upright position and repeat the movement. After 5 repetitions, lower your leg to the starting position. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side.
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9. Glute Reaches
Begin in an upright standing position in front of a chair with your legs shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Take a step back with one foot to stagger your stance and extend your arms overhead. Engage your core, hinge through your hips to bend your upper body forward, and tap your hands on the chair. Raise back up to the starting position and repeat the movement. After 5 repetitions, stagger your feet in the opposite direction and repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side.
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10. Hip Openers
For this exercise, place one hand on the back of a chair or on a wall for balance if needed.
Begin in an upright standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place your hands on your hips. Engage your core and lift one knee up to hip height. then rotate your knee out to the side. Lower your foot to the starting position and repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side.
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11. Knee Drive to Leg Extension
Begin in an upright standing position with your legs shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place your hands on the back of the chair or on the wall for support. Step back with both feet to bend your upper body forward. Engage your core and transfer all of your weight onto one foot. Lift one knee up to chest height, then squeeze your glutes as you extend the same leg back behind your body. Return to the starting position and repeat the sequence of movements. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side.
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12. Bird Dogs
Begin in a 4-point position with your hands beneath your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Contract your abdominal area. Take a deep breath, lift one arm to be in line with your shoulder, and extend your opposite leg behind your body. Keep your hips and shoulders parallel to the floor. Hold this position for 5 seconds. Relax and return to the starting position. Repeat movement on the opposite side. Start with 1 set of 2 repetitions on each side, holding for 5 seconds.
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13. Child's Pose
Begin in a 4-point position with your hands beneath your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Tighten your abdominal area, shift your seat back to your feet and extend your arms overhead. Lower your forehead down to the floor and relax your mid-back area for a light stretch. Take several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Start with 1 set of 1 repetition, holding for approximately 10 seconds.
14. Downward Dog
Move into a 4-point position with your knees below your hips and your hands beneath your shoulders. Tighten your abdominal muscles, push back with your arms, and straighten your legs as you lift your hips. Take several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and return to the starting position. Start with 1 set of 1 repetition, holding for approximately 30 seconds.
When your body and brain work together, they can accomplish more than you can imagine. These exercises are designed to challenge your balance, so focus and core stability are key. Remember to always be safe when performing any balance exercises. Place one hand on a chair or wall if needed, and slowly decrease your reliance on the support as your stability improves.
Are you new to Yoga and looking for a way to improve your confidence with basic movements? If so, click here to learn more.
