Yoga Practice:
Balancing Stick Pose

Strengthens the muscles of the ankle, leg, lip and back

Mobilizes the hip joint

Stretches the hamstring muscles

Fosters focus and concentration

Improves balance

1. From mountain pose, reach your arms wide to the side and overhead.
2. Lengthen from the tail and the heels reaching down through the top of the head, arms reaching up.
3. Shift weight to the right side until the left leg is free to lift. Slowly tilt the pelvis forward only as far as you choose, while still sustaining the length and support from the head to the tail to the left heel behind you. Pause if you feel the lifted body has become level with the floor.
4. To release, slowly rise up and return the left foot to the floor. Bring the arms down by your side to mountain pose.

Warrior Flow

Warrior Flow Using a Chair as a Prop

Sensitive knees or hips: practice with care and moderation: use a wall or the edge of a desk or chair to improve stability and reduce the angle of hip articulation.

Vestibular or proprioceptive issues: practice with care and moderation: use a wall or the edge of a desk to improve stability

Recent surgery or acute injury to any key muscles or joints

Chronic or recent injury, pain, or inflammation to any key muscles or joints

As a proprioceptive exercise of feeling the body in space, Balancing Stick Pose is more about finding and feeling the length and stability of the lifted body than it is about getting the body level with the floor. If students rush to level the body with the floor, the torso and lifted leg will often drop or drift and break the line from head to hips to heel. Supporting a hand on the back of the chair or on the edge of a desk can moderate the challenge of balance and allow more focus on the internal alignment of the body. Encourage students to explore the spectrum of sensation slowly and prioritize focus on the body in relationship to the body rather than the body in relationship to the floor.

To reduce the challenge of balancing and articulation of the standing hip, place a hand on the back of a chair or the edge of a desk and don’t tilt as far into this posture

To facilitate balance and decrease the intensity for the back-body musculature, spread the arms wider to the sides or place the hands on tall blocks directly beneath your shoulders.

To facilitate awareness of the body in space, bring your hands to your hips so you can feel what you’re doing as you move through the pose.

Never overdo or force any yoga movement. If you begin to experience discomfort or pain, release the posture. Find a variation of the posture that serves your body and practice best.

Practice with self-compassion and non-judgement

Balancing Stick Pose can be done standing or using a chair as a prop.