The Balancing Body

Join yoga therapist Sarah Garden for this comprehensive program where you’ll work with your balance in dynamic and subtle ways, exploring practices that engage, strengthen, and mobilize the entire body (from the feet up!) and utilize props in explorative ways. This program involves self-myofascial release techniques, resistance band practices, standing balance work on blocks and a rolled-up mat, balance work with closed eyes, and much more.

Throughout, Sarah emphasizes that balance work isn’t really about “finding” your balance, but more about engaging in a process of balancing. After all, life is a balancing act where we are constantly growing and evolving, and these practices are designed to reflect that.

Here’s what you’ll get, day by day:

Day 1: In your first class, you’ll build your balance on a foundational level by focusing on your feet. This sequence includes mobilizing therapy ball practices for the soles of your feet and your toes, toe lifts from standing (lifting one toe at a time), and one-legged balance poses (including a variation where you’ll stand on a blanket).

Day 2: Day two is leg focused. This class includes self-massage for your calves, passive and active calf stretches using a rolled-up yoga mat or blanket, and strengthening practices for your hips and thighs that utilize a block and a strap.

Day 3: Your third practice is about hips! In this progressive class, you’ll work on building lateral hip stability through a standing series that eventually leads to one-legged balance practices (including warrior III flows while standing on a block).

Day 4: On day four you’ll explore an upper-body releasing sequence. This class includes a supported heart opener, a seated upper-trapezius stretch, a half quarter dog flow, a thread the needle flow, open twists from table pose, child’s pose, and bridge (both a bridge variation over a bolster and an active bridge).

Day 5: Your fifth class takes things up a notch by featuring dynamic balance and alignment practices. It includes a lateral hip stability practice from mountain pose, a walking and lunging series where you’ll use blocks and a rolled-up yoga mat (your “balance beam”), and hopping around on one leg.

Day 6: In your sixth class you’ll work specifically with your proprioceptive system—i.e., the body’s ability to sense itself in space and adapt to what it senses. This sequence challenges drishti (maintaining a single focus with your gaze during balance work), and you’ll even work toward closing your eyes in balance poses.

Day 7: Your seventh class focuses on the vestibular sense—the sense that helps us stand upright in space. This class includes head tilts (while standing in mountain pose, then on one leg) and standing side bend, forward bend, backbend, and lunge drills. For added challenge, you’ll explore closing your eyes throughout class.

Day 8: In your eighth and final class, you’ll combine the exercises you learned throughout the program. This sequence includes self-myofascial release for your neck, neck stretches and neck strengthening work, one-legged balance poses with a drishti (gaze) practice, walking on a rolled-up mat (possibly with eyes closed), and more.

So…are you ready to learn a wide range of techniques that not only support and strengthen your balance, but are also challenging and fun? Start this program now!