Balance exercises are helping concentration skills, both physical and mental stability, as well as physical and mental poise.
For stability you need to gaze at one point, with which and with the slowed down, focused breathing your adrenocorticotropic hormone release will decrease, that is slowing down further stress hormone release by the adrenal glands. So you decrease high cortisol levels if it’s the case and relax your adrenal glands when they are fatigued.
Balance exercises are also helping mastering transitions from one position to the other, from one stage of life to the other, and developing power.
Ultimately they are helping preventing injury from falling as we age.
To support you in this journey we go through how to get into this Extended Hand to Big Toe – Externally Rotated- position with practice.
photo by Dr Peter Tompa
I recommend it for the evenings or prior to stressful meetings in any place, where you can fit your extended limbs.
With balance exercises it’s important to focus your gaze at one spot. Choose your spot before starting the challenge.
You start with feet hip-width apart and before raising the left knee, naturally you shift your weight into your right foot.
When raising the left leg, first just do it with bent knee up toward your left armpit, and hold your shin with the left hand pressing the top of your left thigh to your trunk when finding balance again. Inhaling-exhaling slow, keep your supporting leg straight; lift up your belly starting with the lower abdomen into the chest and broaden your chest. You may use the right arm to find your balance.
Now either hold on to your pinky and the side of your left foot with your left hand (as on the picture), or just grab the big toe with your first 3 fingers and start to straighten your left leg. Straighten just to the point where you feel a stretch right at the centre of the back of your left thigh. You don’t want to feel the stretch near your sitting bone or down toward your knee. Before straightening the left leg all the way out, most importantly your supporting leg is straight and strong. Eventually your right hand should rest either on your right hip, or should be extended straight out to the side. Keep lengthen up tall through your spine.
After softly landing your left foot next to the right, repeat the same on the other side.