How To Do Dancer Pose
Dancer is a balance pose that improves not only balance but overall stability and posture while stretching your quadriceps and hip flexors, In addition, while you stand on one leg to balance you are improving the stability and strength in your ankle. If you are looking for a way to improve your balance and stretch tight leg muscles you should learn to do Dancer Pose.
Fitness professionals will tell you that balance is an important element of your fitness routine, especially as you age. The Mayo Clinic reports that balance training is important, especially with age, since a deterioration in balance can lead to falls and fractures. And yet, balance is crucial for everyone. It improves your workouts, protects you from injury and lessens the effects of every day slips and falls. Dancer Pose is a more challenging balance pose, and yet with practice you can learn how to do it.
Before you try Dancer Pose you should first learn how to do Tree Pose. Tree Pose is a basic pose that almost anyone can learn and it will teach you the basics of balance such as using your core and finding a focal point with your eyes. One you have Tree Pose mastered, you can slowly take the leg that you are holding up and move it behind you in order to transition into Dancer Pose.
If you find yourself struggling and tipping over too much to effectively practice Dancer Pose, start by standing next to a wall. Use your hand against the wall to help you maintain statility until you are able to remove it and balance on your own.
Here are the steps for learning how to do Dancer:
1) Stand tall with feet together and arms by side.
2) Shift your weight onto your left foot and pull your right heel toward your right glute.
3) Reach around with your right hand and grab hold of your right foot or ankle. Draw your knees together.
4) Take a deep breath in and as you exhale simultaneously press right foot back and up while reaching left arm forward and up.
5) Hold 30 seconds and breathe, extending the stretch with each exhale. Swtich sides.