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Yoga Basics: Eagle Pose or Garudasana the Soaring Balance Pose

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Do you struggle with balance? 

As a yoga teacher, one of the biggest complaints I get from clients is how terrible their balance is.  Here’s the thing, if we don’t work our balance regularly, balance will go away. 

Did you know that falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for older Americans? Falling, that’s your balance.

That’s why in today’s tutorial,  Jennifer Dixon with Thrive Yoga and Wellness and Thrive Online (www.thriveyogaandwellness.com/thrive-online) goes over a balance posture, called Eagle pose or Garudasana. In this Yoga Basics tutorial, you will learn all about eagle pose and how you can incorporate it into your personal practice for improved balance and mobility, whether you are 16 or 67, you can work towards improving your balance, and this posture, although slightly more difficult than other balance postures, can be added to your practice.

Key points to remember when Practicing Eagle Pose:

  • Stand up straight with your belly engaged, shoulders back and away from your ears.
  • You can start out with your one hand on the wall (whichever is closest) until you feel stable and secure
  • Sit in your pretend chair, or Utkatasana (chair pose–that’s a link to our Youtube Channel, if you haven’t already, subscribe!)
  • Lift one leg and place it–aiming for the knees to be stacked. 
  • The lifted leg, reach that foot behind and try to wrap it behind the calf, it may or may not get there.
  • If you are like most people, and balance is an issue, use the top leg’s foot to create a “kick stand” and press those toes into the mat beside the standing leg until you have improved your balance to take it to the next step
  • Now, if you feel steady and want to take this up a level, take the arm of the top leg side, and wrap it below the other arms. Reach the palms towards each other, if that doesn’t happen, it can be back of palms together.
  • If your shoulders are really tight, you can hug your body
  • You can play with bringing your elbows up or down.
  • Hold this pose for equal counts on both sides

Always remember your core and try to keep it engaged to help provide support for your spine.

About Jennifer ERYT 500 & Authorized Ashtanga Yoga Teacher

If you would like to learn more about Jennifer or if you would like to practice with Jennifer in person and you’re in the Chattanooga, TN area, check out www.Thrive Yoga and Wellness.com.  We offer almost 40 classes each week in a variety of modalities from beginners to advanced, to chair and seniors all the way to super physical HIT yoga. It’s a great studio in the suburbs with ample parking and the community vibe. 

Or if you’re not in the area and still want to practice with me, you can totally do it for free, virtually inside the Thrive Online community.  Check us out at www.thriveyogaandwellness.com/thrive-online

In the video, I was practicing on my Mantra Lux Pro mat.  A Chattanooga Based Yoga and Lifestyle company. I have an affiliate link that gets you a discount!  

This post was written by Jennifer Dixon MBA ERYT 500 and Authorized Ashtanga Yoga Teacher.  She is the lead teacher in the Thrive Yoga and Wellness 200 hr Yoga For Every Body Teacher Training program: the Chattanooga area’s ONLY modular 200 hr Yoga Alliance approved Teacher Training program that allows you to train when YOUR schedule allows.  With two semesters each year and plenty of opportunity to practice and train year round, this is the BEST yoga teacher training program for busy folks. Gone are the stresses about missed training weekends, you don’t have to worry about exhaustion and tears from super long intense weekend training every month–with the Thrive Yoga Teacher Training program, you train when your schedule allows and live your best life now.  Yoga Teacher Training should be fun, come practice with us and let us show you how! Another great perk of training at Thrive? You get an unlimited membership to the studio for one full year while you train! NO ONE ELSE offers this amazing deal (worth $1100!) and it’s the PERFECT way to get the training you want with the practice you need. Our next semester starts in August of 2019! See you on the mat soon!