Phase 2 · One Leg, With a Wall

Part of the 12 Week Yoga Program for Balance Confidence

35 Minute Yoga Sequence for Weight Shifting and Leg Strength

Weeks five to eight. The first single leg work, with a wall, plus lunges and eight sit to stands.

The middle four weeks introduce standing on one leg, and they do it with fingertips on a wall for every second of it. The rest of the session builds what makes single leg standing possible in the first place: the lunge for the front of the hip, wide stances held long enough to be work, and eight slow sit to stands instead of five.

35 min · Level 2

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When it helps

For weeks five to eight, twice a week. Thirty-five minutes. A wall, a chair and a blanket. Barefoot on a non-slip floor, never in socks, with a chair or wall within arm’s reach for anything on one leg. This program builds balance confidence and leg control. It is not fall prevention: in the only large trial that counted real falls, the yoga group had more of them, and the people most at risk were the ones who felt steadiest. Feeling steadier is not the same as being steadier.

Single leg standing

Introduced here, with fingertips on the wall throughout. Progress by taking them off for a breath, not by holding longer.

Leg strength

Ninety second holds and eight sit to stands. Balance training without leg strength underneath it does not go far.

Hips

The lunge opens the front of the hip. Years of sitting shortens it, and that shortens your stride.

Standing, wall within reach

Twenty-two minutes upright. Fingertips on the wall for anything on one leg, without exception.

Tadasana

3 min

Mountain Pose

Barefoot, feet hip width, the three points of each foot pressing down. Weight shifting in every direction, then still with the eyes closed for a few breaths, wall beside you.

Standing still with the eyes shut removes vision and leaves the feet and inner ear to do it. It is also one of the tests this research uses.

Learn more about Tadasana

Virabhadrasana II

90 sec each side

Warrior II

Wide stance, front knee bent over the ankle, arms long. Longer holds now. Come up when the thigh has had enough.

Ninety seconds is where leg strength actually gets asked for rather than mentioned.

Learn more about Virabhadrasana II

Trikonasana

1 min each side

Triangle Pose

Feet wide, one hand on the shin or a chair seat. Keep the chest open rather than reaching lower.

A long side body over a wide base. Going low adds nothing here.

Learn more about Trikonasana

Vrkasana

30 sec each side

Tree Pose

Stand with a wall beside you, fingertips touching it the whole time. Foot on the ankle or the calf, never against the side of the knee.

The first single leg work in the program, in week five, with a hand on a wall. That timing is deliberate.

Learn more about Vrkasana

Garudasana

30 sec each side

Eagle Pose

Arms crossed and wrapped, knees soft, legs uncrossed at first. Fingertips of the top hand near the wall.

The upper back and shoulders in the shape that coats and seatbelts need, with a balance demand attached.

Learn more about Garudasana

Utkatasana

1 min, eight times

Chair Pose

Eight slow sit to stands now, three counts down and three counts up.

Adding repetitions while keeping them slow is the progression. Faster is not harder here.

Learn more about Utkatasana

Anjaneyasana

1 min each side

High Lunge

A long lunge with the back knee down on a blanket, hands on the front thigh or a chair. Feel the front of the back hip open.

Hip extension. A tight hip flexor shortens the stride, and a short stride is a shuffle waiting to happen.

Learn more about Anjaneyasana

Prasarita Padottanasana

2 min

Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend

Feet wide, folding from the hips, hands to a chair seat or blocks. Keep the back long.

A wide base and a hip hinge together. It is also the safest way to fold if your bone density is low.

Learn more about Prasarita Padottanasana

Uttanasana

2 min

Standing Forward Bend

Feet hip width now, knees soft, folding from the hip crease.

Narrower base, same hinge. This is the version you use to pick something off the floor.

Learn more about Uttanasana

On the floor

Thirteen minutes down low, and the way back up.

Marjaryasana

2 min

Cat Pose

Hands and knees, rounding on the out breath.

The spine after twenty-two minutes standing.

Learn more about Marjaryasana

Bitilasana

2 min

Cow Pose

Chest forward on the in breath, slowly.

Extension, and the last thing that asks for anything.

Learn more about Bitilasana

Apanasana

2 min

Knees to Chest Pose

On your back, knees towards the chest.

On the way out.

Learn more about Apanasana

Savasana

3 min

Corpse Pose

Flat, cushion under the knees. Roll to your side, sit up, then stand with a hand on the chair.

The same ending as every session here.

Learn more about Savasana

Phase 2 · Weeks 5 to 8

This practice is part of a program

It belongs to One Leg, With a Wall, the second phase of the 12 Week Yoga Program for Balance Confidence. The program says how often to practise it, what comes before and after, and when to move on.

See the whole program →

Integration

Twice a week for weeks five to eight, plus ten minutes on a third day. Do not take the fingers off the wall in these four weeks. That step belongs to the last phase and the ordering is the point.

The teacher behind this sequence

Gründer & Autor

Manish Rana

Gründer von Asanaverse.de. Manish schreibt über Yoga, Ayurveda und Meditation und verdankt seine tiefe Verbindung zum Yoga seinen indischen Wurzeln. Mit über 1000 Stunden Yoga Alliance Teacher Training gibt er sein Wissen an die Community weiter.

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