Balancing postures challenge every student, from beginners to long-term practitioners. Standing Head to Knee, Standing Bow, Balancing Stick, and the balancing element in other postures - they all require the same fundamental skills: physical stability, visual focus, and mental quiet. Some students have natural balance; most need to develop it through practice. And the thing that wobbles first is rarely your ankle — it's your head. "Negative self talk" is the phrase our own students use for it, unprompted, again and again. The good news is that balance improves dramatically and relatively quickly with consistent work. At our Darlinghurst studio, we've watched countless students go from falling out constantly to holding solid, steady balances. As one of them put it, class is "Enough time to get over myself" — which turns out to be most of what balance asks. This article shares the technical, physical, and mental keys to mastering balance in Bikram yoga.

Look after your eagle pose

The third posture of the series is eagle pose. It is an amazing posture for your joints, pelvis, vascular and reproductive systems and overall flexibility. It is the preparation for the next three balancing postures which require a tremendous amount of strength and concentration. If you look after your eagle pose it will look after you.

English Bull dog determination

The more you apply yourself the more you will need to use what Bikram calls English Bull dog determination. Will power, patience, courage, fearlessness, concentration, faith in your abilities, determination, endurance (I'm talking mental endurance here).

The short version

  • Focus on one unmoving point for entire posture - don't look around
  • Standing leg must be completely locked and engaged
  • Stomach pulled in stabilises core and protects lower back
  • Mental stillness supports physical balance - quiet your mind
  • Falling out is learning - come back in immediately without judgment
  • Balance improves quickly with practice - usually within first month
  • Core strength from other postures supports balancing postures
  • Confidence grows as balance improves, creating positive cycle

Build your balance at 185 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst. Book online or call 0449 228 740.