Balance for Beginners

Balance for Beginners is a short class designed for graceful warriors, suitable for those new to sword yoga, yoga in general, or even more advanced practitioners, as it reviews the basics of balance. The class focuses on key principles of balance: core activation (squeezing inwards and rounding out the spine a little) and breath. You can return to this practice again and again to employ those balance principles.

The Flow Sequence:

Warm-up: Three clockwise neck circles, followed by counterclockwise circles.

Seated Stretches with Sword:

Exhale to hunch, inhale to lift (five repetitions).
Seated side stretch with legs crossed, focusing on feeling the stretch on each side.
Seated outside flower with a forward fold, extending the right leg.
Seated outside flower with a forward fold, extending the left leg.

Seated Sword Flow:

Bringing the sword overhead, turning, and performing an overhead flower before coming down (several repetitions).
Opening the legs wide, switching sides, turning, and performing an overhead flower before coming down.

Tabletop Position:

Performing Cat-Cow without the sword.
Balance 1: Tabletop balance, extending the left leg and holding the sword outwards for five breaths, keeping the core activated.
Core Work: Ten rounded-out kickbacks with the left leg (Sabina cautions against arching out the spine).
Balance 2: Tabletop balance, extending the right leg and holding the sword outwards for ten breaths, keeping the core activated.
Core Work: Ten rounded-out kickbacks with the right leg.
Curving out with the sword at chest height (four times).

Standing Balance:

Tree Pose: Starting with a modified Tree Pose, focusing on a spot that is not moving for concentration, and breathing.
Standing Knee Hold: Bending the grounded knee and holding the opposite knee up with the toe pointed forward for ten deep breaths (the extended leg is held lightly above the ground with no weight on it).
Eagle Pose, side one: Lifting the foot up and over the standing leg (MODIFICATION - repeating Tree Pose or a knee lift), performing an outside flower, and holding for ten deep breaths.

Standing Balance (Opposite Side):

Tree Pose: Repeating Tree Pose on the opposite leg, holding for ten.
Standing Knee Hold: Repeating the knee hold, bending the standing knee, and holding the toe pointed forward lightly for ten.
Eagle Pose: Lifting the foot up and over the standing leg (MODIFICATION - repeating Tree Pose or a knee lift), performing an outside flower, and opening.

Cool Down: Inhale to lift, exhale to release (three deep breaths to close the class).