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Yoga for balance: a 30-minute standing class, from steady to moving

A 30-minute yoga class for steadier balance: standing poses that build leg strength, one-leg poses with a wall to hold, and the stepping and reaching that falls guidance asks for. Practise next to a kitchen counter or a wall, and make one thing harder at a time as you improve. Yoga improves balance in trials, but it hasn't been shown to prevent falls on its own; if falls are your worry, do this alongside balance and strength exercises, or tai chi.

30 minBeginner16 movesA wall · A bench or boxHip flexors · Calves · Quads · Glutes · Hip abductors · Hamstrings
Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Settle

  1. Slow breathing (6 breaths a minute)2 min
    Beginner · 3D demoStand tall or sit. In through your nose for about 4, out for about 6Easier: Breath reachHarder: Crocodile breathing (prone diaphragmatic breathing)

Warm up

  1. Standing march60 s
    Beginner · Hip flexors, Abs, Glutes · 3D demoNext to the counter; pause briefly with each knee upEasier: Seated marchHarder: Standing band hip flexion
  2. Ankle circles10 slow circles each way with each foot
    Beginner · Calves, Shins · 3D demoThe move page's dose. Hold the counter, and keep the circles small if an ankle is soreHarder: Ankle CARs (controlled articular rotations)

Stand steady

  1. Mountain pose (Tadasana)5 to 10 slow breaths, twice
    Beginner · Calves, Back, Abs · 3D demoWeight even across both feet. Do the second round with your eyes closed only if you're steady; over 60, keep your eyes open unless one-leg standing is easyHarder: Tree pose (Vrksasana)
  2. Tandem stance and heel-to-toe walk30 s each way round, then 10 steps
    Beginner · Calves, Hip abductors · 3D demoLook at a point ahead, not at your feet. Fingertips on the counter, then offEasier: Semi-tandem stanceHarder: Single-leg stand

Strong legs

  1. Chair pose (Utkatasana)3 holds of 5 breaths
    Beginner · Quads, Glutes, Shoulders · 3D demoSit back as if onto a tall stool; keep your hands on your thighs if raising your arms is hardHarder: Revolved chair pose (Parivrtta Utkatasana)
  2. Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)5 breaths each side
    Intermediate · Quads, Glutes, Adductors · 3D demoFront knee over your second toe. Shorten the stance if your knee complainsEasier: Chair pose (Utkatasana)Harder: Extended side angle (Utthita Parsvakonasana)
  3. High lunge (crescent lunge, Ashta Chandrasana)5 breaths each side
    Intermediate · Quads, Glutes, Hip flexors · 3D demoHands on your hips. Lower the back knee onto a cushion if you wobbleEasier: Low lunge (Anjaneyasana)Harder: Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III)

One leg, with the wall

  1. Tree pose (Vrksasana)3 to 5 breaths each side, twice
    Beginner · Glutes, Hip abductors, Calves · 3D demoFingertips on the wall. Foot on your ankle, then your calf, never pressed into the side of your knee. Next level: hand hovering, then a slow head turnEasier: Mountain pose (Tadasana)Harder: Standing hand-to-big-toe pose (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana)
  2. Standing hand-to-big-toe pose (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana)3 breaths each side
    Advanced · Hamstrings, Glutes, Hip flexors · 3D demoLift one knee and hold it with your hand, with the other hand on the counter. Stand tall rather than lifting higherEasier: Tree pose (Vrksasana)Harder: Dancer pose (Natarajasana)
  3. Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III)3 breaths each side, twice
    Advanced · Glutes, Hamstrings, Back · 3D demoHands on the back of a chair at hip height. Hinge forward as your back leg lifts, and keep it low rather than arching your backEasier: High lunge (crescent lunge, Ashta Chandrasana)Harder: Standing splits (Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana)

Moving balance

  1. Side-stepping (sideways walking)10 steps each way
    Beginner · Hip abductors, Glutes, Adductors · 3D demoThe move page's dose. Walk sideways along the counter, keeping your hips levelHarder: Lateral band walk
  2. Backward walking10 steps, 2 or 3 times
    Beginner · 3D demoShort steps with a hand near the counter; clear the floor behind you firstHarder: Backward sled drag
  3. Single-leg reach matrix2 rounds of 5 reaches in each direction, each leg
    Intermediate · Quads, Hip abductors, Glutes · 3D demoTouch the floor lightly in front, to the side and behind, and come back to tall without putting the foot downEasier: Standing crossed-leg side reachHarder: Single-leg Romanian deadlift
  4. Sit to stand from a chair8 to 10 slow stands
    Beginner · Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings · 3D demoUse a firm chair with its back against the wall. Stand up briskly and sit down slowly; hands on your thighs if you need themEasier: Sit to stand, pushing on the thighsHarder: Bodyweight squat

Rest

  1. Corpse pose (Savasana)5 min
    Beginner · 3D demoOr sit in a chair with your eyes open. Get up slowly: roll onto your side, then come up to sitting

Tips

  • Do it 2 or 3 times a week for at least 12 weeks, and make one thing harder every week or two: less hand support, a narrower stance, a slow head turn, then eyes closed.
  • Over 60, keep your eyes open in one-leg poses unless one-leg standing is easy.
  • Yoga improves balance tests, but no trial has shown that it prevents falls, and a UK chair yoga trial found no fewer falls. If falls are your worry, add the balance and strength exercises in our balance guide, or tai chi, on other days.
  • The stepping, reaching and sit-to-stands are our reading of falls guidance, which asks for balance that is challenged while you move and made harder over time; no trial has tested this class.
  • If you've fallen in the past year, feel unsteady when you walk or get dizzy, start with the strength and balance exercises for seniors and see a GP: you may be able to refer yourself to a falls service.
  • With numb feet, keep a hand on the counter for every one-leg pose. With dizziness from an inner-ear problem, leave out head turns until your physiotherapist adds them.
  • Come up slowly from any bend, and sit down if you feel dizzy or light-headed.

The doses are suggested starting points, not a prescription. Choose a range you can control and stop for sharp or increasing pain, numbness or tingling. Get individual advice after an injury or surgery, or if you are pregnant or managing a health condition.

Guides that recommend it

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Questions people ask

How long does the yoga for balance: a 30-minute standing class, from steady to moving take?

About 30 minutes, including any warm-up and cool-down listed. Shorten it by doing fewer rounds; lengthen it by adding one.

What equipment do I need?

You need: A wall, A bench or box. Each move links to its guide, where you can find an alternative if you are missing something.

Is it suitable for beginners?

It is written for beginners. 10 of its 16 moves have an easier option listed beside them if you need one.

How do I make it easier or harder?

Use the easier or harder option listed under each move, change the number of rounds, or adjust the rest. Progress one change at a time.