Improving Balance: Grounding Exercises 1

Last week we learned a powerful tool for improving balance, by increasing floor connection and stability. Now it’s time to take the principle of staying grounded to the dance floor and feel it in action.

Practice One: Progressive Movement

1. Stand tall with parallel feet and soft knees. Feel the weight of your feet sinking into the floor, like quicksand.
2. Soften the right knee further, releasing and sending the left foot forward with a heel lead. Keep your back straight, and feel your pelvis sinking downwards and slightly forwards on the balls of the feet.
3. Push forward out of the proverbial quicksand with the right foot, transferring the weight to the left, letting the knee soften slightly to absorb your weight. Repeat.
4. When you reach the far wall, switch to back steps. Keep your pelvis tucked under the spine and sink into the ball of the standing leg while the opposite one stretches backwards. Repeat.

Keep the abdominals engaged to shorten the stomach. A key part of improving balance through grounding is preventing the centre neutral, not tilting away and sending the butt out.

Practice Two: Rise and Fall

1. Stand tall, as before.
2. Gradually soften the knees over a 3 count, feeling your legs grow heavy. For you nature-lovers, imagine your feet are sprouting roots, pushing into the soil below.
3. Over a 3 count, ‘grow’ from your pose back to soft knees. Then count to 3 again while pushing down with the balls of the feet to lift the heels. Imagine your roots are spreading and pushing deeper, while feeling the rising energy move through your torso, neck, and head.
4. Hold for 3 counts, keeping the downward energy stronger then the upward energy.
5. Lower the heels with resistance, as if pushing through a rather soft cheese, over 3 counts, and repeat.

It’s important to be both tall and rooted when improving balance. Create tallness by rising through the lower back up through the crown, and direct the downward energy from hips and below for roots.

Improving balance through grounding takes some time, and so does explaining it - so I’ve decided to post two more exercises later this week! That’s right, TWO articles! In the meantime, give these a try.