Look up in the sky! It’s a bird, a plane…
Because of our Trek the Himalayas Adventure program, we’ve been thinking a lot about Mt Everest lately and the superhuman effort it takes to summit. We last delivered the “Tree Pose” to you and this next exercise builds nicely upon it. We call it the “Airplane.”
This is a balance exercise that can grow over time to be quite difficult, but let’s start with the basics.
We challenge you to try this when you’re standing in line, or just waiting somewhere and need to move. The very basic idea is to simply pick up one foot, touch your toe in front, to the side, and in back of you. Try it. Did you keep your balance? Don’t forget to do both sides. Repeat the sequence on each leg several times and see how balanced you stay as you get tired.
Once you’ve accomplished the balance-toe-touch, move on to a greater challenge of the airplane proper…
Put your arms out as if you are going to take flight. While standing up straight, pick up one foot and slightly bend the knee of your weight bearing leg. If you need to, in getting started, feel free to touch the toe of your raised foot to floor a time or two until you get centered.
When you are balanced and comfortable, bend forward at the hips until your shoulders are parallel to the hips. Hold for 10 seconds, raise up and repeat. Do this 10-20 times and then repeat on the other leg.
You’ll be balanced in your core, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!
Let us know how it goes for you.