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Pose collection · 10 poses

Balancing yoga poses, from Tree to Crow

By the YogaPhilippines.com editorial teamPublished Updated

Balancing yoga poses are shapes where the base gets small: one foot, as in Tree, Eagle, Half Moon and Dancer; the hands, as in Crow and Side Plank; or the sit bones, as in Boat. Fix your gaze on one still point, spread the standing foot, keep the breath slow, and practise beside a wall.

Download the printable PDF PNG

Beginner

A woman in a sage set balances in Tree Pose with her foot on her inner thigh and palms together at her chest, on a Manila rooftop at golden hour.

Tree Pose

Vrksasana
Foot on the ankle, calf or inner thigh, never on the knee. The first one-legged balance to learn.
A woman in a sage set balances on one leg and holds her lifted knee at hip height in Flamingo Pose.

Flamingo Pose

Modern variation
Stand on one leg and lift the other knee or hold the foot in front. A simple test of steadiness.
A man balances in Boat Pose with legs lifted and arms reaching forward, in a BGC condo studio with towers in the window.

Boat Pose

Navasana
Balance on the sit bones with the knees bent and the chest lifted.

Intermediate

A woman in a cream set stands in Eagle Pose with legs wrapped, knee bent and arms twined in front of her face.

Eagle Pose

Garudasana
Sit low, cross one thigh over the other and wrap the arms. The low seat is what keeps you up.
A woman in a sage set holds Warrior II, front knee bent over the ankle and arms stretched wide, gazing past her front hand in a Makati studio.

Warrior Poses

Virabhadrasana I, II and III
Warrior III: tip forward on one leg until the body and lifted leg form a line, hands on blocks.
A woman in a sage set balances in Half Moon Pose, one hand on a cork block, back leg lifted and top arm reaching up.

Half Moon Pose

Ardha Chandrasana
From Triangle, lift the back leg and stack the hips, with the lower hand on a block.
A woman in a stone set balances in Dancer Pose, holding her raised back foot behind her and reaching her other arm forward.

Dancer Pose

Natarajasana
Hold the back foot, kick it into the hand and tip forward slowly. Keep the standing knee soft.
A woman in a sage set balances in Side Plank on one straight arm with her top arm reaching up, on a BGC rooftop.

Side Plank

Vasisthasana
Balance on one hand and the side of one foot, or drop the lower knee for support.
A woman in an oat set balances in Crow Pose, knees on her upper arms and feet lifted, with a folded blanket in front of her hands.

Crow Pose

Bakasana
Knees high on the upper arms, lean forward until the feet lift. A cushion under the face.

Advanced

A man holds an L-shaped handstand at a plaster wall, hands on the mat and feet pressing into the wall at hip height.

Handstand

Adho Mukha Vrksasana
The balance upside down on the hands. Learned in stages at a wall, ideally with a teacher.
Printable A4 chart: Balancing yoga poses, from Tree to Crow, 10 poses with English and Sanskrit names
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<a href="https://yogaphilippines.com/poses/balancing-yoga-poses/"><img src="https://yogaphilippines.com/print/balancing-yoga-poses.png" alt="Balancing yoga poses, from Tree to Crow by YogaPhilippines.com" width="620"></a><br>Chart: <a href="https://yogaphilippines.com/poses/balancing-yoga-poses/">YogaPhilippines.com</a>

Balancing yoga poses train you to stay steady on a small base. Most of them stand on one foot, but a few balance on the hands or the sit bones, and all of them ask for the same three things: a fixed gaze, an active standing foot and a slow breath.

The standing balances also appear among the standing yoga poses, one card each, with two lines on how to come into each. This page gathers every kind of balance in one place, in order of difficulty, with a cue for staying up.

How do you get better at balancing yoga poses?

Spread the toes of the standing foot and feel the weight across the heel and the ball of the foot. Lift through the inner arch. Soften, but do not lock, the standing knee. Then pick your gazing point before you lift anything.

Practise near a wall and use it. Short holds of three to five breaths, repeated, build steadiness faster than one long, shaky attempt. Falling out is part of it: step down, reset and go again.

The standing balance sequence puts these shapes in a fifteen-minute order, and Tree Pose, Vrksasana has the full steps for the one most people learn first.

Which balances are harder than they look?

Half Moon and Dancer ask for balance while the body tips sideways or forward, which takes the eyes away from the horizon. Crow, Side Plank and Handstand move the balance onto the hands and wrists, and need strength as well as steadiness; the page on arm balances and how to build up to them covers those in more depth. For a one-page balance poses chart drawn as line figures, with a cue for each pose, see the printable yoga resources.

If you feel dizzy, have an inner-ear condition or have had falls, keep a chair or wall within reach and see a doctor before practising one-legged balances alone. Stop any balance that hurts a knee or ankle.

For shapes that are steady enough to hold for a camera, the guide to yoga photoshoot poses includes several of these.

The printable card set on this page shows each pose with its English and Sanskrit name.

Safety noteYoga is not medical care. Stop if anything feels sharp, pinching or numb, and see a doctor or physiotherapist about pain or an injury before you practise. Inversions such as headstand and shoulderstand load the neck and raise pressure in the head: avoid them with neck injuries, glaucoma or in pregnancy, ask your doctor first if you have high blood pressure, and learn them with a teacher. Read the health and safety note.
Sources: Mayo Clinic, Fitness program: 5 steps to get started; NCCIH (US National Institutes of Health), Yoga: Effectiveness and Safety; PLoS One (Cramer et al., 2013), via PubMed Central, Adverse Events Associated with Yoga: A Systematic Review of Published Case Reports and Case Series; PLoS One (Jasien et al., 2015), via PubMed Central, Intraocular Pressure Rise in Subjects with and without Glaucoma during Four Common Yoga Positions. Last reviewed 2 October 2026.

Questions

Why is balance in yoga harder on some days?

Tiredness, a late night, caffeine, a busy mind and even the time of day all change how steady you feel. Balance varies from day to day for everyone, so a wobbly session is information, not failure.

Where should you look in a balancing pose?

At one point that does not move, a little ahead of you on the floor or at eye level on the wall. Teachers call this the drishti, the gazing point. Looking around the room is the quickest way to tip over.

Is it fine to use a wall for balancing poses?

Yes, and it is how most people learn them. A fingertip on the wall lets you find the shape and the alignment first. Take the hand away for a breath or two at a time as you get steadier.

Which style of yoga is best for practising balance?

Any style that includes standing poses gives you balance practice. Slower styles such as Hatha hold each balance for several breaths, which suits learning the shape and the gaze. Flowing styles such as Vinyasa move in and out of balances with the breath, which asks for steadiness on the move. Many people start slow and add flow later.

What do balancing yoga poses work on?

Balancing poses ask you to stay steady on a small base, so the feet, ankles and legs work constantly to make small corrections. Arm balances such as Crow and Side Plank add strength in the wrists, arms and middle of the body. All of them train focus, because a still gaze and a slow breath are what keep you up.

Keep reading

Arm balance yoga poses, in the order you learn themTree PoseVrksasanaBalance exercises from yoga for steadier feetStanding poses

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