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Exercise guide
Dancer Pose
A standing balance on one leg where the free foot is held behind the body and pressed away, combining a backbend with a single-leg hold.
What this exercise works
- Muscles
- gluteus maximus · quadriceps · erector spinae · hip flexors
- Goals
- endurance · strength
- Equipment
- No equipment
- Category
- Strength
- Difficulty
- advanced
Demonstration
Step 1
How to perform the movement
- Stand tall and shift the weight onto one foot, keeping that knee soft.
- Bend the other knee and take hold of the inside of that ankle behind you.
- Press the lifted foot back into the hand and reach the opposite arm forward as the chest lifts.
- Hold the shape for the prescribed time with the standing hip level and the gaze steady.
- Release the foot and repeat on the other side.
Technique cues and common mistakes
- Fix the eyes on one point ahead; a moving gaze is what usually breaks the balance.
- Keep the lifted knee in line with the hip rather than letting it swing out sideways.
- Use a strap around the lifted foot if the shoulder does not allow the direct grip.