Published October 22, 2026 06:04AM
Taylor Lorenz—known online as Taylor’s Tracks—is a certified yoga teacher with more than 800 hours of training in vinyasa, hatha, and yin yoga. Here, she shares a yoga practice designed to test (and improve!) your sense of balance.
If you’re looking for a little more stability on your mat and in your life, practicing yoga for balance is a strong place to start. Achieving a sense stillness when grounded on one foot—or on your hands or even on your head—demands finding alignment and engagement throughout your entire body. Not to mention, it’s also a mental feat. Calm focus is required for that elusive sense of balance that ultimately feels effortless, not unlike floating.
Many yoga poses are designed to challenge your sense of balance, and sequencing several of these postures together can help you further explore and strengthen your sense of steadiness. But finding the time to incorporate this practice into your schedule is the first step—remember, your everyday life also benefits from balance.
13-Minute Yoga for Balance
Yoga blocks are technically optional for this process, but you’ll be surprised at how having a prop or two nearby can provide exactly the support you need.
Thunderbolt Pose
Begin kneeling in Thunderbolt Pose. For extra support, slide a block beneath your bottom.
Cow Pose
Inhale as you lower your belly, lift your chin and chest, and arch your back in Cow Pose.
Cat Pose
Exhale as you round your back and tuck your chin in Cat Pose.
Repeat this pattern of movement for 3 breaths.
Downward-Facing Dog
Tuck your toes and lift your hips in Downward-Facing Dog, pedaling out through your legs, taking any movement in your hips, maybe shaking your head yes or no before coming to stillness.
Stay here for 4 cycles of breath.
Standing Forward Bend
Walk your feet towards your hands, coming into Standing Forward Bend near the top edge of your mat.
Halfway Lift
Inhale, come into Halfway Lift with a flat back. Exhale, fold.
Mountain Pose
Inhale, rising slowly to a standing position and sweeping your arms overhead. Exhale, bringing you hands together at heart center in Mountain Pose.
Now, move through a modified Sun Salutation, moving with the pace of your breath. Exhale, Standing Forward Bend. Inhale, Halfway Lift. Exhale, planting your hands on your mat and stepping back to Downward-Facing Dog. Walk forward to the top edge of the mat and repeat once more, ending in Down Dog.
Plank Pose
Shift your weight forward to Plank Pose.
Exhale as you lower down to your belly, either through Chaturanga or taking your knees to the mat in Knees-Chest-Chin.
Cobra Pose
Untuck your toes and inhale as you lift your chin and chest in Cobra Pose.
Downward-Facing Dog
Tuck your toes and exhale as you move to Downward-Facing Dog.
Take two breaths here before walking or jumping to the top of your mat. Then repeat the following poses for a second Sun Salutation:
- Standing Forward Bend
- Halfway Lift
- Standing Forward Bend
- Mountain Pose
- Standing Forward Bend
- Halfway Lift
- Downward-Facing Dog
- Plank Pose
- Chaturanga or Knees-Chest-Chin
- Cobra Pose
- Downward-Facing Dog
- Standing Forward Bend
Stork Pose
From Standing Forward Bend, slowly roll all the way up to standing.
Inhale as you sweep your arms overhead. Lift your left knee toward your chest in Stork Pose, flexing your raised foot.
Warrior 3
Drive your left heel forward as you straighten your left leg and then lower your left foot to the mat, shift your weight into it, and lean forward in Warrior 3. Ground into your left foot and lift your right heel up and back so it’s parallel to your mat, sweeping your arms back alongside you.
Take 1 full breath here.
Standing Figure-4
Begin to draw your right knee toward your chest in Stork Pose, lifting your arms high. With an exhalation, bring your hands together at heart center and place your right ankle over your left knee. Sink your hips back and sit low in Standing Figure-4.
Stay here for 1 full breath.
Dancer Pose
With your next inhalation, bring your arms high and your right knee back to Stork Pose. Exhale, sweeping your right knee and your right hand behind you to grab the inside of your right foot in Dancer Pose. Lift your left fingertips high and forward as you guide your right knee back. Kick into your back foot and tilt forward.
Half Moon Pose
Slowly begin to move into Half Moon Pose. Release hold of your right foot, extending your right leg straight back, flexing your foot. Land your left hand on a block or your left fingertips on the mat and open your body toward the right, right fingers reaching toward the sky.
Take 1 full breath here.
Revolved Half Moon
With your next inhalation, bring your right hand to your block or your mat and reach your left fingers toward the sky in Revolved Half Moon.
Reverse Warrior
When you’re ready, move back to your chest facing the right side of the mat without pausing before taking a big step back onto your right foot. Move through Warrior 2 and into Reverse Warrior by taking your right arm to your back thigh, bending into your left leg, and lifting your left arm overhead in Reverse Warrior.
Revolved Runner’s Lunge
Cartwheel your arms down to your mat. Land your right hand to the inside of your left foot and reach your left arm toward the sky in Revolved Runner’s Lunge.
Standing Splits
With your next exhalation, bring both hands to your mat to frame your front foot. Crawl your fingers forward and lift your right toes toward the sky in Standing Splits.
Take 2 full breaths here. For an even greater balance challenge, try holding onto your left leg with both hands as you continue to reach up through your right leg.
Cross-Legged Standing Forward Bend
Exhale, bringing your right foot to meet your left in a Standing Forward Bend.
Inhale, Halfway Lift. Exhale, fold forward. Inhale, step your left foot behind your right so your legs are crossed. Exhale here. Use your next inhalation to roll slowly to a standing position, raising your arms overhead, your legs still crossed.
Standing Side Bend
Grab your left wrist with your right hand and exhale to your right in a Side Bend. Inhale back through center.
Inhale to lift up on your toes (your legs should still be crossed). Exhale to twist all the way around to face the opposite end of your mat, uncrossing your legs in the process.
Repeat the following poses on the opposite side:
- Stork Pose
- Warrior 3
- Standing Figure-4
- Dancer Pose
- Half Moon Pose
- Revolved Half Moon
- Reverse Warrior
- Revolved Runner’s Lunge
- Standing Splits
- Cross-Legged Standing Forward Bend
- Standing Side Bend
Post-twist, you should wind up facing the original top edge of your mat.
Toe Squat
Stay high on your toe, keeping your arms high overhead as well. Slowly begin to lower toward your heels, sitting into a Toe Squat with your sit bones touching or almost touching your heels.
Balance here for 2 full rounds of breath.
Toe Stretch
As gently as you can, lower your knees to your mat for Toe Stretch. You can bring your hands to the mat in front of you if you need.
Stay here for 4 rounds of breath.
Tabletop
Walk your hands forward and come into a Tabletop position on your hands and knees, lightly tapping the tops of your feet against your mat.
Savasana
Lower down onto your front body. Stay here, or flip over to come into a traditional Savasana.
Stay here for 3-5 minutes or as long as you’d like.
Closing
When you’re ready, roll onto either side and use your hands to press yourself up to a comfortable seat. Bring your hands together at heart center and thank yourself for making it your mat today.
