Where Do You Stand?
Okay, so you know you need to improve your balance and strength. Maybe you’ve been feeling stiff when you get up in the morning, or you notice it’s harder to move around as easily as you used to. But beyond that feeling, do you know where you really stand?
Would you like to know how you compare to your peers in terms of flexibility, balance, and strength? In other words, how does your current fitness measure up to where a healthy individual your age should be? Measuring your baseline is one of the most powerful steps you can take toward improvement. With just a few simple yoga poses and a timer, you can check your current levels and get a clear sense of where you’re doing great—and where you might need a little work. Grab a timer, follow along, and let’s find out where you stand.
Five key poses are all you need to get a general idea of your current fitness level:
Chair Pose (Utkatasana)
What It Measures
Chair Pose is a great indicator of lower body strength and core stability. It also assesses your ability to maintain proper alignment and endurance in the legs and back.
How to Do It
1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Inhale and raise your arms overhead, keeping them straight.
3. As you exhale, bend your knees as if sitting back into a chair. Keep your chest lifted, and avoid letting your knees go past your toes.
4. Hold this position, engaging your core and thighs.
Where Do You Stand?
Advanced Baseline Measurement:
Hold the pose for 1 minute or more thighs parallel to the floor.
Maintain a neutral spine with arms extended and chest open.
No visible strain or wobbling.
Intermediate Baseline Measurement:
Hold the pose for 30–45 seconds with thighs close to parallel.
Slight arch in the lower back is present, but the upper body stays strong.
Minor shifts in balance are corrected quickly.
Beginner Baseline Measurement:
Hold the pose for 15–20 seconds with knees bent at an angle (thighs not fully parallel).
Arms might tire or lower, and the chest may lean forward.
Balancing is more difficult, and weight may shift to the toes.
Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana)
What It Measures
This pose measures flexibility in the hamstrings, calves, and lower back. It also indicates mobility through the hips and the spine’s ability to lengthen.
How to Do It
1. Stand with feet together or hip-width apart.
2. Inhale to lengthen your spine, and as you exhale, hinge at the hips to fold forward.
3. Keep your legs straight or slightly bent, and let your head hang, placing hands on the floor or shins.
Where Do You Stand?
Advanced Baseline Measurement:
Hands or palms are flat on the floor with legs fully straight.
The spine is long, and the upper body relaxes into the fold.
No discomfort in hamstrings or lower back.
Intermediate Baseline Measurement:
Hands touch the floor or ankles with slight bend in the knees.
Flexibility in the hamstrings is moderate, and the lower back feels a mild stretch.
Some effort is needed to maintain the fold.
Beginner Baseline Measurement:
Hands rest on shins or knees with knees noticeably bent.
Hamstrings and lower back feel tight or strained.
Difficulty relaxing into the fold, and the back rounds.
Tree Pose (Vrksasana)
What It Measures
Tree Pose is a key indicator of balance and stability, especially in the standing leg. It also tests your core engagement and focus.
How to Do It
1. Stand tall and shift your weight onto one foot.
2. Bend the other knee and place the sole of your foot on the inner thigh or calf (avoid the knee).
3. Bring your hands together at your chest or extend them overhead. Focus on a point to maintain balance.
Where Do You Stand?
Advanced Baseline Measurement:
Hold the pose for 1 minute on each side with foot firmly placed on the inner thigh.
The standing leg is steady with no wobbling.
Arms stay lifted, and gaze remains focused without shifting.
Intermediate Baseline Measurement:
Hold the pose for 30–45 seconds with foot on the inner calf or lower thigh.
Minor adjustments in balance are needed.
Arms may tire and lower, but the core stays engaged.
Beginner Baseline Measurement:
Hold the pose for 10–20 seconds with foot resting on the ankle or calf.
Frequent wobbling and shifts in the standing leg.
Balance is hard to maintain, and the core may not feel strong.
4. Mobility: Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)
What It Measures:
Spinal flexibility and mobility, which is essential for day-to-day activities. Cat-Cow is a great way to assess how well your spine is moving. IT also helps to assess how well you can articulate each segment of your spine.
How to Do It
Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
Inhale as you arch your back, lifting your head and tailbone (Cow).
Exhale as you round your spine, tucking your chin to your chest (Cat).
Where Do You Stand?
Advanced Baseline Measurement:
Smooth transitions between Cat and Cow with controlled range of motion.
Synchronization of movement with breath, with no strain or discomfort.
Good range of motion in both directions.
Intermediate Baseline Measurement:
Good range of motion with noticeable articulation of the spine.
Some stiffness in the lower back or neck, but overall fluid movement.
Breath and movement are mostly in sync, with minor effort to coordinate.
Beginner Baseline Movement:
Limited spinal movement with rounding primarily in the mid- or lower back.
Stiffness in the spine making movement feel restricted.
Difficulty linking breath with movement or maintaining a smooth flow.
5. Boat Pose (Navasana)
What it Measures
Deep abdominal strength and endurance.
A strong core is critical for stability, posture, and injury prevention. Boat Pose is a perfect test of core strength and endurance. It challenges your abdominal muscles, lower back, and hip flexors.
How to Do It
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat.
Lean back slightly, lifting your feet off the ground so your shins are parallel to the floor.
Extend your arms forward and hold.
Where Do You Stand?
Advanced Baseline Measurement:
Hold the pose for 45–60 seconds with legs fully extended and a straight spine.
Core remains deeply engaged, and arms are steady without dropping.
No shaking or discomfort, with a confident balance.
Intermediate Baseline Measurement:
Hold the pose for 20–30 seconds with legs extended or bent, maintaining a mostly straight spine.
Some wobbling in the core or legs, but balance is mostly controlled.
Minor strain or shaking toward the end of the hold.
Beginner Baseline Measurement:
Hold the pose for 10–15 seconds with bent knees and hands possibly supporting the legs.
Difficulty keeping the chest lifted or balancing, with significant wobbling.
Core tires quickly, and legs may drop early.
The Power of Measuring Your Baseline
There’s huge power in understanding where you stand today because it provides a clear starting point for improvement. Whether it’s balance, strength, flexibility, mobility, or core endurance, knowing your baseline allows you to track improvements over time.
This provides a tremendous amount of motivation and accountability and it's why I highly recommend keeping a practice journal (so much so that I've decided it's time to design one for you!).
Grab a notebook and a timer and record how long you can hold each pose, how you feel, and any changes in your flexibility or stability. When you come back to these same postures in a few weeks or months to compare notes, you’ll have proof of how much you’ve progressed, and you can celebrate your progress. You can acknowledge disappointments and seeming setbacks and use them as fuel to get stronger! Understanding your level of strength, flexibility, and balance against a universal "average" is essential, especially as we get older (and wiser;)). These 5 simple yoga poses provide key benchmarks for clear insight into your fitness levels, while providing a road map for improvement.
Next Steps: Incorporate these metrics into a weekly routine. Use any notebook to keep tabs on your progress, and check in regularly to measure your improvements. The power to transform your health is in your hands—now is the time to take action!
Next Steps: Unlock Your Strength and Flexibility
If you're want to improve your flexibility and strength, now’s the perfect time to take action. I invite you to check out my new 8-week program, Strong for Life, or join one of my Strong and Calm yoga classes. These sessions are designed to help you build strength, balance, and flexibility.
Whether you’re new to strength training or looking to deepen your yoga practice, these classes will empower you to feel your best and move with confidence. Sign up today and get started on your journey to a stronger, more flexible you!
Keep an Eye Out for Your Strong + Calm Yoga Practice Journal!
I’m working on creating a yoga practice journal specifically designed to help you track your progress in these areas! Stay tuned for its release, and get ready to dive deeper into your practice with measurable, motivating results!
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