Ground Control

Lay a firm and level foundation with your feet and watch beautiful, balanced standing poses rise.

By Julie Gudmestad

An old adage goes, "As the foundation is laid, so the walls of the house will rise." In yoga, you build a firm and level foundation by focusing on your feet, and from it a strong, spacious, and elegant pose will rise. To create a firm foundation, use the strength of your legs to send strong roots into the earth; make the foundation level by contacting the floor evenly with your feet. Building awareness in the feet in each and every pose may sound tedious, and, yes, it can take years of practice, but it's well worth the effort. If you subject your feet to incorrect alignment—whether in yoga poses or while dancing, running, walking, or especially while wearing ill-fitting shoes—you'll eventually end up with nagging strains or even serious injuries.

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