Increasing circulation of blood and energy within the body is key to a strong and healthy immune system. This article will discuss plate balancing, a head-to-toe exercise that works all the joints in your body to quickly and effectively improve circulation and boost your immune system.
What is Plate Balancing Exercise?
This exercise involves rotating all the joints in the body while stretching the arms, legs, and hips. While stimulating energy, blood, and lymph circulation to every nook and cranny of the body, plate balancing trains the muscles and joints, strengthens the energy center in the lower abdomen, and increases concentration through a sense of
balance. Most importantly, since this exercise helps you circulate better and
raise your body temperature, you can naturally boost your immune system by practicing it just once a day. You can find more details in our previous immunity blog
here.
To do plate balancing, you can either use a real plate, another object, or imagine that you are holding a plate in your palm with your palm always facing up.
Note: Please be careful not to use fragile and sharp objects that could hurt you. Always practice on a soft surface like a carpet.
Plate Balancing With One Hand
1. Plant your right foot forward, about one and a half times your shoulder width, toes pointing forward. Turn the left foot outward at a 45-degree angle. Bend your knees slightly. Your stance should feel comfortable and balanced.
2. Balance a plate on the palm of your right hand and hold it at elbow height over your right knee. Rest the back of your left hand against your back.
3. While leaning your upper body forward, pull your right hand—with the plate balanced on it—in toward your body in a counterclockwise circle, pivoting around your elbow until your arm is straight out to the side and twisted so that your palm is still facing upward. With your elbow straight, continue the circle by moving your shoulder until your arm is extended in front of you. Keep your palm facing up.
4. Begin a second circle by moving your arm counterclockwise over your head as you extend your upper body back as far as you can and straighten your right (front) knee while bending your left (back) knee. Look back at your hand as it circles behind you. Twist your arm as much as you need to in order to keep your palm (and your plate) facing upward. As your hand passes behind you and comes around to its original position in front of you, straighten your upper body.
5. Repeat this spiraling motion several times, then reverse the direction and spiral the plate in a clockwise direction.
6. Now switch the position of your feet and repeat the sequence with the plate balanced on your left hand.
Plate Balancing with Two Hands
1. Standing with your feet close together and your palms facing up, bend your elbows about 90 degrees and hold your elbows comfortably by your waist. If you have difficulty keeping your balance in this position, place your feet about shoulder-width apart. Balance a plate on each palm, or you may choose not to use plates. You can also hold the plates in place with your thumbs.
2. Bend your upper body forward, bringing your hips back and straightening your knees as much as you can. Keeping your knees straight will provide the most benefit to your back and legs. However, if you have trouble balancing in this position, you can bend your knees.
3. As you bend forward, slowly pivot your hands around your elbows in toward your body until your arms are out to the sides. With your palms facing up, continue the circle until your arms are extended out in front of you.
4. Straighten your upper body, crossing your arms in front of you as you raise up.
5. Now lean your upper body backward as you move each hand above your head in the biggest circle you can make out to the sides, until your hands come back to their original positions.
Check out this tutorial video on how to do Plate Balancing Exercise:
Try plate balancing for 10 minutes a day in the morning or evening. As you master the motion, you can increase the time you practice and get your blood pumping more everyday.
This wellness guide is a part of our
Immunity Boosting Toolkit. Look out for more articles in the coming weeks on how to boost your immune system naturally and get your body healthy.