Expanding Stability Through the Whole Body
When we think about balance or connection to the ground, we often think only of our feet. But grounding is a full-body experience. From your sit bones to your hands and knees, stability is shaped by every point of contact you make with the floor.
Whether you’re sitting, crawling, or moving dynamically, understanding how to engage these contact points gives you more control, better alignment, and a deeper sense of physical awareness.
By exploring grounding beyond the feet, you can develop a deeper sense of stability and connection in both static and dynamic movements.
Pelvic Points: Sit Bones and PSIS
Understanding Pelvic Contact Points
The sit bones (ischial tuberosities) are your anchor in seated positions. The PSIS—bony points at the back of your pelvis—offer subtle cues about alignment and balance.
Grounding Through the Pelvis
When your weight is evenly distributed on the sit bones, the spine stacks naturally, and tension in the back and neck begins to ease.
- Example: In seated postures, checking whether your weight is centered across both sit bones can quickly correct poor alignment.
Dynamic Applications
Grounding through the pelvis isn’t limited to sitting—it plays a stabilizing role in crawling, twisting, or seated rotations.
- Example: During a seated twist, anchoring one sit bone allows the torso to rotate more freely without collapsing into the hips.
Hand Pressure and Arm Joint Motion
The Role of Hand Contact in Stability
Hands become your foundation in many movements—whether you’re on all fours, planking, or practicing yoga. Balanced pressure across the palms distributes load evenly.
- Example: In a plank, spreading the fingers and pressing through the base of the palm prevents strain and improves shoulder alignment.
Arm Joint Interactions
Your elbows and shoulders support hand contact. They work together to manage force, stabilize movement, and protect the wrists.
- Example: A well-aligned push-up stacks the elbows over the wrists and engages the shoulders, keeping the movement stable and efficient.
Exploring Hand Grounding in Practice
Conscious pressure through different areas of the hand can enhance grounding and connection.
- Example: In Downward Dog, pressing evenly through the thumb and pinky base helps distribute weight and reduce wrist stress.
Knee or Elbow Grounding
Grounding Through the Knees
Knees provide feedback and support in kneeling, lunging, and crawling positions. They help transfer weight from the ground through the legs and into the core.
- Example: In a lunge, lightly grounding the back knee while pressing through the front foot creates a more stable base.
The Elbow as a Contact Point
Elbows anchor the body in forearm-based movements and offer an alternative to wrist-heavy positions.
- Example: In a forearm plank, the elbows serve as a grounding point that allows full core engagement while reducing wrist strain.
Connecting Through the Leg or Arm
When grounded, the elbows and knees act as transmission points—connecting limbs to the torso and helping create full-body tension or relaxation depending on the task.
- Example: In a crawl, alternating pressure through the knee and hand helps manage balance while propelling forward.
Enhancing Grounding Through Awareness
Distributing Load Evenly
Learning to feel how your body contacts the ground helps you adjust and refine balance in real time.
- Example: In a seated position, shift side to side and forward/backward to find a centered connection through the sit bones.
Integrating Multiple Contact Points
Stability improves when you coordinate different points of contact. Rather than isolating grounding to one area, think of it as a team effort across the body.
- Example: In quadruped (hands and knees), balance the load evenly to engage the core and stabilize the spine.
Progressing to Dynamic Movements
Grounding awareness starts in stillness but is most valuable in motion. Apply these concepts to crawling, planks, lunges, and beyond.
- Example: In a bear crawl, consciously pressing through each hand and foot helps maintain rhythm, balance, and coordination.
Common Mistakes or Misconceptions
Overloading One Contact Point
When you rely too heavily on a single point (like the hands in a plank), it leads to strain and compensatory tension elsewhere.
Ignoring Alignment
Grounding without attention to posture can reinforce poor movement habits. Contact points only work when aligned properly with the rest of the body.
Focusing Solely on Feet
Limiting grounding to the feet misses the opportunity to stabilize the body more fully through the pelvis, hands, and knees.
Practical Takeaways
- Ground Beyond the Feet: Explore the pelvis, hands, and knees as essential parts of your foundation.
- Distribute Load Evenly: Feel how your body interacts with the ground and make adjustments to maintain alignment and reduce tension.
- Integrate Movements: Use crawling, planks, and rotational drills to train stability across multiple contact points.
- Build Awareness: Small shifts in contact and pressure can have a big impact on balance, control, and body connection.
Conclusion
Grounding isn’t just something your feet do—it’s something your whole body participates in. From your sit bones to your hands and knees, each point of contact offers an opportunity to stabilize, align, and move more efficiently.
Ground yourself fully, and discover a new level of stability and control in every movement you make.