What Is Body Awareness and 20+ Exercises to Improve It

Have you ever tripped over your own feet or lost your balance when reaching for something on a high shelf? We’ve all been there. As we age, our bodies change, and we may find ourselves moving differently than we used to. These small mishaps can be frustrating and even embarrassing, but they’re also a sign that our body awareness could use a tune-up. Body awareness refers to our ability to sense and move our bodies, and improving this sense can help us move with greater control, confidence, and ease. In this article, we’ll explore the importance of body awareness and offer valuable insights to improve your own through simple, effective exercises.

One way to boost your body awareness is with Pliability’s mobility app. With guided routines and a library of slow, controlled movements, this app is a valuable tool to help you achieve your goals and move with ease.

What Is Body Awareness and Why Is It Important?

Body awareness refers to the level of consciousness and connection you have with your own body. It’s also known as kinesthesia, or the awareness of the position and movement of body parts in relation to muscles and joints. 

Body awareness encompasses three integral components: 

• Proprioception refers to the sense of how our body parts are oriented and move in space. 
• Interoception is the awareness of internal bodily sensations, like: 
  
  • Hunger
  • Thirst
  • The heart’s rhythm. 
• Vestibular awareness plays a crucial role in maintaining balance and spatial orientation, facilitating head stability and smooth movement. 

These components work in tandem to foster a comprehensive understanding of our physical existence and our interactions with the world around us. Body awareness can also extend to your body’s cues. When you recognize that you’re hungry, thirsty, or tired, you’re exercising body awareness.

Why is Body Awareness Important?

Enhancing body awareness is paramount for several reasons. It is a key element in managing chronic pain, reducing anxiety and stress, and improving overall well-being. By becoming more attuned to our physical sensations, we can recognize the early signs of emotional and physical distress, enabling us to take prompt and appropriate self-care measures. 

Body awareness is instrumental in improving posture, balance, and movement efficiency, making it a vital component of overall well-being and healing.

What Causes Poor Body Awareness?

Several factors contribute to poor body awareness, including a lack of physical activity, chronic stress, and neurological or developmental disorders that affect the proprioceptive and vestibular systems. 

In today’s sedentary lifestyle, where screen time often replaces physical play and movement, many individuals, from a young age, miss out on crucial opportunities to develop a nuanced understanding of their bodily sensations and movements.

Difficulty with Body Awareness Can Cause

Poor body awareness creates a disconnection between the mind and body, which can have profound implications on mental and physical health, including increased susceptibility to: 

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Chronic pain
• Stress

Anxiety

When there’s poor body awareness, an individual might struggle to recognize and interpret the body’s signals accurately. For instance, the inability to identify the physical manifestations of stress or anxiety, such as an increased heart rate or muscle tension, can prevent effective coping mechanisms from being employed. 

Without these mechanisms, minor stresses can escalate into persistent anxiety, as the individual remains in a heightened state of alertness without understanding why or how to alleviate these sensations.

Depression

A disconnect from one’s bodily sensations can also contribute to depression. This disengagement can lead to a decreased ability to find pleasure in activities that once were enjoyable, including those involving physical engagement. The lack of awareness and attentiveness to one’s own needs and feelings can lead to a negative self-perception and a sense of isolation. 

The body’s reduced ability to recognize and express emotions physically can stifle emotional processing and recovery, perpetuating the cycle of depression.

Chronic Pain

In the context of chronic pain, poor body awareness can create a vicious cycle where the individual is more focused on the pain itself rather than the body as a whole. This hyperfocus can lead to an overestimation of pain signals and an underutilization of the body’s natural pain management resources. 

The inability to notice and address minor discomforts before they escalate can lead to the development of chronic conditions. The body’s pain response is also closely tied to emotional states; thus, a lack of integration between body and mind can intensify the perception of pain.

Stress

Stress is a natural response to challenges and demands, but the body’s ability to return to a state of rest is crucial for maintaining health. Poor body awareness can impede this process by making it difficult for individuals to recognize the physical signs of stress, such as tension or fatigue. 

Without recognizing these signs, individuals may continue to push through stressors without allowing for recovery or engaging in self-care practices. This continuous exposure to stress can strain the body’s systems, leading to long-term health issues and decreased resilience to future stress.

Related Reading

• What is Functional Movement
• Functional Strength Training
• Does Yoga Help With Mobility
• How Long Does It Take to Improve Flexibility
• Why is Range of Motion Important
• How to Fix Tight Hamstrings

20+ Best Physical Exercises for Body Awareness

1. Body Scan: Mindfulness Exercise for Body Awareness

During a body scan, you focus your attention on different parts of your body, scanning it as the name suggests. There are many different ways to use body scans and various ways to focus on each body part. 

You can: 

• Sit or lie down
• Start at your feet or your head
• Be in silence
• Use music

I enjoy sitting and staring at my feet. I imagine a warm ball of light flowing upward, slowly spreading from my toes to my forehead. 

Practicing Mindful Body Scans for Greater Self-Awareness

Whatever way you choose to complete a body scan, take your time. Body scans are, at their core, a mindfulness practice. The goal is to keep your attention on your body without judging your thoughts or feelings. Like any mindfulness practice, if you find your mind wandering, gently and kindly redirect your attention back to the task at hand.

As you focus on each part of your body, notice any sensory input, such as the sensation of clothing or itchiness. Keep your breathing even, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. 

2. Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Calm Your Mind and Body

Similar to the body scan, progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) focuses your attention on one part of your body at a time. You start PMR in the same way as a body scan, by sitting or lying in a relaxed position and slowing your breathing. Isolate your attention on each part of your body, starting at your feet and working your way up. 

Progressive Muscle Relaxation for Stress Relief and Body Awareness

In addition to noting sensory feelings, such as those in the body scan, intentionally tense the muscles in each body part as you focus on it.  Then, when you release the muscle, breathe out and let it relax fully. Tightening the muscle before you relax allows it to relax more fully. 

You may notice areas of your body that carry muscle tension you didn’t realize were there before. Since doing this exercise on each part of your body helps improve your body awareness, as well as calm your mind and body, it is a great practice to do when you are: 

• Stressed
• Anxious
• To aid in falling asleep

3. Yoga: Link Breath and Movement to Boost Body Awareness

Yoga is one of the most well-known and widely practiced forms of body awareness exercise. It involves linking breath and movement to become more present in body and mind. 

It has been shown to have multiple benefits, including: 

• Reducing stress
• Improving heart health
• Lowering inflammation

4. Tai Chi: Slow Movements for Better Body Awareness

Tai chi is an ancient Chinese practice that stems from the martial arts tradition. It involves slow, deliberate movements and breath. It has become a popular low-impact exercise and is also known as “meditation in motion.” Tai chi is a safe and effective form of exercise for beginners. It may also offer benefits like: 

• Stress relief
• Improved mood
• Better sleep

5. Walking Backward: An Unexpected Exercise to Improve Body Awareness

As silly as it may sound, walking backward is an effective way to enhance body awareness. Walking backward forces you to connect with your body in a new way and relate to your movement in a different way. It also engages muscles that don’t get used as regularly as those used in regular walking. 

Be sure you’re in a safe environment, and move any obstacles out of your path before trying to walk backward.

Exercises To Improve Your Proprioception

Here are some at-home exercises to improve your proprioception. If you struggle with balance, consider positioning yourself near a wall or having a partner for support. As your balance improves, you can add a wobbleboard or disc for added difficulty.

6. One-Leg Balance Test

To do the one-leg balance test: 

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips. 
• Shift your weight onto your left foot and lift your right foot a few inches off the ground. 
• Stand in this position for 30 seconds and switch sides. 
• Repeat 2 to 3 times. 

This exercise enhances awareness of joint positioning, helps stabilize the muscles surrounding the ankle and knee, and improves proprioception.

7. One-Leg 3-Way Kick

To do the one-leg 3-way kick: 

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips. 
• Shift your weight onto your left foot and lift your right foot a few inches off the ground. 
• Hold for 2 to 3 seconds, then return to the starting position. 
• Follow the same steps as you lift your right leg to the side of your body and then behind you. 
• Switch sides and repeat this 2 to 3 times. 

This exercise increases body awareness and coordination.

8. Cone Pickups

Tip: As you perform this movement, engage your core and use your buttocks and hamstrings to help stabilize your balance. 

To do cone pickups: 

• Stand on one foot with your hands on your hips and a cone 2 feet in front of you. 
• With control, bend at the hips and reach forward to grab the cone. 
• As you reach, allow your left leg to extend backward. 
• Lift yourself back up until you’re in the starting position. 
• Then, repeat the movement to return the cone to its original starting point. 
• Switch sides and repeat this 3 to 4 times. 

This exercise improves: 

• Balance
• Stability
• Proprioception

9. Reverse Lunge

To do a reverse lunge: 

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips. 
• Shift your weight to your left foot and take a significant step back with your right foot. 
• With the ball of your right foot touching the ground and heel up, lower your right leg until your thigh is perpendicular to the ground and your right knee is at a 90-degree angle. 
• Your left knee should also be bent 90 degrees. 
• Push into your heel and squeeze your glutes to lift your body back to the starting position. 
• Repeat this 8 to 12 times. 

Reverse lunges enhance balance and body awareness, particularly in the lower body.

10. Bird Dog

To do the bird dog: 

• Start on all fours with your knees aligned with your hips and your shoulders aligned with your hands. Be sure your back and neck are in a neutral position. 
• Extend your left arm forward and your right leg back while leaving your other arm and leg on the ground for support. 
• Hold for 2 to 3 seconds, then alternate sides. 
• Repeat this 8 to 12 times. 

The bird dog is a great exercise to improve: 

• Core stability
• Balance
• Body awareness

11. Tree Pose

To do tree pose:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands together in front of your chest. 
• Shift your weight onto your left foot and lift your right foot off the ground. 
• Bend your right knee outward and place your right foot on your left inner thigh. 
• Place it on your left inner calf. 
• Hold this position for 10 to 20 seconds, or however long you can. 
• Then, switch sides. 

This balance exercise helps improve body awareness and coordination.

12. Tightrope Walk

To do the tightrope walk: 

• Tape a straight line about 3 to 6 feet long on the floor. 
• Use a long piece of string or rope. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips. 
• Place one foot on the line or beside the rope. 
• Then, place your other foot directly in front of it as if you’re walking a tightrope. 
• Walk to the end of the line without stepping off to the side. 
• Turn around and walk back. 
• Repeat this 3 to 4 times. 

The tightrope walk helps improve balance and body awareness.

13. Banded Triplanar Toe Taps

For beginners, try this move without the loop band: 

• To do banded triplanar toe taps, place a loop band around your ankles and stand with your feet hip-width apart. 
• Shift your weight to your left foot and lower into a quarter squat. 
• Using the loop band as resistance, tap your right toe forward, to the side, and backward. 
• Repeat this 10 times, then switch to the other side. 

This exercise improves: 

• Balance
• Coordination
• Body awareness

14. Flamingo Stand

To do the flamingo stand: 

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips. 
• For more balance, stretch your arms out to your sides. 
• Shift your weight to your left foot and lift your right leg up with a 90-degree bend at the knee. 
• Hold this for 10 to 20 seconds, or however long you can. 
• Then switch sides. 

This exercise helps improve balance and body awareness.

15. Sumo Squat to One Leg

To do a sumo squat on one leg:

• Stand with your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart and turn out at a 45-degree angle. 
• Hinge your hips and bend your knees to lower into a sumo squat. 
• Keep your core tight. As you lift up, shift your weight onto your left foot and explode upward to lift your right leg off the ground to the side. 
• Hold your right leg up and pulse 2 to 3 times for added difficulty. 
• Return to the starting position. 
• Do this 8 to 12 times before switching sides. 

This exercise improves: 

• Lower body strength
• Dynamic balance
• Body awareness

16. Floating Tabletop

To do the floating tabletop:

• With the back of the trainer facing towards your legs, place your hands on the wooden frame and carefully crawl both knees onto the cushion. 
• Keeping your shoulders stacked over your hands and your hips above your knees, start exploring gentle movements with your core engaged. 
• Flow between cat and cow (arch/round in the spine) a few times to build confidence before extending one arm or leg at a time to explore the space. 
• Be mindful of keeping your weight evenly distributed so that all four legs of the Trainer remain firmly in contact with the floor.

17. Floating Child's Pose

After exploring dynamic movement atop the Trainer, let's calm things down with some passive relaxation. 

• From the tabletop position, lower your shoulders towards your hands as your tailbone drops slowly back towards the heels, adjusting the knees to find a preferred leg position. 
• Feel free to move your hands down to the crossbar or onto the ground for more space to let your head hang. 
• Once comfortable, simply focus on each breath and visualize what your body looks like in the space you're currently in.

18. Heel-Toe Walking

To do heel-toe walking:

• Bring your arms to the side so they’re parallel to the floor. 
• Use chalk or a string to make a line to follow. 
• Walk in a straight line, placing the back of your heel against the toes of your opposite foot. 
• Move slowly and with control. 
• Continue for 5 to 20 steps.

19. Single-Leg Cross-Body Punches

To do single-leg cross-body punches:

• Hold two dumbbells at chest height. 
• Yield your weight onto your left foot, coming into a quarter-squat. 
• Keeping your left leg strong and stable, punch the weights across your body, one at a time. 
• Then do the opposite side. 
• Do 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 repetitions. 

This exercise improves: 

• Core stability
• Balance
• Body awareness

20. Paloff Press with Rotation

To do Paloff Press with rotation:

• Stand facing a cable machine. 
• Using both hands, hold the cable handles at chest height. 
• Walk to the right side and extend your arms away from your body. 
• Engage your core as you turn away from the machine, maintaining alignment along the centerline of your body. Keep your arms extended and return to the starting position. 
• Then do the opposite side. Do 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 repetitions. 

This exercise enhances core stability and body awareness.

Related Reading

• How to Get a Crook Out Your Neck
• Loss of Mobility
• How Does Flexibility Work
• Flexibility Gymnastics
• Are Women More Flexible Than Men
• What is the Impact of Age on Flexibility
• What is Passive Stretching

Improve Your Flexibility with Our Mobility App Today | Get 7 Days for Free on Any Platform

Mobility refers to the ability to actively move a joint through its full range of motion. This depends on several factors, including the joint’s structure, the flexibility of the muscles and connective tissues around the joint, and the nervous system’s control of movement. 

Enhancing mobility can improve: 

• Athletic performance
• Reduce injury risk
• Enhance the overall quality of life

While flexibility is a component of mobility, the two are distinct. Flexibility refers to the ability of a muscle or muscle group to lengthen. Someone can be very flexible but lack the mobility to control movements involving that flexibility.

The Difference Between Flexibility and Mobility in Movement Control

For example, a gymnast may have excellent flexibility and the ability to control movements involving that flexibility. In contrast, a person with limited flexibility might be able to perform a basic hamstring stretch but would likely struggle to control the movements associated with that stretch. 

Enhancing mobility can improve: 

• Athletic performance
• Reduce injury risk
• Enhance the overall quality of life

Pliability: Mobility-Focused Yoga for Athletes and Active Lifestyles

Pliability offers a fresh take on yoga, tailored for performance-oriented individuals and athletes. 

Our app features a vast library of high-quality videos designed to: 

• Improve flexibility
• Aid recovery
• Reduce pain
• Enhance range of motion. 

Pliability offers daily-updated, custom mobility programs for individuals seeking to optimize their health and fitness. It also includes a unique body-scanning feature to pinpoint mobility issues. If you're feeling limited by pain or your ability to move, Pliability aims to complement your existing fitness routine and help you move more effectively. 

Sign up today to get 7 days free on iPhone, iPad, Android, or on our website. Our mobility app helps improve flexibility, aid recovery, reduce pain, and enhance range of motion. 

Related Reading

• What is Static Exercise
• Dynamic Movement
• Why Does Stretching Hurt
• Yoga Poses for Flexibility
• Hip Opening Yoga Poses
• Proprioception Exercises
• Neck Mobility Exercises
• Flexibility Goals Examples

‍