By: Bertil Hjert
Yoga has been practiced by various sages since ancient times. Today, you would see the rage that has been created for this age-old form of exercise. Yoga has cultivated its' niche in the modern society from the old to youngsters, children and celebrities, everyone is into the yogic passion.
Most consider is just a fad and for some it is a passion and a regular form of exercise one cannot live without. There are several benefits of performing yoga. From reducing fat from the body to controlling blood sugar levels and cholesterol levels, yoga provides immense health benefits.
If you are interested in doing yoga and want to get benefited from the immense health benefits it provides, here are some of the poses you can try:
a) Tadasana Mountain Pose - Steps:
1. Stand erect with feet together
2. Spread toes
3. Lift knee caps
4. With thigh bones back and tail bone in, lift sternum from the base of spine.
5. Make sure that shoulder blades and arms extend downwards.
6. Now breathe and hold the position for about 20-30 seconds.
b) Balasana Child's Pose - Steps:
1. Open up your heart and relax
2. Breathe and elongate the spine
3. Breathe again and hold for about for 40-60 seconds.
c) Uttanasana Forward Bend - Steps:
1. Exhale forward and bend into wall
2. Align your feet under each hip
3. The hands should be in level with hips
4. Inhale and lift sitting bones
5. Now exhale and lengthen elbows, spine, elbows, arm pits ribs and sitting bones
6. Breathe and hold for 30-60 seconds.
d) Varkasana Tree Pose - Steps:
1. Hug your left muscles to the bone
2. Bend right leg
3. Now press foot and thigh into each other
4. Take bent knee back and down for balance
e) Marjarasana Cat cow - Steps:
1. Take your hands under shoulders and put knees under hips
2. Now inhale and lift head and tail bone. Concave the back
3. Exhale and tuck tail bone under, round back upward and head down.
4. The movements should be flexible without any restrictions.
5. Start from the pelvis always.
6. Breathe and repeat the asana for about 10 times.
f) Pavana Muktasana little boat pose - Steps:
1. Exhale knees to chest
2. Rock side to side and massage your back
3. Breathe and hold on to this position for about 40-60 seconds.
g) Vajrasana Extended puppy pose - Steps:
1. Start with hips over your knees and arms extended.
2. Now draw buttocks halfway backwards towards calfs when you resist with the palms whole pressing into the floor in order to elongate the spine as well as back muscles.
3. Breathe and hold on for 20-30 seconds.
4. You need to maintain stretch in back when you gradually move towards the child's pose.
h) Jathara Parivartanasana Reclining twist (Crocodile twist) - Steps:
1. You need to lie on left side and place your right foot on left knee
2. Now hop left hip back in order to align hips.
3. Inhale and take right arm over your head and exhale while twisting to right.
4. Maintain equal distance between knee and shoulder from floor.
5. Take long smooth breaths in order to open ribs and elongate spine.
6. Breath and hold on to the position for 40-60 seconds. Repeat on second side.
