HOW THESE YOGA POSES WILL TRANSFORM YOUR BODY EFFECTIVELY !

The postures and yoga exercises provide a low-impact way to work your body, and helps to develop focus and stillness in both mind and body, strengthening you from the inside out. Here are some fundamental yoga exercises that you can incorporate into your routine: To learn more about the principles and importance of yoga go and read my post: LINK!

BREATHING & RELAXATION:

YOGIC BREATHING: encourages deep breathing, boosting energy and reduces stress and toxins in your body

→ Sit tall with your legs crossed. Place one hand on your abdomen and the other on your chest. As you inhale, feel your abdomen expand and rise like a balloon filling with air. As you continue to draw in air, feel your chest rise, the back and sides of your rib cage expand, and your collar bones lift.

→ As you start to exhale, firstly feel your abdomen gradually relax and deflate, then feel your rib cage lower again. Finally, empty the last bit of air from your lungs by actively drawing in your abdomen. Repeat both steps at least 10 times in total, drawing up tall through your head and keeping your sitting bones firmly anchored to the floor.

CHILD’S POSE: an exercise to help your lean how to control your breathing

CORPSE PORSE: encourages complete relaxation – physical and mental ( should be done at the end of every yoga practice)

SUN SALUTATION:

MOUNTAIN

→ Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and firmly rooted to the floor and your arms by your sides. Imagine a plumb line through the centre of your body to help to keep you in balance. As you inhale through your nose, let your body grow taller. As you exhale through your nose, draw your shoulder blades back and down.

EXTENDED MOUNTAIN

→ As you inhale, pull your belly button towards your spine and sweep your arms above your head so that they are close to your ears, with your palms facing inwards. Feel all the muscles in your body lengthen and ensure that you keep your body in a straight line.

STANDING FORWARD BEND

LUNGE

PLANK

CHEST, KNEES, CHIN

→ As you exhale, bend your arms and lower your knees, chest, and chin to the floor but keep your hips high. Keep your hands under your shoulders and your • elbows close to your body. Pull your belly button towards your spine and look directly forwards.

UPWARD DOG

DOWNWARD DOG

UPPER BODY STRENGTH AND TONING:

COBRA: strengthens your back and increases your flexibility of your spine and also releases any held tensions in your upper back

INCLINED PLANE: stretches the front of your body and strengthens the back of your body and therefore balances out the work of forward bends

BOW: stretches the whole front of your body and releases tensions from your upper back

SHOULDERSTAND: strengthens your shoulders and upper back muscles ( do not move your head throughout the movement )

SPINE FLUIDITY:

SEATED TWIST: improves the flexibility and fidelity of your entire spine – from base to neck and it also gives your abdomen a nice message

LYING TWIST: rotation that opens your rib cage and provides a twist through your waist in order to ease stiffness and release tension

WHEEL: stretches the whole front of your body, works your back muscle, increases the flexibility of your spine and boost energy levels

FISH: releases tension in your neck and throat, corrects round shoulders and coupons your chest area

DEEP HIP RELEASE:

HORSE: creates power in the legs and glutes as well as giving your inner thighs a stretch

SITTING SQUAT: works all your leg muscles and requires strength and flexibility

SINGLE-LEG FORWARD BEND: stretches all the muscles of the back of your body ( it’s good to follow it with its counterpose the Inclined Plane )

CROSS-LEG FORWARD BEND: helps calm the mind as well as giving the inside thighs a stretch

→ Sit cross-legged on the floor. As you inhale, draw up tall through the top of your head. As you exhale, slowly hinge towards your hips and place your hands on the floor in front of you, fingertips facing forwards, without rounding your back. Inhale here, keeping your sitting bones firmly rooted and looking diagonally downwards.

→ As you exhale, reach your hands further forwards on the floor, feeling your hips open wider as you do so. Hold for at least 5 breaths, extending the stretch on each exhalation. However, if there’s any discomfort, gradually come back up to sitting. Then do both steps again with the opposite leg on top in the cross-legged position.

SEATED WIDE-LEGGED FORWARD BEND: way to open your hip joints and stretch your entire spine and legs as well as way to release built-up tension at the end of the day

→ Sit with your legs open as wide as you can, flex your feet, and press your heels away from you. Pull your belly button towards your spine, and inhale as you sweep your arms above your head, palms facing forwards and fingertips reaching skywards. Make sure your body is balanced on both sides.

→ As you exhale, bend forwards from your waist, reaching each arm towards its corresponding leg so that your fingers touch the toes of your outstretched legs. If you can’t reach, touch your ankles or calves instead, Keep your sitting bones anchored to the floor. Hold for at least 5 breaths, then release. Inhale as you return to upright.

LOWER BODY STRENGTH AND TONING:

CHAIR: stretches and releases your shoulders and chest as well as working your legs

→ Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. As you inhale, extend your arms forwards and then up above your head, so that your fingers point skywards, with your palms together if you can. Otherwise keep them parallel and facing one another. At the same time, raise yourself up onto your toes keeping your legs straight. Hold for at least 5 breaths.

→ As you exhale, place your heels back on the floor and bend your knees as if you are sitting down on a chair, aiming for your thighs to be as close to horizontal as possible. Create length through your spine by drawing your tailbone towards the floor as you lift your chest bone. Hold for at least 5 breaths, then come up to standing as you inhale.

TREE: challenges both your lower body and your abs as you try to maintain balance on just one leg

TRIANGLE: helps to develop strength in your feet, legs and hips and aids flexibility in your spine as well as helping in bringing all your lower joints into correct alignment for better support