Benefits:
Stretches backs of legs.
Improves balance.
Foundation & General Alignment:
Start in boat pose and bring legs all the way to chest.
Shoulders are back and away from ears.
Chest is pressing forward as well as upwards.
Benefits:
Stretches legs.
Can help body prepare for inversions.
Strengthens back and shoulders.
Foundation & General Alignment:
Start in plow pose, cross legs into lotus pose for and bring legs up over head.
Body is balancing on shoulders.
Head is also being used to help balance.
Benefits:
Strengthens legs.
Stretches back.
Opens chest.
Foundation & General Alignment:
Knees are bent as in chair pose.
Feet can be hips distance apart or together.
Weight is evenly distributed in feet.
Legs are engaged.
If you practice yoga, you’ve probably noticed that yoga twists feel very rejuvenating. If you haven’t tried a yoga twist, you may want to check out Yoga Journal’s overview of twisting poses. Much like the motion of wringing out a towel, they compress and then release the muscles and organs of our body and leave us feeling cleansed and looser. Twists can be completed standing, seated or even while lying down.
Contrary to what most of mainstream media portrays, flexibility is not just for young gymnasts, athletes, and people who practice yoga. It is for everyone who wants and chooses to be healthy. When we are flexible, it allows our bodies to move with more ease and without overstressing muscles.
Chances are, if you played sports throughout high school, college, or even post-college, you finished your practice, grabbed a Gatorade and went home to stretch, thinking that you mastered the art of recovery. If you felt particularly sore the next day, perhaps you grabbed an Advil to ease the pain, and then pushed through the following day’s scheduled workout, ignoring your body’s signs.
Sound familiar?
Flexibility is perhaps one of the most neglected areas of one's fitness regime. For many people, stretching is nothing more than a warm-up; and for fewer still, it mayalso be a cool-down. Consequently, this is the part many tend to exclude when they are pressed for time and need to squeeze in a quick workout.
Sitting stagnant in an office all day has detrimental effects on your body; your posture, your blood sugar levels, and your muscles all suffer from lack of movement.
The Suryanamaskar is a great exercise for any age, and any weight…
Yoga is a great challenge, and that is why it requires so much practice. Even though yoga can be tough, there are some ways to make it less difficult. Here are five tips to make your yoga practice a little bit easier.