You can execute yoga poses standing, sitting, using your arms for support, or bending forward or backward. Some standing yoga poses are the downward-facing dog, the half-moon pose, and the eagle pose.
Downward-facing dog: For this yoga pose, you’ll start with your hands and knees on the floor. Then, slowly, straighten your legs but keep your hands on the floor, so that your body is extended upward, but you are still facing the floor. Be sure to exhale when stretching your legs, and continue with rhythmic breaths while you’re holding the pose. The downward-facing dog is one of the yoga poses that increases circulation and improves the overall energy in the body. This pose also helps with asthma and sinus problems, and can prevent osteoporosis.
Half-moon pose: To achieve this yoga pose, place your left hand on you left hip and begin to lean to the left. Slowly release your hand from your hip to the floor, and at the same time, extend your right leg upward, parallel to the floor. Adjust your torso periodically, and eventually, you’ll be able to balance most of your body’s weight on your left leg. The half-moon and similar yoga poses help with strengthening your ankles, thighs, knees, and spine, and can help cure indigestion, menstrual pain, and anxiety.
Eagle pose: For this pose, stand up straight and begin to bend your knees slightly. Then, cross your left leg over your right, and continue to bend your knees. Then stretch your arms out parallel to the floor and cross your arms on top of one another, and bring your arms toward your chest. Try to hold this pose for 15 to 30 seconds, then release and repeat. Yoga poses like the eagle pose can strengthen your ankles, hips and shoulders, and help to treat asthma and back pain.
Mountain pose: The mountain poses is one of the simpler yoga poses, and is great for improving your posture and blood flow. You should stand with your heels slightly apart and make your spine as straight as possible. Balance the crown of your head without bending your neck to either side, while tightening your thigh muscles and lifting your knee caps. This is one of the yoga poses that helps with headaches, insomnia, and high blood pressure.
There are also sitting and bending yoga poses. Among the most popular poses are the monkey pose and the bound angle pose.
Monkey pose: This is one of the most complicated yoga poses, so you probably won’t use this position until your body is more accustomed to yoga. You start this pose by kneeling on the floor, and extending your legs outward into a split. Then, stretch your arms upward and hold your hands together. You should hold this pose for 30 minutes (or as long as you can). This pose strengthens your thighs, abdomen, and shoulders, and is one of the yoga poses that improves and treats sciatica, a condition that can alter the spine and cause herniated discs and pain in the upper legs and buttocks.
Bound angle pose: You start this pose by sitting on the floor with your legs in front of you, then slowly bringing your heels as close to your pelvis as possible. Keep your back straight and don’t force your knees downward. Keep this pose for one to five minutes. The bound angle pose is one of the yoga poses that can prevent mild depression, anxiety, and fatigue, and helps to soothe menstrual discomfort and symptoms of menopause. As with any exercise program, you should contact your doctor before you include these or any other yoga poses into your exercise regimen. If practiced regularly and correctly, yoga poses can help to regulate present health problems, while preventing new ones.
By Tamiya King