Flexibility, strength and mindfulness are a few of the numerous benefits of yoga. The ease of a yoga pose comes from aligning your movement with your breath, staying in tune with your body and blending controlled effort with conscious surrender. Despite your fitness level and experience, you should focus on maintaining proper body alignment and utilizing your breath to shape each yoga posture.
Tadasana
Also known as the mountain pose, tadasana is the foundation of all standing yoga poses. Begin with your feet together; if you are pregnant or have back issues, allow your feet to be hip width apart. Evenly distribute your weight on the balls and heels of both feet. Draw the tops of your thighbones back as you extend your tailbone toward your heels to create a firm lift in your lower abdominals. Lift your breastbone as you draw your shoulder blades in and down.
Cat's Breath
Begin on all fours with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips. Softly press your shins toward the floor. Exhale as you round the back by drawing your belly toward your spine. Inhale to softly arch your back as you extend your heart forward by drawing your shoulder blades deep into your upper back. Repeat for five to eight breaths.
Child's Pose
Begin on all fours with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips. Bring your big toes toward each other and your knees wide apart. Walk your hands 3 to 4 inches forward; keep your arms as straight as possible as you extend your hips to rest on your heels. Align your arms so that your hands are shoulder width apart. Press your palms and fingers firmly into the floor as you widen your shoulder blades on your back. Pull your belly in softly to extend your hips toward the back wall to create length in the spine.
Warrior 2
Stand in tadasana and extend your arms out to the side, with your wrists in line with your shoulders and your palms facing the floor. Align your ankles under your wrists, bend your right knee and then rotate your right leg perpendicular to the right side wall. Turn your left leg in about 30 degrees. Bend your right knee 90 degrees to align your knee over your ankle joint, aiming the right knee perpendicular to the right side wall. Press strongly into your right heel to firm your right buttocks deeper into the pelvis. Press firmly into the outer edge of the left foot to keep your left leg straight as the left thighbone draws toward the back wall. Evenly reach your fingers toward the sidewalls as you draw your shoulder blades together. Gaze over your right fingertips. Take five deep breaths to maintain the pose; then straighten your right leg and bring your legs parallel to each other to repeat on the other side.
References
- "Yoga as Medicine"; T. McCall; 2007
- "Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies," Physical and Perceptual Benefits of Yoga Asana Practice: Results of a Pilot Study; V. Cowen, T. Adams; July 2005
- "Current Review of Musculoskeletal Medicine," Yoga and Pilates in the Management of Low Back Pain; S. Sorosky, S. Stilp, V. Akuthota; March 2008
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