Different types of yoga moves provide different benefits. For a balanced and challenging workout, include a variety of postures in your yoga practice, such as standing poses, sitting poses, backbends, forward bends and twists. Learn the proper alignment for any pose you attempt in order to prevent injury and receive the intended benefits.
Backbends
Backbends are energizing and stimulating postures that help build courage and stamina. Because most of us spend our days hunched over desks or slouched forward, backbends can be difficult or uncomfortable. "It's normal to feel frustrated, awkward, or even uncomfortable during your exploration of Cobra Pose and other backbends," says Yoga Journal writer Jason Crandell "[but] with a little patience, curiosity, and practice, you'll learn how to navigate through your resistance." Examples of backbends include bow pose, camel, bridge, upward dog, and cobra.
Forward Bends
According to Yoga Journal, forward bends can help relieve stress, improve digestion, reduce fatigue, and relieve headaches and insomnia. Forward bends can be performed standing or sitting. Physical therapist Julie Gudmestad cautions against including too many forward bends in your yoga practice if you suffer from back pain. "A yoga practice with too much emphasis on aggressive forward bending can be risky, particularly if the student has tight hamstrings and a flattened curve in the lower back," she writes. Balance your practice with poses that lengthen the hamstrings and stretch the inner thigh muscles to avoid back strain.
Twists
Twisting postures provide a variety of benefits, including restoring the spine's natural range of motion, cleansing the organs, and stimulating circulation, says Gudmestad. According to India yoga master B.K.S. Iyengar, twists have a tourniquet effect on the internal organs, pushing out blood that is filled with toxins, and allowing fresh, oxygenated blood to flood in when the pose is released. This tourniquet effect can have a cleansing and refreshing effect on the entire body. Twists can be executed seated or standing. Seated twists include Bharadvaja's twist and half lord of the fishes pose; standing twists include revolved triangle pose or revolved half moon.
Inversions
Inversions are any posture that raises the feet above the head, such as the shoulder stand or headstand. Inversions are particularly challenging and exhilarating. Pat Layton, physiology teacher for the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco's Advanced Studies Program, believes that inversions deliver benefits to the heart and promote healthier lung tissue. Incorrectly performed inversions, however, can result in damage to the neck, back, and spine. Inversions should be attempted by experienced students only, and under the guidance of a qualified instructor. Some teachers maintain that women should avoid inversions while menstruating.
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