Namaste yoga is a popular form of yoga that encourages you to focus on your inner energy as a form of meditation while performing various yoga moves. The namaste position is to stand or sit with your hands pressed palm-side together in front of the heart with a bowed head and closed eyes. Namaste yoga positions strengthen and stabilize various areas of your body, including your joints, making it an effective low-impact exercise for most ages and physical conditions.
Sukhasana
The Sukhasana pose is also called the Easy Pose. This pose stretches the knees. Sit on the floor with your feet extended. Keeping your back straight and tall, pull your heels in toward your torso, widening your knees so that you can tuck each foot under the opposite knee. You might not be able to get this far. To start, you might have to situate your feet underneath your shins, but only cross your legs and tuck them inward as far as you can without pain. Hold the position for 30 seconds, and then stretch your legs outward again.
Malasana
Known as the Garland pose, this yoga position strengthens the knees and stretches your back, groin muscles and ankles. If you've had a knee injury or surgery, talk to your doctor about the appropriate time to begin practicing this pose. If you're recovering from knee weakness or injury, start this exercise seated in a chair. Extend your thighs at a right angle from your body and lean slightly forward, keeping your heels flat on the floor just in front of your knees. For a deeper stretch, place your feet on the floor close together and then squat down, back straight. Keep the soles of your feet flat on the floor. If you can't, stand and then spread your feet a little wider apart. Lower your body between your thighs toward the ground and hold the position for at least 30 seconds.
Tadasana
The Tadasana pose is also called the Mountain pose. This exercise stabilizes and strengthens the joints in the lower torso. Place your feet flat on the floor about shoulder-distance apart. Pull in your abdominal muscles and imagine your shoulders lifting toward the sky. Feel the tightness in your thighs, knees and calf muscles, as if you're literally forcing energy from your legs into the soles of your feet as you make connection with the earth. You should feel the bulk of this exercise in your thighs, but you'll also benefit from strengthening in your knee and ankle joints.
Prasarita Padottanasana
The prasarita padottanasana is also known as the Wide-legged Forward Bend. This pose stretches the muscles and tendons of the lower legs, thighs and hips. Stand with your feet facing forward and placed widely apart, knees soft, or slightly bent throughout. In this position, slowly bend forward, reaching your arms to the floor. The goal of this exercise is to place the top of your head on the floor, but that might take some time as your muscles and ligaments stretch. Pay attention to the feeling of weight in your knees and ankles as you're in the bent-forward position and hold the stretch for at least 30 seconds.
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