Different schools of yoga have different beginning sequences. Poses generally get more challenging, and then ease back into the more simple poses before cooling down. These few exercises form some of the basics of yoga postures. Breathing is an incredibly important aspect of yoga. As positions get more difficult, focus on your breathing, keeping it even and deep so your muscles get the oxygen they need to hold the poses. Repeat a pose if you'd like, focusing on a different body part each time.
Eye Exercises
Lots of people spend their workdays looking at a computer screen. By the end of the day, your eyes are tired, dry and perhaps a little swollen. Exercising the eyes at the beginning and end of each day can strengthen them and relieve some of the daily stress. Move your eyes in every direction, as ABC-of-Yoga.com recommends. Do these eye exercises without straining. Look up, then down; left, then right; to the top right, then bottom left; and to the top left, then bottom right. Look up then roll your eyes clockwise very slowly twice. Return to the starting position and rotate them counterclockwise quickly three times.
Sit (Sukhasana)
This position is important because it gets your body and mind ready for the rest of your routine by helping you focus on meditation and breathing. Sit with your legs crossed and rest your hands palms-down on your knees. Try to keep your knees in a position lower than your hips to take any strain off your back. Take five to 10 slow, deep breaths, focusing on your breathing. On the next breath, slowly raise your arms over your head. Bring your arms down slowly as you exhale. Repeat this five to seven times, or as many as you need to feel relaxed and maintain a deep, even breathing pattern.
Dog and Cat Pose
This pose is excellent for stretching out your spine. According to ABC-of-Yoga.com, it teaches you to initiate movement from your center -- your hips -- and to coordinate your movements and breathing. Get on your hands and knees so your knees are below your hips and your hands are below your shoulders. Your hands should be flat on the ground with the middle fingers pointing straight ahead, and your back should be flat, not arched or sagging. Breathe deeply and tuck your tailbone as you exhale. Press into your hands so you are lifting out of your shoulders instead of sagging into them. Draw the middle of your back toward the ceiling, rounding your spine. Reverse the spine bend by dropping your stomach and gazing upward. When you repeat this sequence, focus on making the movements flow into one another.
Member Comments