Sep 7 2010

Find Out The 5 Basic Yoga Positions For Beginners

When you do yoga you will feel a sense of tranquility and a more balanced mind and body. Yoga can also help improve your health such as helping you with your posture and back pain, easing off your stress and keeping your muscles stretched which lessens the chances of injuries. But if you are only starting out in doing yoga positions, then you might feel overwhelmed with the various yoga poses that will be presented to you. It also does not help that some of the original or classic names of these positions are hard to understand. Good thing there are straight forward translations for these names.

But don’t you worry because there are beginner yoga positions that are designed to help you get started. While some can be quite challenging at first, these are all relaxing and will pave the way for you to achieve more complicated yoga poses.

1. The Child’s Pose

This one is also called the Balasana and it aims to stretch your lower muscles such as the thighs, hips and ankles. This position can help relive back pain. To do this you must start by kneeling on the floor and then stretching out your upper body on the mat. Both of your arms should also be stretched out above your head with both palms resting on the mat. Your belly should be touching your knees.

2. Tadasana

This is known as the Tadasana and it will help improve your posture. You stand straight with your big toes touching each other. If you are uncomfortable with your knees touching each other, you can spread them out a little bit just to ease off the pressure. Move your quadriceps upward, causing your knee caps to rise. Next, tone the belly and draw it in. Your collar bones should be parallel to the pelvis. Keep your neck straight the whole time.

3. The Cat Stretch

This yoga position will help improve your abdominal strength while stretching the spine. To achieve this, you must drop on all fours just like a cat, hence the name. Now imagine that there is a line drawn on your back. It should be straight, starting from your head all the way down to your spine. Keep this imaginary line straight. Hold this position for a few seconds or a couple of minutes.

4. Uttanasana

Also known as the Standing Forward Bend yoga pose. It is one of the many beginner positions that will stretch out your hamstrings. Stretching your hamstrings is important because you make it more flexible and therefore less prone to injuries. You do this position by first standing straight. You then bend forward with both arms falling down the sides of your legs. Your palms should then be resting flat on the floor or your mat. Put your weight on the balls of your feet.

5. Raised Hands Pose

This position is also called the Urdhva Hastasana and it will help improve your posture as well as strengthen your thigh muscles. To do this position, stand straight and then stretch out both of your arms upward way above your head. Put your palms together touching each other flat while keeping both arms straight. Pull back your shoulder blades.

Jul 6 2010

5 Important Yoga Positions For Beginners

Yoga can help you achieve peacefulness and a harmonious balance between your mind and body. It has a lot of health benefits such as improving your posture, relieving stress and stretching your tight muscles. However, if you are only a beginner in this art and science of yoga, you might get that natural feeling of uneasiness when you see the different yoga positions. Add to that the fact that each position has a strange and sometimes intimidating name to it.

But don’t you worry because there are beginner yoga positions that are designed to help you get started. While some can be quite challenging at first, these are all relaxing and will pave the way for you to achieve more complicated yoga poses.

1. The Child’s Pose

Also known as the Balasana, this yoga position aims to relieve mild back pains. For you to do this you must first drop your body on the mat in a kneeling position. Lunge your upper body forward with your arms stretched out forward with the palms resting on the mat. Then your belly should be relaxing on top of your knees. Hold this position for a minute or two.

2. Mountain Pose

Also known as the Mountain Pose, it will help improve your posture as well as strengthen your back. You start by standing straight with your head and neck also in a straight upward position. Next let your big toes touch one another. Should you feel some uneasiness because of your knees pressed on each other, ease up on your knees a little bit until you feel more comfortable. Finally draw in your belly until you feel a little resistance from your tummy muscles.

3. Cat Stretch

This yoga position will help improve your abdominal strength while stretching the spine. To achieve this, you must drop on all fours just like a cat, hence the name. Now imagine that there is a line drawn on your back. It should be straight, starting from your head all the way down to your spine. Keep this imaginary line straight. Hold this position for a few seconds or a couple of minutes.

4. Standing Forward Bend

Also known as the Standing Forward Bend yoga pose. It is one of the many beginner positions that will stretch out your hamstrings. Stretching your hamstrings is important because you make it more flexible and therefore less prone to injuries. You do this position by first standing straight. You then bend forward with both arms falling down the sides of your legs. Your palms should then be resting flat on the floor or your mat. Put your weight on the balls of your feet.

5. The Urdhva Hastasana

This position is also called the Urdhva Hastasana and it will help improve your posture as well as strengthen your thigh muscles. To do this position, stand straight and then stretch out both of your arms upward way above your head. Put your palms together touching each other flat while keeping both arms straight. Pull back your shoulder blades.