Practicing yoga has multiple benefits for the mind, spirit, and body. Yoga Asanas can control aging, lift our disposition and help in curing disease. Moreover, yoga is a practice that anyone can get into no matter what background. This article will look at the basic Yoga Asanas for beginners, and how each of them can benefit your health.
1. Bitilasana
Bitilasana means the cow pose. It’s an easy, gentle technique to warm up the spine. You start on your hands and knees with the Bharmanasana (table top) pose. Ensure that your wrists, elbows, and shoulders are aligned and perpendicular to the floor. Also, keep your knees directly below your hips. As you inhale lift your head and chest towards the ceiling while allowing your belly to sink to the floor. As you do the pose, remember to protect your neck by drawing your shoulders down and away from your ears. When you exhale, come back to the Bharmanasana. This pose helps in stretching the neck and front torso. It also provides a gentle massage to the spine and organs in the belly region. You can pair this with the Marjaryasana (cat pose).
2. Adho Mukha Svanasana
This is more commonly known as downward-facing dog. It’s arguably the most popular yoga pose, also because of its all-over rejuvenating stretch. To do the pose, start with Bharmanasana. Remember to plant your hands and spread your palms. Then, exhale deeply while you lift your knees away from the floor. Lengthen your tailbone away from your pelvis. Push your thighs back and plant your heels onto the floor. Straighten your knees but be mindful not to lock them. Take a few breaths here. This asana has many benefits: it energizes the body, improves digestion and calms down the brain. It also prevents osteoporosis and relieves headaches and insomnia.
3. Sukhasana
Sukhasana is a leg fold that’s also called the easy pose. Start in a seated position on the floor with your legs outstretched. Then, bend your knees and fold your legs in towards your torso. Slip each foot beneath the opposite knee. Remember to relax your feet so that the outer edges rest easy on the floor. You can either place your hands on your lap or knees. This pose helps in calming the brain. It also supports the strengthening of the back, while stretching the knees and ankles.
4. Savasana
Also called the corpse pose, this asana involves total relaxation and neutrality. It involves lying down on the floor with your hands and feet stretched outward. You shouldn’t be feeling any tension during this asana. Savasana helps in quieting the mind and body. It calms the brain as well, relieving it of stress and fatigue. It also aids in lowering blood pressure.
Why You Should Take Up Yoga
The benefits of taking up yoga increase as you continually practice it. A good example of this is how professional sports stars use yoga as a way to keep their career going for longer. Times of India looked at how Canadian Olympic football player Kara Lang used yoga to help prevent injuries and improve her breathing. This allowed her to become one of the youngest members of the women’s national team.
At the other end of the age scale, Roger Federer revealed that he also uses yoga for back pain and recovery. His training has led him to be the most successful tennis player in the sport’s history. Federer is also the highest paid athlete in tennis and is one of the sport’s longest playing stars. This is due to him staying almost injury free through supportive practices like yoga. Indeed, yoga is a practice that benefits both beginners and elite athletes. It doesn’t matter if you’re in your early years or later years, now is the time to start, and these poses will help you on your journey.
The article was written for nepalyogahome.com
By: Clara Kaye