Yoga can improve your strength and flexibility, as well as boost your mood. It’s also a good choice if you have health concerns like high blood pressure or diabetes.
Aim for an intermediate routine that challenges your balance and strength. Begin with Child’s Pose, a gentle stretch for the back and hips.
Warm-Up
Most yoga classes begin with a series of poses to warm up the muscles. This is necessary to avoid injury, since repetitive movements can lead to overuse of certain muscles.
After warm-up exercises, most yoga routines include a series of flowing postures that connect together, such as the sun salutation sequence. The sun salutation series works on the entire body and provides a full range of movement that can help to tone muscle.
A good way to finish a workout is with a stretch, like pigeon pose. Lie on your back, then lift your knees toward the ceiling. Hold for 10 deep breaths to stretch the hips, legs and lower back. This is a great exercise for anyone, especially those with back problems. If pigeon is too intense for you, try eye of the needle or supine twist instead. These two positions are also excellent for stretching the neck. These stretches work the same muscles, but are gentler on the spine.
Basic Pose
Mountain pose is one of the first yoga poses you’ll likely encounter in class, and it serves as a foundation for other postures. It stretches the back and limbs while strengthening the arms, legs, shoulders, and neck.
During this pose, you’ll need to be mindful of your body and try not to push too hard. This is because the primary goal of this pose is to bring your bottom hand to the floor, while also opening your chest up toward the ceiling.
To get into the pose, you’ll need to be on all fours with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Once there, you’ll be able to press down into the tops of your feet and thighs to move into the position. It’s important to stay here for a few breaths to stretch and open the shoulders, back, chest, and abdomen. Then, you can either return to a seated position or try eye of the needle pose (Sucirandhrasana) as an alternative.
Intermediate Pose
The intermediate yoga poses involve more advanced physical movements that require balance and strength. They build confidence and allow the student to move into postures that challenge the muscles of the arms, shoulders, hips and core. These poses are more challenging than those found in beginner classes and should only be attempted under the guidance of a qualified instructor.
One such pose is Pyramid Pose, which improves balance and hamstring flexibility. To perform this posture, stand at the top of your mat and inhale to lengthen the spine. Exhale and move the back foot forward about two feet. Then hinge at the hips and pull the heart towards the front toes, keeping the head in line with the spine.
Another intermediate pose is Crow Pose, or Bakasana, which strengthens and improves shoulder stability while requiring a lot of arm strength. It can be challenging for students to learn this posture because it requires a strong grip on the mat as well as the ability to keep the back of the head and shoulders moving upward.
Advanced Pose
Whether you’re a seasoned yoga connoisseur or just beginning to learn, adding advanced poses to your routine will challenge you physically and mentally. Advanced yoga poses require a high level of strength and flexibility and often work larger muscle groups than traditional postures.
A combination of King Pigeon and Splits Pose, this pose works your core as well as the muscles in your legs and feet. You should work this one with a spotter at first and don’t attempt it if you have back or neck issues.
This deep backbend strengthens the spine and improves the flexibility of the hips, shoulders and abdomen. It also opens the chest and encourages the mind to calm and focus. This pose requires exceptional flexibility and is best suited for experienced yogis who can use their arms to support the body weight. A good teacher can help you learn how to modify the pose if you can’t reach your foot to the floor with ease.