Yoga poses are designed to gently stretch the muscles and improve balance. They are also known to lower blood pressure and slow the heart rate, which can be beneficial for people with high blood pressure or heart disease.
Boat Pose strengthens the arms, legs and back while stretching the chest and shoulders. For beginners, this pose can be challenging, but a few modifications make it easier.
Cat Pose
Cat Pose (Marjaryasana) is one of the most common warm-up poses in yoga. It’s often done before the first Sun Salutation in a Vinyasa class to articulate the spine, improve spinal flexibility, and prepare the neck and shoulders for forward movement.
The pose is a simple vinyasa, a flowing movement linked to the inhalation and exhalation of the breath. It is also a simple and effective pose to practice at home for back pain or as part of a relaxation sequence. It strengthens the deeper tummy muscles, improving posture and strengthening the core. The pose is also great for kids. They can perform it in sync with their breath while sitting on the floor or in a chair.
Downward-Facing Dog Modified
Downward dog is an iconic yoga pose that provides energy and lengthens the spine. It is used as a transitional pose and a springboard into other asanas. It is often used in sun salutations, Hatha Yoga and Vinyasa Flow classes. Downward-facing dog can be challenging for beginners but with proper modifications it is possible to enjoy its benefits.
If you have wrist pain or are not able to hold your body weight in your hands, try lowering down to your forearms in the modified version of the pose. This modification takes the pressure off of the wrists and upper body which are not typically conditioned to support body weight.
Chaturanga
Often seen in vinyasa yoga classes as part of the sequence “down dog, plank, chaturanga, cobra”, it’s easy to think of Chaturanga as just the negative portion of a push-up. But it’s actually a separate pose with a name of its own (meaning four-limbed staff pose) and requires more than just strong arms.
Practice this posture by standing in front of a wall and placing the hands against it so that the forearms are parallel to the floor, bending the elbows and keeping the wrists flexed (pointing toward the ceiling). This will help you build up strength in this pose and also learn to distribute the work throughout your entire body.
Tree Pose
Practicing Tree Pose improves balance and stability by strengthening the leg muscles. It also helps to improve posture by building a strong core and cultivates concentration and focus.
It’s important for children to learn how to use the large muscle groups in their hips, back and tummy, also known as their core muscles. This will help them build strength for more complex sporting activities and daily living skills.
To help with balance, it’s a good idea to stand a few inches away from a wall on the side of the straight leg while practicing Tree Pose. This gives students confidence that they won’t fall out of the pose and allows them to easily reach for a hand if they lose balance.
Warrior II
Warrior II, or Virabhadrasana II, builds strength in the legs, especially the front knee and hip. The pose also strengthens the outer hip, quadriceps, back thigh and buttock muscles. It also strengthens the ankle of the bent leg and increases balance. For students with difficulty staying in the pose, instruct them to keep their shoulders directly over their hips and not lift them toward their ears.
To add variety to this pose, you can flow into Side Plank or Wild Thing after Warrior 2. This opens the side body and provides a backbend stretch. Then, add a backbend into Reverse Warrior or Vyparita Virabhadrasana.
Triangle Pose
Triangle Pose, or Trikonasana, opens the chest and shoulders while promoting balance and stability. It also strengthens the legs and feet while stretching the groin, hips and back. It can help alleviate back pain and sciatica, improve posture and balance and stimulate the abdominal organs.
Avoid this pose if you have a back injury or are pregnant. It can also be difficult to do if you have high or low blood pressure.
Avoid rounding your spine to reach the floor. Instead, look toward the floor or ceiling if it’s comfortable for your neck. This can prevent pain in the lower back.