Adding yoga to your workout routine strengthens and stretches your back, legs, chest, and arms. These simple moves can be a great way to start your day and feel more flexible throughout the day.
If you are new to yoga, micro-bend your knees instead of resting your hand on the ground — this will make the pose easier for you.
Lunge
Lunge yoga poses are the foundation for many of the more advanced poses and can help you develop strength and flexibility. They are also a great way to calm the mind and reduce stress. The lunge pose also helps to tone and strengthen the hips, thighs, arms, and shoulders. It is also beneficial for strengthening the spine and improving balance. This pose can be difficult for beginners because it requires a lot of focus and concentration.
Crescent lunge pose, or Ashta Chandrasana, is a chest-opening and heart-strengthening pose that stretches the hip flexors, quads, and groin muscles. It also stimulates the diaphragm and elongates the breath, which makes it an ideal pose for people with respiratory issues.
This energized lunge pose is used as a transitional pose in several vinyasa flows, including Classic Surya Namaskar variation F. It can also be used to prepare the body for other lunge poses like Runner’s lunge or extended lunge arm-out.
Child’s Pose
A simple, restorative full-body stretch, child’s pose (also called balasana or shishuasana) is often used as a warm-up, at the end of a practice session or as a transitional posture between more vigorous yoga moves. It activates your parasympathetic nervous system to promote healing and relaxation in the body and mind.
It also stretches muscles throughout your back, hips and thighs. For a deeper shoulder and upper-body stretch, reach your arms behind you to touch the floor or place blocks under your hands for support. You can also add a twist by interlacing your fingers or reaching for the sky to stretch the trapezius muscles in your shoulders and neck.
Be aware that this pose puts pressure on the knees and ankles, especially if you have an injury in those areas. Try a wider stance or placing a pillow or cushion underneath your knees or ankles to reduce the strain. If your shoulders or wrists are sensitive, try a variation of the pose by folding your arms in front of you instead.
Happy Baby
Often incorporated into yoga and pilates workouts, Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana) is an effective floor posture that stretches and strengthens the hips, groin, and abdomen. It also promotes flexibility and relaxation and may even reduce stress levels.
Lie flat on your mat and reach toward your feet, drawing your knees wider than the width of your chest to create a 90-degree angle. If this is too challenging, you can hold a strap around the arch of each foot or grab the backsides of your knees to maintain proper spinal alignment and prevent strain in the neck and shoulders.
Be careful not to overdo this pose, which should feel effortless and calming rather than strenuous. If you experience pain or discomfort, release the pose and try again with a smaller range of motion. Also, avoid this pose if you have a neck or shoulder injury. Your yogi can help with modifications that work for you.
Twist
In yoga, a twist is a rotation of the spine or torso. The rotation changes the relationship between each spinal vertebra to the ones above and below, utilizing the combined action of several muscles.
Twisting poses help strengthen and lengthen key muscles, including the internal and external obliques, quadratus lumborum, and psoas. They also promote healthy spine alignment and stability.
The rotational movement of a twist helps reduce the degeneration of the vertebral discs in the spine, which can cause back pain and stiffness as we age. The gentle, controlled movement of twisting poses also stimulates the organs and can improve digestive function.
As with any exercise, check with your doctor before starting a yoga practice, especially if you have a health condition such as a disc injury or sacroiliac (SI) joint issue. For most healthy people, however, yoga twists can be beneficial. Just remember to prioritize length over depth, use props where necessary, and always be mindful of the breath.