Yoga can improve your flexibility, strengthen your muscles and boost cardiovascular endurance. It also helps to sculpt and tone the entire body.
A yoga workout doesn’t necessarily have to be done before other exercises, but it may benefit your fitness goals if you incorporate it as a warm-up or cool-down. It can also help to ease the stiffness from a hard workout.
Extended Side Angle
Utthita Parsvakonasana, or Extended Side Angle Pose, is a balancing posture that works the sides of your body. It stretches from your outer foot to your fingertips, and it opens up the hips and chest, improving respiration. This pose also strengthens the thighs, groin, and calves, as well as the core.
Practicing this posture teaches you to balance the yogic principles of sthira and sukha, or steadiness and ease. While this is a challenging pose for beginners, it builds strength as you hold the pose for 30 seconds to one minute.
Begin by standing in Tadasana, then step your left foot out about a foot’s width and turn the back leg at about a 90 degree angle. Then place the right hand on, or as close to, the top of the bent knee. Keep the torso long and reach through your fingertips. If you cannot hold the position with your right hand, place a block on the floor for support.
Warrior One
Warrior One strengthens the legs, core, and upper body. It also lengthens the front of the body and engages the psoas and the erector spine muscles, which run along the back of your body. This combination of stretching and strengthening improves balance, stability, and posture.
In addition to enhancing the posture of your spine, this pose increases hip stability and flexibility. It can even help prevent runner’s knee, a common condition caused by repetitive stress on the joints of the lower leg.
The most important thing to remember when practicing this yoga workout is to honor your limits. If the posture feels uncomfortable or strains your shoulders, modify it by lowering your hands to the heart center or placing them on the hips. Practice against a wall if you have difficulty balancing. Avoid this yoga posture if you have foot, hip, or back injuries. Also, consult your doctor if you are pregnant. Otherwise, this is a great workout for all levels of yogis.
Twist
Twisting poses strengthen muscles that protect the spine and stretch the supportive connective tissue, restoring spinal mobility and decreasing back pain and stiffness. The rotational effects of twists also massage the internal organs, stimulating digestion and promoting regularity to support healthy weight loss.
Standing twists like revolved triangle and twisted chair pose target the core and balance with a powerful combination of strength and deep spinal rotation. Beginners may find full rotation challenging to maintain balance, so prioritize length over depth and use props for stability if needed.
Incorporate a variety of exercises into your yoga workout to build a holistic fitness routine. Mixing up your workouts keeps exercise fun and prevents plateaus in progress, so consider adding high-intensity interval training (HIIT) sessions alongside your twisting yoga poses. HIIT is known for its calorie-burning effectiveness and complements the toning effects of twisting yoga.
Child’s Pose
Aside from being a restful posture that allows for deep breathing and a sense of peace, child’s pose (Balasana) also helps stretch the back and muscles around your hips. This forward-bending pose is often used as a counterpose to more challenging poses, such as the Warrior One and Cobra poses.
If you have difficulty holding this position, try putting a rolled yoga mat or blanket between your thighs and calves to add a bit of cushioning. This will prevent you from putting too much strain on your knees.
The best way to incorporate child’s pose into your yoga workout is to listen to your body and do what feels comfortable for you. If you have any physical or mental discomfort, it’s okay to skip this pose for the day. Everyone’s bodies and emotions are different, so it’s important to listen to what your body is telling you. The more you use this posture, the more your body will adapt to it and learn to enjoy its benefits.