Yoga combines physical and spiritual elements to promote balance, strength, stability and peace of mind. Yoga also may reduce back pain and lower blood pressure, and help those with depression or anxiety.
Start in mountain pose, which stretches the hips, ankles and feet while strengthening the legs, core and chest muscles. Adding a block under the back foot makes this standing posture more accessible to those with limited range of motion or flexibility issues.
Downward-Facing Dog
A fundamental yoga pose, Downward-Facing Dog strengthens the shoulders, arms, thighs and spine. It is also a good stretch for hamstrings, calves and hips. However, some people struggle with the pose because of tightness in the hands and feet, rounded back or weak core muscles.
Beginners tend to separate their feet too far apart, which places a strain on the wrists and ankles. To avoid discomfort, make sure that your feet are the same distance apart as they are in Plank. It’s also important to line up the shoulders over the elbows, as well as externally rotate the arms.
Upward-Facing Dog
Upward-facing dog can be challenging for beginners because it places a significant load on the ankles and knees, as well as stretches the back into extension. Practicing the pose with modifications can make it easier to build strength and flexibility, as well as avoid injury.
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, as it’s known in yoga, is one of the first full-body strengthening poses to learn in yoga. It requires a good amount of strength in the arms, wrists, and shoulders to lift into the posture, but it also strengthens the legs by isometrically pulling up through the tops of the feet.
Warrior II
Warrior II is a powerful standing pose that strengthens the feet and ankles, stretches the inner thighs and opens the hips. It also provides a challenge to the arms and shoulders. It embodies the spirit of a warrior with its stability and courage. It strengthens the core muscles and the legs, and helps relieve back pain by lengthening the spine. It has been shown to increase bone density in the lower back and hips, as well as the shoulders.
Some people have the misconception that their front leg needs to be at a 90 degree angle or parallel to the mat in Warrior II, but this is not true. Find a position that is comfortable for your body and stay there for the duration of the pose.
Shoulderstand
Practicing this inversion strengthens the shoulders, neck and back. It also stimulates the lymphatic system, a network of nodes and fluids that removes waste and balances fluids in the body.
This calming posture, also known as Salamba Sarvangasana, can help alleviate back pain and improve lower back flexibility. It also helps regulate the thyroid gland.
Beginners should practice this pose with a teacher to ensure they do not overdo it and hurt the spine or neck. People with high blood pressure, heart disease, glaucoma, detached retina or slipped discs should avoid this pose. Also avoid this pose during menstruation. It is recommended to use a blanket or pillow under the head to support this posture.
Tree Pose
The graceful, steady stance of Tree Pose, or Vrkshasana in Sanskrit, is one of the most famous yoga postures. It’s a good choice for beginners as it helps build balance and concentration.
Instruct students to use a wall or chair as a support when first exploring the pose to prevent injuries. Also, encourage students to try Half Tree Pose as a modification until they feel comfortable with the full pose.
Avoid common mistakes when teaching Tree Pose, such as placing the foot of the raised leg on the inner knee, which can strain the joint. Instead, place the foot above or below the knee or on the inner calf of the standing leg.
Twist
While some yogis may gravitate toward backbends and inversions, twisting poses are a crucial component to any yoga practice. They offer a variety of benefits, including restoring spinal rotation and aiding digestion.
The Half Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana) stretches the muscles on one side of the back and abdomen while contracting them on the other, improving nutrition to the intervertebral disks. It also massages the abdominal organs, which helps digestion and detoxification.
BKS Iyengar says that twists have a “squeeze and soak” action on the organs: they’re compressed, pushing out blood filled with metabolic by-products and toxins. Then fresh blood flows in, carrying oxygen and the building blocks for tissue healing.