Yoga Exercises & Postures
To practice Yoga Exercises means to train your body as well as your mind. It calls for certain reserves of perseverance and willpower to accomplish every Yogasana (pose) and to do it everyday. But the reward for this resolve is really worth the effort. Even practicing Yoga Exercises and poses with the help of Yoga blocks will improve your health, boost up your resistance to disease, and cultivate mental awareness. To practise the Yogasanas (poses) you must have your own yoga kit. To be able to execute the poses you must first do them slowly and, gradually, you will gain control over your body and your mind.
There are numerous Yoga exercises and postures and all of them have different benefits. True, there are certain limitations too such as those that should be avoided in pregnancy, during menstruation, by patients of certain chronic conditions such as diabetes, BP, heart trouble, etc. But, all said and done, the benefits of yoga exercises far outweigh the contraindications. These Yoga exercises and postures have been evolved over many centuries. As Yoga stemmed from India, most of the exercises and postures have been developed by ascetics and sages. While trying to do these Yoga exercises and poses you must keep in mind a few very important things. For instance, before beginning Yoga practice you should very well ascertain your body limits. You should listen to your body, particularly in the beginning.
If your body doesn’t let you do a specific Yoga exercise or posture then don’t push your body. Don’t stretch yourself. If you’re too insistent, your body most certainly will not enjoy it and, in the process, you might end up hurting yourself. So, best start with a trained, experienced yoga tutor. If done correctly these Yoga exercises and postures will stretch and tone up your muscles and internal organs, improve your strength and stamina and overall general health. Even if you are suffering from any chronic ailments there are specific packages of Yoga exercises and postures, which, if done in combination with breathing exercises are bound to help heal you over a period of time.
You could also go through some good books on the subject to learn the Yoga exercises and postures, but still don’t start practising on your own. Then there are CDs, DVDs and Videos which can also be of great help in learning Yoga. The Yoga exercises and postures usually fall in the following categories and all of them carry equal number of benefits with very few contraindications.
Yoga Exercises – Warm-Up Poses
On the whole, warming up depends on what Yoga Style you have chosen to practise. Warm-Up exercises: This set of exercises should and must be done prior to any Yoga class or session for optimum results.
Yoga Exercises – Standing Poses
The different Standing Poses include Sun Salutation Hands to Feet, Triangle Pose, Stand Spread Leg Forward Fold, Warrior Pose, Standing Side Stretch Pose and Tree Pose. Practice all of them and you are bound to reap benefits of a different kind, altogether.
Yoga Exercises – Seated Poses
These are poses that have to be done sitting down on your Yoga mat. Seated Poses include such asanas as Hero Pose, Spread Leg Forward Fold, Child Pose and Seated Forward Bend.
Yoga Exercises – Twist Yoga Poses
Besides strengthening your back, Yoga Twist Poses such as the Half-Spinal Twist and Sage Twist will help tone up and massage your abdominal muscles and organs and improve your digestion.
So, keep at it and, before long you are bound to see great results by way of better posture, more strength and stamina and a more flexible physique, besides improved concentration and focus.
