Give these 10 yoga poses a try or create a homemade mask during circuit breaker to pamper yourself. Yoga can be practised by people of all ages, and it has great benefits for your body when you practise it regularly.
I have practised yoga for less than 2 years and I am happy to share these simple yoga poses with you. Yoga can help to improve and correct our body postures, aids digestion, boost energy level, increase concentration level and helps you sleep better at night.
There are many different types of yoga poses, and you can choose the routine according to how your body feels.
Yoga Poses I Love
- Warm Up
You can start to warm up your body by laying down on the mat and breathing in calming. Take in deeper breaths as you breathe and exhale through your mouth. Release all the negative energy when you breathe out.
- Cat Cow Poses
Start by coming down to all fours. Ensure that your wrists are beneath your shoulders, and knees are below your hips. Engage your abs and take a deep inhale.
When you exhale, round up your spine towards the ceiling, engaging your abs. Tuck in your chin and relax your neck. There should be no strain on your neck when you are doing cat pose.
Inhale arch your back and release your abs energy. Lift your head up and tailbone upwards. This is the cow pose.
Cat Cow poses can help us connect to the rhythm of our breath, stimulating blood flow and detox our body by clearing our lymph nodes.
Doing this poses for a couple of repetitions and you will relieve your body of tight joints.
- Mountain Pose
Mountain pose is great when we want to correct our body postures. We may not notice when we cross our legs while working in the office. Walking with our shoulders down when we are tired. Mountain is great when we want to correct our daily body postures.
Simple stand tall, with both feet hips apart, put your hands by the side. Roll your shoulder blades to the back and push them down. Hang your arms loosely by the side and stay in this position for 1 minute.
Inhale, exhale and feel your body grounded.
- Downward Dog
Start by laying on your hands-on knees. Place your wrist under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Stretch your elbows and relax your upper body. Now, spread your fingers wide and press firmly on the mad with your palms and knuckles. Do remember to distribute your weight evenly across both hands.
Exhale and slowly lift your knees off the mat. Reach your pelvis up towards the ceiling and slowly draw your sit bones towards the back. Try to straighten your legs and move into shape A. Try to imagine your hips and thighs are pulled backwards and keep the extension. Do not force into shape, try to keep the upper body soft and relaxed.
Engage your abs muscles and rotate your thighs inwards as you continue to push your sit bones high. Remember to distribute the weight equally across both hands and shoulders. Align your ear to your upper arms and try to look in between your legs.
Hold on for a couple of breath, release the position and exhale as you gently go back to position.
- Standing Mountain
Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides. Press your weight evenly across the balls and arches of your feet. Breathe steadily and rhythmically. Draw your awareness inward. Focus on the present moment, letting all worries and concerns fade away.
- Side Plank
Lay on your side with your forearm flat on the floor, bottom elbow lined up directly under your shoulder and both legs extended out in a long line. Feet can either be staggered for more stability, or stacked for more of a challenge. Engage your core and lift your hips off the floor, forming a straight line from your head to your feet. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds. Your top hand can be on side of hip (easier) or reaching up to the ceiling (harder).
- Leg Raise
Start by laying on your back with both legs fully extended. Stretch your arms alongside your body, palms faced down. Bend your knees, and bring your heels to your butt slowly. Bend your legs at the hips to bring both thighs towards your ab. Now lift your legs upwards. Move your legs up and down. Repeat the leg raise for 20 times, 3 repetitions each time.
- S Twist
Sit on the mat comfortably in a cross-legged position. Place your left hand on your right knee and inhale. Keep your back upbright so your spine is long. Engage your ab muscles and twist your body to the right. Let your right fingertips slide to the floor behind you. Be careful not to sprain your neck.
Continue to lengthen your spine everytime you inhale and twist further to the right as you exhale. Keep the posture for a couple of breaths. Release and repeat this motion in the opposite direction.
- Mediation
Before your start any mediation, be dressed in something comfortable. Focus on your breath. Try to inhale from your nose and exhale through your mouth. When you inhale, you will notice that your belly expands, and contracts when you exhale.
You may also like Why Learn To Meditate? Remember, your yoga poses will improve overtime. Do not try to stretch your body too much when you start. If you like, you can try to take a photo of how you look like when you first start your yoga journey. Continue to take photos of yourself doing the yoga.
Check out ClassPass and book a virtual class if you like. There are over 40,000 classes a week. I am sure you will find a class you like.
