Not only are we leading stressful lives, but our sleeping and eating habits are adding up to all that stress. Let’s face it, those bags under your eyes aren’t Prada. One of the best way to pause and take a breather from your hectic schedule is yoga. If you’re planning to start from scratch and go back to the basics, here are a few simpler poses you can try out as suggested by Diya Kurien (@KriyaByDiya)!
1. Tadasana
Start off your practice with a grounding full body stretch. Feet should be hip-width apart. Reach up to the sky with intertwined fingers and heels off the ground.
2. Tree Pose
Find your balance by focusing on a fixed point in front of you. Keep your belly engaged and face relaxed. Start to activate the spine and legs.
3. Triangle pose
Begin to stretch laterally now by reaching out to your foot. Find the stretch simultaneously in the hamstrings and all those muscles around the ‘love handle’ area.
4. Warrior Pose
Challenge yourself to wake up all those muscles in the lower part of your body with the warrior and feel the intensity from the inner and outer thighs all the down to the ankles and feet. Breathe!
5. Standing Forward Bend
Now open up the spine further with a deep standing forward bend, feeling the release in the arms and back and stretch in the hamstrings.
6. Standing Back Bend
Practice an energising backbend by getting the spine to mobilizer further, strengthening the muscles in the lower back. Don’t forget to keep breathing through the pose.
7. Boat Pose
Now work on your core by gathering all the power through the centre of the body and lifting the upper and lower body together, keeping the arms and legs as straight as possible. Keep the chin slightly up.
8. Reclining Hamstring Stretch
Lie on your back and bring one leg up at a time to work on increasing the flexibility of the hamstrings then gently bring it closer to you while keeping the knee as straight as possible.
9. Seated Head To Knee
Work on the hamstring release from a seated position now, by gently bending forward into the stretch, keeping the upper body relatively relaxed. Once again, focus on the breath.
10. Downward Facing Dog
Finally work on a full body pose to release and stretch all parts including the hamstrings, arms, shoulders and spine. Keep the head between your upper arms and keep the heels as close to the floor as possible.
So, if you’re planning to get mentally and physically fit, these asanas are simple and perfect to start with.
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