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Looking for a way to stay healthy and fit? Try yoga exercises to amp up your physical and mental fitness.
Regular yoga practice helps you kickstart your day on the right note and is one of the safest and most useful ways to keep your body and mind healthy and functioning well. Yoga can increase your overall strength and improve your flexibility so you can easily complete your daily activities. Different asanas can help you feel energetic throughout the day and also assist you in regaining your body-mind balance. They can help with stress reduction, back pain, sleep, weight loss, and mood.
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So, if you are looking for an easy way to rejuvenate your body and mind, roll out a mat for a simple yet beneficial yoga session. Incorporate these poses into your everyday schedule for some quick relief.
Top yoga exercises to stay healthy and fit
To get started, try out these easy, beginner-friendly yoga poses and experience incredible changes in your physical and mental health.
1. Legs up the wall or Viparita Karani
This yoga pose encourages relaxation and stretches your hamstrings while supporting the circulatory system. Lifting your legs above the level of your heart promotes blood circulation back to your heart, reduces the feeling of fatigue, and also cures swollen legs.
To do this pose:
- Sit with your left side against the wall. Bend your knees and position your feet drawn in towards your hips.
- Now move your legs up against the wall and slowly turn to lie flat on the floor on your back.
- Position your hips against the wall and put your arms on your sides or your chest.
- Stay in this posture for as long as you can and relax on your back.
2. Cat-cow pose or Bitilasana Marjaryasana
The cat-cow pose in yoga is considered one of the best asanas for flexibility and back pain. This pose helps loosen all stiff back muscles and also mobilizes the joints in the spine.
To do this pose:
- Take a tabletop position with your knees and hands on the mat and your neck in a neutral position. Your wrist should be under your shoulders, and your knees under your hips.
- As you inhale, get into the cow pose by arching your back, so your stomach sinks towards the mat while lifting your chin and chest.
- Now exhale and get into cat pose by drawing in your belly button while rounding your back and allowing your head to drop towards the mat.
- Continue to alternate between cat and cow pose for a few breaths.
3. Bridge pose or Setu Bandhanasana
The bridge pose improves glute and core strength and also prevents lower back pain. This yoga pose stretches the front of your hips and helps loosen tight hip muscles.
To do this pose:
- Lie straight on your back on a mat with your arms positioned by your sides and your feet at a hip distance.
- Bend your knees while keeping your feet flat on the mat and under your knees.
- Engage your glutes and core and lift your hips so that your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
- Lower back down slowly and repeat. Try to hold the position for at least 30 seconds.
4. Knee-to-chest pose or Apanasana
This asana stretches your lumbar spine and helps improve your overall flexibility. Additionally, it prevents lower back pain and loosens stiff back and hip muscles.
To do this pose:
- Lie on your back on a mat with your knees and hips bent and your hands pressing against your knees.
- Breathe easily and hug your knees to your chest while bringing your belly button towards your spine.
- Inhale and return to the initial position. Repeat.
5. Butterfly pose or Bandha Konasana
The butterfly pose is an effective asana that helps strengthen the groin, which is usually an ignored and tight part of the body. This pose helps open the hip and stretches the inner thigh muscles while strengthening the core and overall body posture.
To do this pose:
- Sit tall on a mat and bend your knees. Allow your knees to fall open on the sides.
- Position the soles of your feet together and use your hands to help stretch and open them.
- Press your shoulders against your upper back and lift through your chest or sternum.
- Grab your ankles to help you lift along your torso. Slowly release your feet and return to the initial position.
- Repeat.
6. Child’s pose or Balasana
The child’s pose offers a gentle release for your hips and lower back and provides a great stretch to your spine. It is a rejuvenating pose that also eases stress and relaxes your mind.
To do this pose:
- Kneel on a mat with your arms on the sides.
- Spread your knees and allow your big toes to touch one another. Now, slowly bend your upper body forward while bringing your stomach between your thighs.
- Allow your forehead to rest on the mat and extend your arms in the front with your palms on the mat.
- Hold the posture for as long as you can and relax.
Takeaway
Spending just 15 minutes a day practicing the aforementioned yoga exercises is sure to help improve your physical and mental health. While these poses are safe and effective, some of them might not be suitable for people with certain health conditions. Therefore, it is best to consult a doctor before starting an exercise routine to determine potential risks and precautions.
