Yoga, Flexibility, Exercises

Yoga gives you the physical benefits of increasing your flexibility. It also clarifies your mind to achieve better focus and presence. Flexibility improves through stretching. When a person stretches, they relieve stress in their body by releasing tension. Where the body goes, the mind follows. Yoga lets go of physical tension, it also helps to release mental tension.

Increased flexibility comes through improved range of motion, better joint and spine health, alleviation of back pain, minimized damage due to repetitive use, protection from injuries during sports activities.

Fear of injuries while stretching to increase flexibility or a lack of flexibility during exercise keeps a lot of people away from performing yoga. It’s a common misunderstanding that you need to be flexible to even begin doing yoga. So let’s remove that myth right now.

Yoga is not only for people who have flexible bodies. If you have tight calves, shoulders, or any part of the body, yoga is exactly the solution you need. Flexibility is not a condition for its good results. A person need not be able to touch their knees with their nose to practice yoga. A person who improves their flexibility safely over time is a true winner and this is the only way that is recommended by every professional.

Importance of Flexibility

Flexibility is a key element of physical fitness. Cardio and strength training are on most people’s focus, but flexibility is often not seen on their target list. When they perform, it focuses on stretching tight muscles that have a limited range of motion.

6 Yoga Exercises for More Flexibility

People that come to perform yoga with a lot of flexibility must be careful not to speed up into advanced poses because they can and it looks good to them. They need to work on their strengths to complement all that is required, build support muscles, and make sure that they are performing safe alignment.

1. Reclining Hand to the Big Toe Pose (Supta Padangusthasana)

There are a number of ways to perform this pose, most notably by using a strap around the instep of the lifted leg. Keeping your legs as straight is the best way to stretch your groins, hips, hamstrings, and calves. Don't worry about how high you can lift your leg while performing it.

How should you do it?

Lie on your back with your knees bent and the soles of your feet flat on the floor.
Hug your right knee from your chest.
Extend your right leg straight up toward the ceiling.
Extend the left leg along the floor.
Activate both feet.
A hand on your left thigh will help remind you to keep that hip flat down on the mat.
Both the right femur and the right humerus should be settled in their sockets.
After taking 5–10 breaths, switch legs.

2. Eye of the Needle Pose (Suchirandhrasana)

This pose gives the best way to stretch the hip flexors gently first and then more deeply as flexibility increases.This needs to be performed with full focus.

How should you do it?

Lie on your back with your knees bent and the soles of your feet on the surface.
Place your right ankle on the top of your left thigh, opening the right knee to the right.
Lift your left foot off the floor and now bring your left thigh toward your chest. Reach your right hand through the gap in your legs to clasp your hands around the back of the left thigh.
Draw your left knee to your chest.
Keep both feet active while performing tit.
After taking 5–10 breaths, switch legs.

3. Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

This pose is for particularly useful for stretching hamstrings and calves. The backs of the legs also get toned up. It basically focuses on your entire body and has been shown to give effective results.

How should you do it?

Come to your hands and knees with the knees behind your hips.
Curl your toes underneath and lift your knees from the surface.
Lift your seat above by straightening your legs.
Pedal your feet one by one.
Settle calmly for at least five breaths and maintain the inverted V shape of the posture.

4. Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana)

This poses a bit by incorporating balance but it’s also a good way to open the hamstrings, hips, ribs, and chest. If you are a beginner, you can substitute a triangle (Trikonasana) to pose in the same way and you would need to stretch with less chance of tipping over.

How should you do it?

From downward facing, step on your right foot to the inside.
Keep your right knee fixed as you take your right hand forward by about 5–10 inches. Come up at your right fingertips.
Now move your left hand to your left hip and lift your left foot off the surface as you straighten your right leg.
Stack your left hip over your right hip and lift your left leg to parallel to the surface, flexing your left foot.
Lift your left arm above and open your chest to the left side.
Focus on your left fingertips.
7. If you want a balanced challenge, bend your left knee and take your left heel toward your glutes and release your left hand and reach behind you to grab your left foot.
After around five breaths, switch to the other side.

5. The Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana)

The cow face is a pose that takes the body to places we don’t normally go and is a really good antidote to all the slumping from sitting for a long time. The arm position can be quite complex, so have a strap handy to stretch the biceps, pectorals, trapezius, and serratus anterior.

How should you do it?

In a seated position, stack your right knee on top of your left knee at your midline with your feet reaching toward the opposite buttock.
Lift your right arm up above and then bend your elbow so that your right hand comes to your upper back.
Reach your left arm to the left and then bend the left elbow down so your left hand gets in the approach of the center of your back.
If there is no way that it is performing, use a strap between the hands or you can hold onto your shirt with each hand to create traction.
Now you can press your head softly into your right arm softly.
Keep hugging both elbows toward the midline for 3–5 breaths. Then release it and switch to the other side.

6. The Garland Pose (MALASANA)

Squatting was once quite a natural way to sit, but most of us have lost the habit. If your heels come up a lot, take a folded blanket underneath them. You can also place a block under your seat for more support if this squat is too intense for you.

How should you do it?

Stand at the front of your mat with your feet about 12 inches apart.
Put toes out and bend your knees to a deep squatting stance.
Then bring your elbows to the insides of the knees and take your hands into Anjali Mudra at your heart and then push your elbows to gently push the knees apart.

Conclusion

All the above poses are essential yoga poses for flexibility. These can be good ones to begin with, but remember that it’s really the entire "mind and body" focus that makes yoga one of the most effective ways to improve your flexibility, which translates into other areas of your physical and mental health.