Yoga for Beginners

Sukhasana or Easy pose

Sukhasana, easy pose, is a simple cross-legged sitting asana in hatha yoga, sometimes used for meditation in both Buddhism and Hinduism.

Benefits of Sukhasana (Easy Yoga Pose)

1. It stretches and Lengthening your spine.
2. Broadens your collarbones and chest.
3. It calms your mind.
4. Enhance your condition of peacefulness and serenity.
5. Kick out anxiety, stress and mental tiredness.
6. It helps in improving body posture.
7. It opens your hips.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Arrange supportive padding (blanket, block, or bolster) under your sit bones so your hips will be higher than your knees when you come into the pose.
2. Come to sit on your padding in a comfortable, cross-legged position. Shift the flesh of your butt to each side with your hands so that your sit bones have a firm foundation.
3. Lean back and forth and side to side with your torso a few times to make sure your shoulders are aligned directly over your hips. Slide the shoulder blades down your back so your shoulders move away from your ears. The crown of your head should rise towards the ceiling.
4. Your hands can rest in your lap or on the tops of your thighs. Turn your palms up to be receptive or down to feel grounded.
5. On your inhalations, feel your spine grow long. On your exhalations, root down through your seat.

- Naukasana or Boat Pose

Naukasana comes from the two Sanskrit words 'nauka' which means 'boat' and 'asana' meaning 'posture' or 'seat'. It is a posture in which our body takes the shape of a boat. If you have always had a problem losing the extra paunch in your stomach area, then this asana is good for those who wish to reduce belly fat as well as to tone the abs.

Benefits of Naukasana:

1. Naukasana strengthens the abdominal muscles.
2. It strengthens the muscles of the arms, thighs and shoulders.
3. It improves the health of all organs in the abdomen especially the liver, pancreas and kidneys.
4. It helps in regulating blood flow at sugar level.

Steps

1. Lie on your back with your feet together and arms beside your body.
2. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, lift your chest and feet off the ground, stretching your arms towards your feet.
3. naukasana-steps
4. Your eyes, fingers and toes should be in a line.
5. Feel the tension in your navel area as the abdominal muscles contract.
6. Keep breathing deeply and easily while maintaining the pose.
7. naukasana step
8. Hold the position for few seconds.
9. As you exhale, come back to the ground slowly and relax.
10. Duration 3-4 repetitions daily but should not overdo.

- Dhanurasana or Bow pose

Dhanurasana is a backbend that deeply opens the chest and the front of the body. The name comes from the Sanskrit dhanu, meaning "bow," and asana, meaning "pose."

In this asana, the practitioner lies flat on the stomach and bends the knees. Then the arms reach back to grab the ankles. The back arches and the thighs lift off of the floor as the chest pushes forward, bending the body to resemble a bow.

1. Dhanurasana stretches the foot and hand muscles, and tones the leg and arm muscles and strengthens them.
2. This yoga posture can alleviate stress, anxiety, and fatigue.
3. It relieves menstrual discomfort and constipation.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Do Naukasana

Step 1:First lie down flat on your yoga mat, with your feet together and your arms on the sides.

Step 2:Keep your arms straight and your fingers outstretched towards your toes.

Step 3:Start Inhaling and as you exhale, lift your chest and feet off the ground, stretching your arms towards your feet. Feel the tension in your stomach area as the abdominal muscles contract.

Step 4:Let the weight of your body rest entirely on the buttocks. Make sure your eyes, finger and toes are all in one line. Hold your breath and remain in this position for a few seconds.

Step 5:Now exhale slowly as you bring the body down to the starting position and relax. You can perform 3-4 repetitions daily but do not overdo it.

- Vakrasana or twisted pose

Vakrasana yoga is an amazing spinal twist pose. Vakrasana is a combination of two words, Vakra means “twisted” and asana means a “yoga posture.” When you practise Vakrasana steps, you experience a suitable twisting of the spine, and therefore it is known as easy spinal twist pose and half spinal twist pose.

Vakrasana is a simple yoga asana, but even then, this asana helps you to stretch and twist to the lower abdomen muscles, and Vakrasana benefits the body organs like liver, intestine, testis, kidney, ovary, pancreas, and stomach. 

1. It regulates the secretion of digestive juices, improving digestion and combating constipation. 
2. It massages the abdominal organs and helps reduce belly fat. 
3. It makes the spine flexible. 
4. It strengthens the back and helps with chronic back and shoulder pain.

Steps

1. Sit down stretching your legs forward on the ground.
2. Keep your hands beside your thighs or buttocks.
3. Bend your right leg straight and stretched.
4. Keep the left foot beside the right knee and the left knee raised upward.
5. Inhale and raise the arms shoulder high, keeping the elbows straight.
6. Exhaling, twist to the left, place the right arm by the outer side of the left knee and hold the left ankle with the right hand.
7. Take the left hand behind the back keeping the palms on the floor.
8. Look backward towards the left side.
9. Hold on the position.
10. The final position of each stage should be held while breathing, naturally. Hold the position as long as comfortable.
11. Then inhale and raise the right arm shoulder high, keeping the elbows straight.
12. Exhaling, release the left twist, place the right hand by the side of right buttock and left hand by the side of left buttock.
13. Take a deep breath and relax.
14. Repeat the same from the other side.
15. Practice on both sides.

-Kakasana or crow pose

In Kakasana, the arms are bent like a crow. Hence, the name Crow Pose. This pose is categorized under the arm balancing poses in Hatha yoga style.

Kakasana Benefits

1. Strengthens arms so they can hold your body weight.
2. Strengthens core to help hold you up.
3. Strengthens glutes and adductors.
4. Strengthens shoulder stabilisers.
5. Prepares you for most other arm balances.
6. It helps make your wrists stronger.
7. Your spine is toned and strengthened.

Steps

Step 1

Squat down and place the palms on the floor shoulder-width apart. Tilt a little forward and raise the legs. Place the knees in between the body and upper arms. Now, the weight of the body should be on the palms.

Step 2

Bend the elbows halfway between the body and the floor. Keep the eyesight on any object before you and maintain the focus and balance. The hand position is the main difference between the Crow Pose and Crane Pose. In Crow Pose, the arms are straight; whereas, in Crow Pose, arms are bent. Now the arms resemble the legs of a crow.

Step 3

Breathe normally. Keep the position as long as it is comfortable.

Step 4

Release the Position by straightening your arms and then bringing the feet down to the floor.

- Bhujangasana or cobra pose

Bhujangasana is the Sanskrit name for a popular yoga asana, otherwise known as Cobra Pose. It is a gentle backbend, most commonly performed as part of a Sun Salutation

Benefits

1. Strengthens the spine.
2. Stretches chest and lungs, shoulders, and abdomen.
3. Tones the buttocks.
4. Stimulates abdominal organs.
5. Helps relieve stress and fatigue.
6. Opens the heart and lungs.
7. Soothes sciatica.
8. Therapeutic for asthma.

Steps

1. Lie down on your stomach
2. Raise your trunk and head supported by the palms
3. Bend your arms at the elbows
4. Arch your neck and look upward gently
5. Make sure that your stomach is pressed on the floor
6. Put pressure on your toes by pressing them onto the floor. (Extend them out to fully experience the cobra)
7. Hold the asana for 5 seconds

 

- Halasana or Plough Pose

Halasana is a classic yoga pose/asana that’s included in many types of yoga practices. It involves lying on your back and placing your feet on the floor behind your head. Typically you do Halasana toward the end of a yoga session.

1. Halasana stretches your spine and stretches, strengthens, and tones your back muscles. 
2. It helps prevent and relieve tightness in your neck, shoulders, and back. 
3. The pose also strengthens your shoulders, arms, and legs. 
4. Practicing Halasana enhances flexibility, which improves muscle and joint mobility

Steps

1. Lie flat on the floor keeping the arms by the side of the body. Palms facing downward and legs together. Relax the body taking a few deep and slow breaths.
2. Using the strength of your abdominal muscles, slowly lift the legs off the ground until they are perpendicular to the floor. Keep the legs straight and together.
3. Gently press your arms against the floor and raise your buttocks. Continue to roll the spine till your big toes reach the ground over your head. Don’t force your feet to touch the ground. Keep the legs straight.
4. Try to keep the spine as straight as possible. Ideally, the spine is perpendicular to the floor in the final position. A beginner can take the support of arms by placing the hands behind the ribcage to support the back.
5. Bring your arms closer and interlock the fingers of both of your hands. If this feels tough, simply keep the arms closer and join the thumps.
6. In the final position, the chin is tucked in the center of collar bones. However, it takes time to achieve this position. Don’t force yourself into it as that may strain the muscles of your neck.
7. Stretch the legs and arms in the opposite direction. Hold the pose for around 15 seconds to a minute depending on how long you feel comfortable. Take slow and deep breaths.
8. To release the pose, gently lower the spine and bring the legs in vertical position. Slowly lower the legs to the ground. Relax the whole body. 

- Shirsasana or headstand

Sirsasana is an advanced inversion that exhibits strength, control and the beauty of overcoming the fear of falling through physical and mental balance. The name is derived from the Sanskrit sirsa, meaning “head,” and asana meaning “pose” or “posture.”

Benefits of headstand (Sirsasana)

1. Relieves Stress.
2. Increases Focus.
3. Improves Blood Flow To The Eyes.
4. Increases Blood Flow To The Head And Scalp.
5. Strengthens Shoulders And Arms.
6. Improves Digestion.
7. Helps To Flush Out The Adrenal Glands. ...
8. Decreases Fluid Build-Up In The Legs, Ankles, And Feet.

Steps 

1. Interlock your fingers and move your body forward placing the forearms on the floor. Spread the elbows slightly more than shoulder-width apart, forming an equilateral triangle.
2. Place the crown of your head in the space between your palms. Gently press your hands against your head to get a firm grip.
3. Raise your buttocks off the floor making the knees and legs straight.
4. Walk a few steps towards your head, as much as you possibly can (without straining).
5. Slightly bend the knees, tuck your thighs in your abdomen and chest. Slowly shift the weight of your body from toes to head and arms. Balance the body.
6. Carefully lift one foot off the ground, maintaining the balance and then the other foot.
7. Slowly, bend your knees bringing the heels near your buttocks.
8. Slowly raise the legs either one by one or together, in the vertical position. The body must be straight. This is the final position.
9. Hold the pose for as long as it feels comfortable, breathing normally.