You can perform various yoga exercises correctly with the help of printable yoga exercises. Get the pictures of the yoga poses you want to learn and use them as reference when beginning yoga at home.
Yoga has changed people’s outlook towards both physical and mental health. Yoga exercises are known all over the world for the multiple health benefits they offer. Yoga strongly supports the fact that a healthy mind resides in a healthy body.
All the yoga poses are so designed, that they focus on and treat particular body parts and at the same time relax the body and bring mental tranquility. In other words, yoga exercises not only keep the body fit, but also calm and freshen up the mind. No wonder people’s interest in yoga is on the rise.
The enrollment of individuals in yoga classes is increasing day by day. Attending classes is the best and the safest way to learn yoga as you must start with the right technique and be aware of the minute details of the poses you are performing. It is always recommendable to learn yoga under the supervision of a trained professional, also known as yoga guru. However, it does not mean, you can’t practice yoga at home. With the help of right instructions, you will be able to practice yoga at home as well.
Balasana
One of the most effective resting posture is Balasana. This pose helps in relieving stress and fatigue. It also has a calming effect on the mind. To do this pose, kneel with hip-width distance between your knees and your toes touching each other. Extend your hands up in the air and slowly bend from your waist, till your hands are extended out straight on the floor and your forehead touches the floor, such that the skin of the forehead is being pulled towards the nose. In this posture, make sure your buttocks are resting on your heels. To come out of the posture, slowly raise your hands up and then come out of the posture. Since you are new to yoga, it may become difficult for you to touch your forehead to the floor. Hence, you can make use of a pillow or bolster under your head. Pillow or bolster will give you the required height and you will be able to relax in the posture. In case there is pain, experienced in any part of the body, then slowly come out of the posture. This asana should not be practiced by pregnant women without supervision of a yoga expert. People with knee injury should also do this under medical supervision only.
Bhujangasana
People suffering from lower back aches are known to benefit from practicing this yoga asana regularly. A number of menstrual problems can also be treated with this pose. It is also a great stress buster. Lie stomach down on a yoga mat. Place your hands next to your chest with your elbows tucked in. Slowly start lifting your head, shoulders and chest off the floor. Then gradually lift your belly off the floor as you lock your elbows. Try to push your belly as forward as you can. Now slowly drop your head backwards as though you are looking at the sky. In this pose, the weight of your upper body should be balanced on your arms. When you are in this pose, continue to breathe through your nose slowly. To come out of the pose, slowly tuck your chin in and then lower your belly, chest, shoulders and head. If you have a stiff lower back, then you may experience pain in the lower back, when you do this pose. However, with regular practice, you will see that the pain will go away on its own. Pregnant women and people who have undergone a spine surgery, should do this asana only after consulting the concerned physician.
Dhanurasana
This yoga pose works the entire spinal cord and has a stabilizing effect on the spine. It not only strengthens the back muscles, but also helps in improving posture. To get into this pose, lie stomach down on your yoga mat with your hands placed next to your legs. Slowly bend your knees and try to bring your heels closer to your buttocks. Now try to reach your hands to your ankles. In this position, the weight of your body should be on your stomach and not on the pelvic bone. Once you feel, you are stable, lift your chest and stomach off the floor. In your quest to reach higher up, make sure your legs do not over-pronate and you are out of alignment. Your neck should remain facing forward. Try to stay in the pose for as long as you can. If you feel you can stay in the pose any longer, you can rock a little. To increase the intensity of the exercise, once you have sufficient practice, do not hold on to the legs, but keep your hands extended behind. This pose should not be practiced by pregnant women. Doing this posture regularly will prove to be of help in eliminating a number of problems related to the spine.
Virabhadrasana II
Warrior II pose works the hamstrings, gluteal muscles, buttocks, lower back, core muscles, shoulders and arms. Often this pose can be included in the sun salutations as well. The pose resembles a warrior, who is ready to jump into a war. Stand with your legs about 4 to 5 feet apart, depending on your height. If you are taller, then you can increase the distance between your feet. Extend your arms out straight at shoulder level. Turn the foot of the leg in front, such that the heel of the foot in front is aligned with the arch of the back foot. Slowly start bending the knee of the front leg, till the thigh is parallel to the floor. The final position should be such, as though your body is between a two glass walls and in one line. You will have to make sure, that the knee of the leg in front does not go beyond the foot, else you will injure yourself. Hold the position as long as you can. Remember, the pose will extensively work the thigh muscles. When you are in the pose, if you feel the pressure on your knee, then come out of the pose immediately. However, if you feel the strain on your thighs, try to stay longer.
Vrksasana
Tree pose is a pose famous for improving concentration and balance. Other than these benefits, there are other benefits of this pose. It also helps in strengthening the calves, ankles, thighs and the back. Practicing this pose regularly also increases flexibility in the hips and groin area. People with sciatica are known to benefit a lot, by practicing this pose regularly. Stand with hip-width distance between your feet. Balance your weight on the left leg and slowly bend the right leg and place the right foot on the inside of the left thigh. Place the feet in such a way that the toes of the right foot are pointing towards the floor. Once you feel stable and well-balanced, extend your hands out straight at shoulder level. If you are comfortable in the position, slowly extend your hands above your head and place the arms facing each other in a prayer position. The trick to stay longer in this position is to continue to focus on a single point. The point of focus should be about a feet away from you and on the floor. Looking at a moving object can distract you and you may lose balance. Hold the position for as long as you can for better benefits.
Paripurna Navasana
The Sanskrit name of the boat pose is Paripurna navasana. This pose works the core, legs and the lower back muscles. People with kidney ailments, thyroid and prostate problems should practice this pose regularly. Digestion problems are also rectified with regular practice. Sit on your yoga mat, balancing yourself well on your ‘sits’ bone. Bend your knees and place your feet in front of you with your hands placed on the floor. Slowly extend your legs and lift them off the floor. You can place your hands under your thighs for support. Try to hold the toes with your hand. This is also a balancing posture, therefore, focusing on a single point will prove to be of help. When you are in this position, you will have to make sure, your back is not rounding and is straight. Initially, you will find it difficult to hold your toes. In such a case, you can extend your hands out straight, such that your hands are parallel to the floor or hold on to your shin bone. During the first few times, it is possible that your torso may lean backwards, but remember it is a normal thing. If you find it difficult to breathe, the first thing you will have to check is your back. If your back is rounding up, it can affect your breathing.
Trikonasana
This pose is also known as the triangle pose. It helps in stretching the groins and hips, works the hamstrings and strengthens the legs. It also works the upper body and opens the chest and shoulders. The pose slightly twists the torso, when one gets into the position. Many people see this pose as an extension of the warrior ii pose. Stand with about four feet distance between your feet, more if you are taller. Slowly turn the foot of the leg in front, such that the heel is in line with the arch of the foot behind. Now gradually lock the knee of the front leg and extend your arms out straight. Try to extend the hand in front as though you are about to catch a person in front of you. Gradually bend from your waist and rest the hand on the sheen bone or ankle of the leg in front or on the floor. Make sure that the other hand is extended out straight up in the air and is in line with the hand touching the floor. Turn your head, such that you are looking towards the hand extended out straight. Hold the position for as long as you can. To come out of the position, slowly come up from your waist, using the hamstring muscles. Repeat the exercise on the other side.
Shalabhasana
This yoga pose essentially works the core muscles. It also helps in strengthening the legs and arms. If you want to correct your posture, then practicing this posture regularly will help prove to be of help. It is also a great stress buster and can be practiced everyday as well. Although it seems to be an easy pose to do, it is not necessarily an easy pose for everyone. If your pelvic bone is sticking out, then you will need to place extra padding under your pelvic bone. Lie with your stomach on a yoga mat with your legs extended out straight and your hands next to your legs. Place your forehead on the floor. Without using your hands for support lift your head, shoulders, chest and torso off the floor. The weight of the body will be balanced on the lower abdomen. Now gradually lift your legs off the floor and extend your hands in front of you. When you get into the pose, make sure your legs are not rotating out, as it can cause injury to the lower back. If you feel any sort of pain in the lower back, then understand, that you are not doing the asana properly.
Adho Mukha Svanasana
A yoga practice cannot be complete without an inversion. Yoga is the only form of exercise, which also includes an inversion. Doing a downward facing dog is also like doing an inversion, albeit a mild form of inversion. For regular practitioner’s of yoga, this is a resting pose, as it stretches the entire body and in the long run also strengthens different muscles in the body. It opens up the spine as well as the neck. People doing sun salutations or yoga poses interspersed with sun salutations often use this as a transitional pose. To do this exercise, come down on your fours, such that your shoulders are in line with your wrists and you are in a table position. Lift your knees off the floor and pull your buttocks up towards the sky. Slowly stretch your legs, such that you will feel that someone is lifting you holding your buttocks. Lock your elbows, so that you form an inverted ‘V’. When you are doing this pose make sure your back is lengthened and is straight. Since this is a resting pose, make sure you stay in this position for a longer time. It is important that you continue to breathe normally, once you are into the pose.
Padmasana
While doing different yoga poses, are you of the opinion, that you need to open up your hips? Then this is the pose, which you will have to practice regularly. It also helps in relaxing the mind and helps in increasing attentiveness. This is the pose, which is used for meditation, although there are some people who sit in a simple cross-legged position, when they meditate, as they can’t do the lotus pose. People who practice this pose regularly also have a good posture. Sit with your legs extended out straight in front of you. Bend the right leg and place the heel of the right foot on to the left groin. So that the foot does not move, it is best to place the heel in the crease of the left hip. Repeat the same with the other leg as well. Initially, you will see that you are comfortable with either the left leg on top or right leg on top. However, when you are meditating or practicing the pose, it is necessary that both the legs are utilized equally, lest it will create an imbalance in the body. If your body is stiff, then you will be able to do only a half lotus pose, but do not give up on the practice, as eventually you will be able to get into a padmasana easily.
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Each pose acts on, repairs, or enhances the functioning of particular body parts. Some poses last for 30 seconds, while there are some that last for 3 to 5 minutes. Start performing a pose for only 10-20 seconds, gradually reaching the recommended time. You can always come out of a pose if you feel discomfort or pain while performing it. Although in the initial days, you may find it difficult to hold the pose. You will have to push yourself to hold the pose, however, with adequate practice you will find it rather easy to get into and hold the pose.
Certain Points to Remember…
Yoga Resources
If you are someone who wants to join yoga classes but does not have enough time or there is no coaching center in your vicinity, you need not worry. Beginning yoga at home is a feasible option because of the plethora of yoga DVD’s, journals and free online yoga guidance available today. You can get yoga DVD’s from video libraries. DVD’s have videos with voiceovers. You can purchase one and use it to teach yourself. You can download such free online yoga videos or get DVD’s and watch them wherever, whenever time permits, so that you know the correct alignment of the different poses. The free online yoga websites also give links to a number of yoga poses.
There is yet another way to self-learn. Select some yoga exercises according to your requirement and comfort. Get the information about the kind of yoga exercises you have picked from the internet, yoga magazines and journals, if you happen to find them. Get pictures of the asanas from these sources. Take printouts of the yoga poses, laminate them, and hang them on the walls of the room where you plan to perform the yoga exercises. If you enjoy doing yoga outside the house, in a garden or a park, you can carry this collection of yoga pose prints with you and refer to them as and when required. This is how you can benefit from printable yoga exercises.
Correct Posture
The asanas must be done correctly. This carries a lot of significance in order to derive benefits from yoga. Practicing the poses incorrectly, for a long period, can have ill-effects. Therefore, you need to be very careful while performing yoga poses. You’ll learn all this and much more with the help of videos. Many yoga websites give complete and detailed information about different yoga exercises, along with the way to perform the asanas (yoga poses), the health benefits they have and the precautions that must be taken.
Things to Know Before Beginning Yoga
Since you will be beginning yoga at home without the supervision of a teacher, it is important to be aware of the following facts in order to perform the yoga exercises in a correct manner and derive positive results from them.
- The aim of yoga is to achieve inner peace, tranquility, a state of harmony and purification. To reach this stage of mental, physical and nervous relaxation, you need to completely ease your body. Relieve the body from all materialistic tensions. Think positive; it is vital to have a positive attitude while practicing yoga as it always pays off with positive results.
- Breathing correctly while performing the yoga exercise is of prime importance. The purpose is to increase energy levels. Breathing is considered to be correct when it is rhythmic, deep and completely involves the lungs. This increases the quantity of oxygen intake.
- An asana is accomplished in three stages. The first stage is to get into the yoga pose. The second stage is to hold the pose, while the third and the last stage is to come out of the pose. Each asana stage is accompanied by either inhalation or exhalation. The breathing technique is peculiar to every yoga pose. You must learn about them well before practicing.
You would get a large number of printable yoga exercises from the above-mentioned sources. You can choose a few asanas depending upon your need, comfort and suitability. Along with the different yoga poses, make sure you also learn different breathing techniques, known as pranayama, so that you are better able to derive the benefits of yoga. Learning and practicing yoga is refreshing, soothing, energizing and not tough at all. Do try by beginning yoga at home and feel the difference.