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If You Only Do 12 Yoga Poses Do These

Group doing stretching exercises in back training class in a fit

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Although yoga has been used for hundreds of years as a way to stay healthy and limber it sometimes seems like everyone is doing it and doing it for hours at a time. Well, you don’t have to spend hours at the gym to get all the benefits of yoga. Just a few minutes with these top 12 postures can be very powerful and healing. Check out this list and get all the benefits of yoga without spending all your time doing it.

 

1. Mountain Pose

Standing up tall with your feet together, weight evenly distributed, arms at your side with your shoulders relaxed. Taking a deep breath, put your hands over your head with your palms facing each other. Keep your arms straight and reach up towards the ceiling with your fingertips. Mountain pose is very simple but it has many benefits including strengthening your knees and ankles, improves posture, improves blood circulation, and firms the behind and abdominals.

 

SEE MORE: Best Yoga Poses for Stress

2. Downward Dog

Perhaps the most famous of all the yoga poses and for good reason; doing the downward dog builds bone density as well as building upper body strength. It’s also excellent for those suffering from back pain and stiffness.

In this pose you start on all fours, like a dog. Walk with your hands forward a few inches and then, spreading your fingers as widely as possible, and press your palms to the mat. Slowly, press your hips and behind towards the sky, making your body into an inverted V shape. Your feet should be hip width apart, your knees slightly bent.

 

3. Malasana ( Yoga Squat)

This movement is a full squatting position with your toes pointed out, heels in, and your hands make a prayer position in front of the chest. This is an excellent pose for pregnant women! It stretches your inner thighs and calves, it relives back aches as wel.

 

4. Forearm Plank

This is similar to a push up but you use your forearms instead. Put your elbows directly under your shoulders, palms flat, your toes tucked under. This pose is good for using your body’s own weight to develop strength in your shoulders and core muscles. This pose is great for strengthing the bones also and goes a long way towards preventing osteoporosis.

 

READ MORE: 10 Easy Ways to Perfect Posture

5. Half Moon

This pose is great for your mind, brain and the entire nervous system. To perform this pose, balance on your right leg and right hand with your left leg lifted parallel to the floor. Your left arm should be extended straight up. Balance is frequently lost as we age and we must practice it regularly in order to keep it in shape.

 

6. Half Lord of the Fish

Sit on the floor and bend your left knee while crossing your right foot over the top, your knee sticking straight up. Your right hand should be on the floor behind you for support. Bend the left elbow and place it on your right thigh in order to maintain a very deep twist. Repeat with your other side. This pose helps improve your digestion and alleviate back pain and helps to release the muscles in the lower back.

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One Comment

  1. Shiwani Malhotra

    Aug 12, 2014 at 10:34 am

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