Essential yoga asanas
Between sun salutation, dynamic yoga, or prenatal yoga, yogic practice has greatly expanded in recent years. Expanded, but also democratized, since many people practice yoga postures, beginners or not. Yes, who doesn't know the cobra or the upside down dog, even by name?
As we celebrate World Yoga Day on June 21st, we quickly understand that the discipline has many assets. And among the benefits of yoga, we find the improvement of flexibility, the sheathing of the abdominal muscles, relaxation, or the overall improvement of physical condition. A true universal panel!
And like all sports activities, the postures are numerous, very numerous, and some of them are more iconic than others. Complete movements and exercises that allow you to work on specific points of the body, while being recognized as yogic essentials.
With this in mind, here is our selection of the most classical yoga postures, but also the most effective! And sometimes even positions that improve serenity and inner life. Namaste!
The best yoga postures for the legs!
The practice of yoga involves working different parts of the body in different ways. And when it comes to the legs, we are often tempted to make them more flexible, but also to strengthen and tone them. Regular practice of yoga allows you to mix all of this, thanks to targeted movements!
Having sculpted and toned legs is the assurance of having a more harmonious body, a well distributed body movement, and a more peaceful inner life depending on the person. The essential is, always when reproducing yoga exercises for the legs, to know how to hold oneself well and above all, to breathe well.
If you do yoga at home, don't hesitate to assimilate the asanas (posture) before reproducing it. The ideal is to take a first class with a teacher, so that the latter can guide you, correct you, and launch you on the path to well-being. With Superprof, for example!
For the legs, several exercises are therefore essential as classics of yoga. And among them are :
• The dog upside down, whose challenge is to reach the "V" position upside down, with the spine straight, to soften the legs,
• The high lunge, which begins with a dog posture upside down, but in a high position. All this to make the legs also more flexible, on each side of the body,
• The posture of the warrior I, where balance is used to muscle the legs,
• The posture of the warrior II, to stretch the adductors and sculpt the lower body,
• The half-bridge, in order to build muscle without looking like it,
• The candle, universal posture, which guarantees to improve the flexibility of the legs,
Thus, it will have been understood, the legs can be worked in different ways in yoga. And if the mind is involved, so is the breathing, and doing yoga shows us that it is a complete discipline, where strengthening one part of the body implies working the others in the same way.
Yoga: the best postures for the arms!
To do yoga, the exercises for the arms are numerous, very numerous! Because the arms are a part of the body that often interests us, because, as we tell ourselves, life is less easy without them! It is therefore important to pamper them, and to adapt yoga movements.
Movements like sequences, where body and mind are linked, and where balance may have a role to play. Yes, yoga is indeed a complete discipline, and this seems to be true for the arms and forearms. Thus, some of the most effective asanas for working and strengthening the arms, from Hatha yoga to Kundalini, include :
• The dog head down, very complete posture, both for the legs and to tone the arms on the ground,
• The board, which helps to maintain balance in addition to strengthening the arms (or even the forearms depending on how the posture is reproduced),
• The side board, a variation of the board that works one arm after the other for the practitioners,
• The Chaturanga posture, to sheath the whole body, but also and especially the arms, without slackening,
Nevertheless, in order for the arm yoga postures to be as effective as possible, it is important that the yoga session is practiced with breathing exercises in parallel with the asanas. Because let's not forget that working the arms is also working the mind!
The 10 best belly yoga postures!
One of the most popular areas of the body to work on is the belly, which is in the right position. Whether you are a beginner or not, whether it is yin yoga or nidra yoga, the belly is a main element, which helps to maintain the bust and the overall balance of the body.
Between the abdominals and the fat stored in the love handles, many people see an interest in it. With this in mind, here are the 10 best belly yoga exercises:
• The posture of the cobra, to dislodge fat from the abdomen and tone the belly,
• The board, to sheath all the abdominals of the belly,
• The bow posture, to strengthen the abdominal strap effectively,
• The boat, for concrete abdominals and a flat belly,
• The board on the side, to sheath the obliques,
• The release of the winds, to work the muscles of the abdomen,
• The posture of the chair, to sheath the body and the belly,
• The camel's posture, for a flat belly,
• The dog upside down, to have soft abdominals,
• The table posture, for an ideal sheathing.
Through these ten postures, never forget that, whether you are a beginner or an experienced practitioner, it is essential to control your breathing and adapt it to each movement. Listen to your body, be in harmony with it, and you should see effects on your belly and abdominal muscles as you progress through the yoga sessions.
The best yoga exercises to work on your posture!
Yoga exercises to work on one's posture are very popular nowadays, especially when we know that 90% of French people suffer from back pain. And for good reason, practicing yoga can soften them, and, more generally, maintain a better balance and better posture.
Supported by an adapted pranayama (breathing), the postures to improve one's posture are numerous, and all revolve around a base: balance and letting go. Does that tempt you? Here is our selection of asanas :
• The child's posture, to relax the spine and to relax... in short!
• The posture of the cobra, to strengthen the back,
• The elongated torsion, to develop the spine's hold,
• The board, the effective exercise to tone the back,
• The dog upside down, for quality stretching,
• The cat's posture, to soften the back and maintain the posture,
Thus, a yoga class can improve all parts of the body, but especially the posture of the body. And, let's face it, knowing how to stand up straight without hurting is, nowadays, a rare commodity, especially because of the screens and our stooped positions.
And if yoga is a complete discipline, it can be just as sharp and focused.
That's why if you want to relax and tone up at the same time, these postures and exercises are perfect. But you still need to know how to reproduce them well! Because yes, a false movement, it is possible to hurt yourself very badly.
With this in mind, it could be interesting again to get in touch with a professional yoga teacher, in order to guide you on the path to well-being, to improve your health capital, and to develop your mind to the best of your ability. But above all, to be sure to work on your legs, arms, or belly without injuring yourself unnecessarily.
