Yoga exercises for beginners
Practiced in India for thousands of years, yoga has many virtues. This discipline improves breathing, flexibility, posture and balance in particular. Yoga exercise in the morning to boost your concentration or anti-stress yoga exercise to let go of your daily routine, all the reasons are good to get started. Have you thought about yoga exercises to lose weight? By working all the muscles of the body, this discipline helps you tone and sculpt your body. If you don't have time to go to an OLY Be class, here are 7 yoga postures to do at home and their benefits. Accessible even to beginners, they will allow you to regain true physical and mental well-being over the long term. Clamp, upside down dog, boat or cat, these few names of classic yoga postures will have no more secrets for you!
THE POSTURE OF THE TREE
This posture is ideal to work on balance and concentration. Involving many muscles, it helps to strengthen the body.
Stand with your feet on the ground and your hips at the same height. Open your chest and fix a point in front of you. While fixing this point, gradually bend one leg. Turn the foot at 90° to come to position it on the inner side of the supporting leg. Then join your hands by placing your elbows in front of your chest or above your head. Breathe deeply a dozen times in this position.
Tip if you are a beginner: for better balance, place the heel at the level of the opposite knee and then gradually bring it to the level of the thigh and the perineum.
STRETCHING THE CAT
Put yourself in the shoes of a cat during a yoga session. Ideal for stretching and relaxing the entire spine, this posture will relieve you of your back pain. By massaging and stimulating the intestinal organs, it promotes the elimination of toxins. If you are looking for a yoga exercise to lose weight and become more supple, this posture is quite indicated.
Start by sitting on your yoga mat on all fours, like a cat standing. You can place a folded blanket under your knees for added comfort. Spread your fingers well and take a deep breath as you dig into your lower back and raise your head. Exhale deeply, rounding your back. Repeat this position several times, rhythmizing the movements with your breath.
THE CHILD'S POSTURE
Ideal to recover and enjoy a moment of relaxation after stretching the cat, this posture relaxes the lower back, shoulders and neck.
Place yourself in the 4-legged position, as in the previous posture. Place your feet on your heels and position your arms in front of you or along your body. With your forehead well anchored in the ground, take about ten deep breaths. Let yourself be won over by relaxation, until you let go completely. Able to soothe the mind, this exercise can also be done before going to sleep.
THE POSTURE OF THE BOAT
Looking for dream abs? Here's one of the best yoga positions to strengthen the abdominal muscles.
Lie down on a yoga mat. Your legs are stretched out and your arms at your sides, along your body. Raise your legs without bending your knees, as well as your chest. The goal: try to form a 45° angle. Hold this position for about ten breaths. Then exhale slowly while releasing the body.
To begin, choose an easier variation: place your arms at the back of the slightly bent knees. Feel like adding a little extra spice to the exercise? Extend both arms straight out and try to reach your toes.
THE POSTURE OF THE DOG UPSIDE DOWN
Why this name? Simply because this posture evokes that of a dog stretching. Its regular practice softens the hamstring muscles, but also the spine. It will also strengthen the rib cage and the shoulders.
Stand on all 4 legs. When exhaling, push on your arms and legs so as to form a pyramid, with your pelvis at the top. Extend your arms completely and breathe deeply.
Are you a beginner? Don't try to touch the ground with your heels. Go gradually, keeping your knees slightly bent so as not to hurt yourself.
THE POSTURE OF THE WARRIOR
To strengthen the abdominal muscles and legs, it is the perfect posture. It will also allow you to work on your balance.
Breathe slowly and calmly, while fixing a point straight in front of you. Start by stretching your leg back, as if you were trying to push away an imaginary obstacle. Lean forward, with your arms stretched out in line with your leg and the other foot on the ground. Hold this position for 5 to 8 breaths and repeat it about 10 times.
THE LOTUS POSTURE
A great classic, the lotus posture is the final part of a yoga session.
In a sitting position, bend your legs into a suit. Stretch your spine and then join your two hands in front of you. Then place them on your bent knees, with your palms facing the sky. Concentrate on your breathing. To help you, you can stare at a point or close your eyes. Take about 15 breaths, deeper and deeper. Inhale through your belly, finishing with your lungs, then exhale, releasing your belly last. As you breathe in, your mind calms down and relaxation sets in.
Aiming at the harmony of body and mind, yoga is a complete discipline that combines postures (or "asanas" in Sanskrit), breathing exercises ("pranayamas") and meditation ("pratyahara"). Its real advantage: it is accessible to everyone, whatever your level and physical condition. Thanks to these few basic postures, you can gently introduce yourself to yoga. To complete your experience or to discover other positions, don't hesitate to complement your practice at home with group classes or in small groups with a teacher who will be there to guide you and adjust you! Practicing yoga on a daily basis is the assurance of getting back in shape and keeping it!
