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Yoga Routines
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Overview
Yoga is best known as a series of poses which improve flexibility, strength and reduce tension. They also improve mindfulness and are often practiced with breathing exercises. If you feel any discomfort with these, always consult your doctor to see if these may not be suitable. See below a list of poses that are best suited for beginners, further examples can be found at healthline.com
https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/morning-yoga-routine
Child Pose
This pose is good for connecting with your breath and provides a gentle release for your lower back and hips.
Muscles Worked:
Lats
Lower Back
Hips
Steps:
Breathe deeply in and out here.
Get on all fours on your mat. Spread your knees wide and position your big toes so that they’re touching. Let your stomach fall between your thighs and allow your forehead to drop toward the floor. Extend your arms in front of your body with your palms on the floor. This is best shown by the image, where the palms and elbows are ideally upon the mat.
Happy Baby
The lower back and hips are moved in a more direct way with this position.
Muscles worked:
Hips
Inner Thighs
Lower Back
Steps:
Breathe here, focusing on keeping your ankles directly above your knees while pushing against your hands with your feet.
Lie on your back on your mat.
Bend your knees and bring them to your stomach, gripping the outsides of your feet. Flex your heels and ankles.
Cat Cow
Cat Cow is a popular pose which is used to warm your body up to movement. This exercise stretches your spine, engages the core, and opens the chest.
Muscles worked:
Serratus Anterior (Chest)
Erector Spinae (Back)
Abdominals
Steps:
Get on all fours on your mat with yours hands under yours shoulders and knees under your hips. Engage your abs, exhale, and push your spine up toward the ceiling. Allow your head to fall toward your chest. Hold here for 10 seconds. Inhale and let your spine fall back down, allowing your stomach to fall toward the ground while your head comes up and back. Hold here for 10 seconds.
Cobra
The Cobra pose is effective in stretching areas such as the chest, arms, shoulders and abs.
Muscles worked:
Lats
Triceps
Abdominals
Glutes
Hamstrings
Steps:
Lie on your mat on your stomach with your legs shoulder-width apart and the tops of your feet on the mat.
Place your hands underneath your shoulders with your elbows tucked into your body.
Inhale and begin to straighten your arms, pushing through the tops of your feet.
Lift your chest off the floor and push your shoulders back.
Stop straightening your arms as soon as your pelvis loses contact with the ground — breathe in and out here for up to 30 seconds.
Chair Pose
Chair pose is a slightly more difficult pose that stretches more parts of the body. This will also test balancing skills and will strengthen legs, back and shoulders.
Muscles worked:
Abdominals
Erector Spinae (Back)
Quads
Hamstrings
Glutes
Delts
Triceps
Steps:
Stand with your feet together and inhale, extending your arms directly overhead.
Exhale, begin to sit back into your hips, and bend your knees. Stop when your thighs are parallel to the ground.
Roll your shoulders down and back and press your tailbone toward the ground. Breathe here.
Links to guided Yoga routines
There are many sources of guided yoga sessions. The most popular routines are videos from YouTube, as well as smartphone apps. See below for some examples to try out. These include beginner routines as well.
Yoga with Adriene
https://www.youtube.com/@yogawithadriene/videos
Move With Nicole
https://www.youtube.com/@MoveWithNicole/videos
Yoga with Kassandra
https://www.youtube.com/@yogawithkassandra/videos