Classic Yoga Postures

8/12/2019 Classic Yoga Postures

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Classic Postures

Sit/Easy Position - Sukhasana

A starting position that helps focus awareness on breathing and the body; helps strengthenlower back and open the groin and hips.

Sit cross-legged with hands on knees. Focus on your breath. Keep your spine straight andpush the sit bones down into the floor. Allow the knees to gently lower. If the knees riseaboe your hips! sit on a cushion or block. "his will help support your back and hips. "ake #-$% slow! deep breaths. &n the ne't inhale! raise your ar(s oer your head. )'hale and bringyour ar(s down slowly. *epeat #-+ ti(es.

Dog and Cat --

Increases fle'ibility of spine

"his is really two poses! one flowing into the other. ,egin on your hands and knees. Keepyour hands ust in front of your shoulders! your legs about hip width apart. As you inhale! tiltthe tailbone and pelis up! and let the spine cure downward! dropping the sto(ach low! andlift your head up. Stretch gently. As you e'hale! (oe into cat by reersing the spinal bend!tilting the pelis down! drawing the spine up and pulling the chest and sto(ach in. *epeatseeral ti(es! flowing s(oothly fro( dog into cat! and cat back into dog.

Mountain - Tadasana

I(proes posture! balance and self-awareness.

A deceptie pose in that it appears so si(ple that so(e students (ay ask - why bother/,ut ust as there0s (ore to breathing than (eets the eye! there is (ore to standing! too.

Stand with feet together! hands at your sides! eyes looking forward. *aise your toes! fanthe( open! then place the( back down on the floor. Feel your heel! outside of your foot!toes and ball of your foot all in contact with the floor. "ilt your pubic bone slightly forward.*aise your chest up and out! but within reason - this isn0t the ar(y and you0re not standing atattention. *aise your head up and lengthen the neck by lifting the base of your skull towardthe ceiling. Stretch the pinky on each hand downward! then balance that (oe(ent bystretching your inde' fingers. Push into the floor with your feet and raise your legs! first thecales and then the thighs.

,reathe. 1old the posture! but try not to tense up. ,reathe. As you inhale! i(agine the breathco(ing up through the floor! rising through your legs and torso and up into your head.*eerse the process on the e'hale and watch your breath as it passes down fro( yourhead! through your chest and sto(ach! legs and feet.

1old for # to $% breaths! rela' and repeat.

&n your ne't inhale! raise your ar(s oer head 23rdhaa 1astasana4 and hold for seeralbreaths. 5ower your ar(s on an e'hale.

As a war( up! try synchroni6ing the raising and lowering of your ar(s with your breath -raise! inhale; lower! e'hale. *epeat # ti(es.


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Forward Bend or Extension - Uttanasana II

Stretches the legs and spine! rests the heart and neck! rela'es (ind and body

,egin standing straight in 7ountain pose or "adasana. Inhale and raise the ar(s oerhead.)'hale! bend at the hips! bring the ar(s forward and down until you touch the floor. It0s okayto bend your knees! especially if you0re feeling stiff. )ither grasp your ankles or ust leaeyour hands on the floor and breathe seeral ti(es. *epeat 8-# ti(es. &n your last bend! hold

the position for # or $% breaths. "o co(e out of the pose! curl upward as if pulling yourself upone ertebrae at a ti(e! stacking one on top of another! and leaing the head hanging downuntil last.

9ariations

$. Follow the instructions for the basic pose described aboe! but instead of holding the posefor seeral breaths! co(e up on the inhale. )'tend your ar(s forward as your rise until youare standing straight and your ar(s are oerhead. )'hale and bend forward. *epeat theprocess # ti(es.

:. o into the pose and take 8 deep breaths. Inhale and raise your head! but keep yourhands on the floor. 1ook each inde' finger around each big toe! e'hale and co(e down.1old for seeral breaths

8. Inhale and raise your head! again keeping your hands on the floor. "his ti(e! slide yourhands under your feet so that the tips of your toes are touching heel of your hands. 1old for

seeral breaths.


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The Co"ra - Bhu#angasana

Stretches the spine! strengthens the back and ar(s! opens the chest and heart.

5ie down on your sto(ach. Keep your legs together! ar(s at your side! close to your body!with your hands by your chest.

Step $? Inhaling! slowly raise your head and chest as high as it will go. Keep your buttocks

(uscles tight to protect your lower back. Keep your head up and chest and heart out.,reathe seeral ti(es and then co(e down. *epeat as necessary.

Step :? Follow the steps aboe. >hen you0e gone as high as you can! gently raise yourselfon your ar(s! stretching the spine een (ore. &nly go as far as you are co(fortable. @ourpelis should always re(ain on the floor. ,reathe seeral ti(es and co(e down.

Downward Fa$ing Dog - %dho Mukha S&anasana

,uilds strength! fle'ibility and awareness; stretches the spine and ha(strings; rests theheart.

Start on your hands and knees. Keep your legs about hip width apart and your ar(sshoulder width apart. @our (iddle fingers should be parallel! pointing straight ahead. *ollyour elbows so that the eye or inner elbow is facing forward. Inhale and curl your toes under!as if getting ready to stand on your toes. )'hale and straighten your legs; push upward withyour ar(s. "he goal is to lengthen the spine while keeping your legs straight and your feetflat on the ground. 1oweer! in the beginning it0s okay to bend the knees a bit and to keepyour heels raised. "he i(portant thing is to work on lengthening the spine. on0t let yourshoulders creep up by your ears -- keep the( down. >eight should be eenly distributedbetween your hands and feet. 1old the position for a few breaths. Co(e down on ande'hale. *epeat seeral ti(es! synchroni6ing with your breath? up on the e'hale and down onthe inhale.

'ead to (nee -- )anu Shirshasana

Stretches and opens back and ha(strings! i(proes fle'ibility

Sit on the floor with legs e'tended in front of you. ,end one leg! bringing the heel of the footas close to the groin as possible. @ou (ay want to place a pillow under the bent knee forco(fort. 7ake sure your sit6 bones are fir(ly grounded on the floor and that your spine isstraight. "urn your body slightly so you face out oer the e'tended leg. Inhale and raise yourar(s oer head. )'hale and begin to (oe forward slowly. "ry to keep the back as straightas possible. Instead of bending at the hips! focus on lifting the tailbone and rolling forward onyour sit6 bones. Inhale and lengthen and straighten the spine. )'hale and roll forward!howeer slightly. "o get a bit (ore forward (oe(ent! engage your Buadriceps 2thigh(uscles4 as you (oe forward. "his releases the ha(strings! giing you a bit (ore fle'ibility.>hen you0e (oed as far forward as you can! lower the ar(s and grasp your foot! or leg.1old the position for a (o(ent and breathe. "hen on the ne't e'hale gently pull yourselfforward. o slowly and re(e(ber to keep the back straight. >hen done! straighten up and

do the other side.


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'al* Shoulderstand -- %rdha Sar&angasana

Pro(otes proper thyroid function! strengthens abdo(en! stretches upper back! i(proesblood circulation! induces rela'ation

@ou probably re(e(ber doing this as a kid. 5ie on your back and lift your legs up into air.Place your hands on your lower back for support! resting your elbows and lower ar(s on theground. 7ake sure your weight is on your shoulders and (id to upper back -- not your neck.

,reathe deeply and hold for at the posture for at least #-$% breaths! increasing the hold oerti(e. "o co(e down! slowly lower your legs! keeping the( ery straight -- a little workout foryour abdo(inal (uscles.

The Bridge - Sethu Bandhasa

Increases fle'ibility and suppleness; strengthens the lower back and abdo(inal(uscles; opens the chest.

5ie on your back with your knees up and hands at your side @our feet should benear your buttocks about si' inches apart. "o begin! gently raise and lower your tail."hen! slowly! raise the tailbone and continue lifting the spine! trying to (oe oneertebra at a ti(e until your entire back is arched upward. Push fir(ly with your

feet. Keep your knees straight and close together. ,reathe deeply into your chest.Clasp your hands under your back and push against the floor.

"ake fie slow! deep breaths.

Co(e down slowly and repeat.

The Cor+se -- Sa&asana

*ela'es and refreshes the body and (ind! reliees stress and an'iety! Buiets the (ind

Possibly the (ost i(portant posture! the Corpse! also known as the Sponge! is asdeceptiely si(ple as "adasana! the 7ountain pose. 3sually perfor(ed at the end of asession! the goal is conscious rela'ation. 7any people find the conscious part the (ostdifficult because it is ery easy to drift off to sleep while doing Saasana. ,egin by lying onyour back! feet slightly apart! ar(s at your sides with pal(s facing up. Close your eyes andtake seeral slow! deep breaths. Allow your body to sink into the ground. "ry focusing on aspecific part of the body and willing it to rela'. For e'a(ple! start with your feet! i(agine the(uscles and skin rela'ing! letting go and slowly (elting into the floor. Fro( your feet! (oeon to your cales! thighs and so on up to your face and head. "hen si(ply breathe and rela'.Stay in the pose for at least #-$% (inutes.


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Sun Salutation 2surya na(askar4

Surya a(askar! the Sun Salutation! is a series of $: postures perfor(ed in a single! graceful flow. )ach(oe(entis coordinated with the breath. Inhale as you e'tend or stretch! and e'hale as you fold or contract. "he SunSalutation builds strength and increases fle'ibility. ifferent styles of yoga perfor( the Sun Saluation with their ownariations. 1oweer! the flow presented below coers core steps used in (ost styles.

For the series below! a single round consists of two co(plete seBuences? one for the right side of the body and theother for the left. &n days when you think you hae no ti(e for yoga! try and do at least one or two rounds of the SunSalutation. @ou0ll feel the difference.

, Mountain

,egin by standing in 7ountainpose! feet about hip width apart!hands either by your sides or inprayer position. "ake seeral

deep breaths.

. 'ands u+

&n your ne't inhale! in onesweeping (oe(ent! raise your

ar(s up oerhead and gently archback as far as feels co(fortable

and safe.

'ead to knees

As you e'hale! bend forward!bending the knees if necessary!

and bring your hands to restbeside your feet.

0 1unge

Inhale and step the right leg back

2 Plank

)'hale and step the left leg backinto plank position. 1old the

position and inhale.

3 Sti$k

)'hale and lower yourself as ifco(ing down fro( a pushup.

&nly your hands and feet shouldtouch the floor.

4 U+ward Dog

Inhale and stretch forward andup! bending at the waist. 3se

your ar(s to lift your torso! butonly bend back as far as feels

5 Downward dog

)'hale! lift fro( the hips and pushback and up.

6 1unge

Inhale and step the right footforward.


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co(fortable and safe. 5ift yourlegs up so that only the tops ofyour feet and your ahnds touchthe floor. It0s okay to keep your

ar(s bent at the elbow.

,7 'ead to knees

)'hale! bring the left foot forwardand step into head-to-knee

position.

,, 'ands u+

Inhale and rise slowly whilekeeping ar(s e'tended .

,. Mountain

)'hale! and in a slow! sweeping(otion! lower your ar(s to the

sides. )nd by bringing yourhands up into prayer position.

*epeat the seBuence! steppingwith the left leg.

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Classic Yoga Postures