Yoga Warm Up Exercises
- Warm yourself up for yoga with slow breathing and stretching exercises.the man in a pose yoga image by Artem Lapenko from Fotolia.com
With any form of exercise, it's vital to warm up your muscles and joints before you begin. Yoga is no exception. Even though yoga is often a slow and controlled form of exercise, a good warm up routine will prepare your body and help you make the most of your experience. - Stretching exercises in yoga promote flexibility.stretching image by Steve Lovegrove from Fotolia.com
Stand on your mat, in the mountain pose (Tadasana). Your feet should be hip-width apart, arms at your side. Flex and lift your thigh muscles so your kneecaps rise, draw your belly button in towards your spine, push your heels well into the floor. Lift both arms straight up into the air and back again, moving your arms in time with the rhythm of your slow breaths in and out. Repeat. On the third lift, interlace your hands above your head and stretch your arms and body slightly to the right. Repeat this movement to the left, remembering to focus on your breathing. Standing straight again, bring arms down to your side while continuing to breathe in and out slowly. - A forward bend, lunge and the downward dog pose stretch the muscles in your back.yoga pose utanasana, forward bend image by Susan Rae Tannenbaum from Fotolia.com
From the mountain pose, in rhythm with your breath, drop your chin to your chest and roll yourself down until your hands are flat on the floor. This is known as a forward bend (Uttanasana) and this movement stretches your lower back and hamstrings. Step your left leg back and keep it straight while bending your right knee into a lunge position. Lift your head and hands, put your hands on the floor near your right foot and lean forward, stretching your right hip. Change legs and repeat on the other side. Keep your hands on the floor, bring your feet together and straighten your legs back into the forward bend position. Step one leg back at a time, with your hands remaining on the floor; this is known as the downward dog pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana). Hang your head down between your arms, keeping your spine nice and long and your heels flat on the ground. You will feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Step each foot back to the forward bend position and roll yourself slowly back up to a standing position. - The seated stretch works your back and hamstring muscles.young beautiful girl stretching on the floor image by Laser from Fotolia.com
Sit down on the mat with your legs extended in front of you. Sit up with a straight spine, your feet flexed, your shoulders back and pulled down and put your hands flat on the floor on either side of your bottom. In time with the rhythm of your breathing, lift your hands straight up while keeping your back straight, then bring your arms down and reach toward your feet. Try and bring your chest to your knees while keeping your legs straight. Bring yourself back up to a seated position.
