5 Yoga Positions Every Beginner Should Know
Monday, September 27th, 2010Yoga can help you achieve peacefulness and a harmonious balance between your mind and body. It has a lot of health benefits such as improving your posture, relieving stress and stretching your tight muscles. However, if you are only a beginner in this art and science of yoga, you might get that natural feeling of uneasiness when you see the different yoga positions. Add to that the fact that each position has a strange and sometimes intimidating name to it.
These beginner yoga poses will help anyone to get easily acquainted with yoga. This will get them started on the right foot, allowing for the gradual move to more intricate yoga positions. Nevertheless, easy or hard, every yoga pose has a corresponding health benefit to give to you.
1. Balasana
Also known as the Balasana, this yoga position aims to relieve mild back pains. For you to do this you must first drop your body on the mat in a kneeling position. Lunge your upper body forward with your arms stretched out forward with the palms resting on the mat. Then your belly should be relaxing on top of your knees. Hold this position for a minute or two.
2. Mountain Pose
This is known as the Tadasana and it will help improve your posture. You stand straight with your big toes touching each other. If you are uncomfortable with your knees touching each other, you can spread them out a little bit just to ease off the pressure. Move your quadriceps upward, causing your knee caps to rise. Next, tone the belly and draw it in. Your collar bones should be parallel to the pelvis. Keep your neck straight the whole time.
3. Cat Stretch
This yoga position will help improve your abdominal strength while stretching the spine. To achieve this, you must drop on all fours just like a cat, hence the name. Now imagine that there is a line drawn on your back. It should be straight, starting from your head all the way down to your spine. Keep this imaginary line straight. Hold this position for a few seconds or a couple of minutes.
4. Standing Forward Bend
Also known as the Standing Forward Bend yoga pose. It is one of the many beginner positions that will stretch out your hamstrings. Stretching your hamstrings is important because you make it more flexible and therefore less prone to injuries. You do this position by first standing straight. You then bend forward with both arms falling down the sides of your legs. Your palms should then be resting flat on the floor or your mat. Put your weight on the balls of your feet.
5. Raised Hands Pose
It is also called the Raised Hands Pose, it helps straighten your back which improves your posture while at the same time strengthening your thigh muscles. To achieve this pose you must stand straight on the mat. Next, stretch out your arms upward into the air with both palms touching together. Always be mindful to keep your back straight all the time.
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