Find Answers About Yoga Here!

 

Good Yoga Posture - Learn Some Simple Yoga Poses - Part II - Standing Poses

 

There are eight major types of yoga postures and exercises or asanas. Within each of these areas are postures which target different areas of the body as well.

The types of yoga stances include: Warm up Poses, Standing Poses, Seated Poses, Twist Yoga Poses, Supine Poses ,Inverted Postures and Balance Poses, Backbends, and Finishng Poses.

 

 




 

 

Included below are a sample pose or two from each of these areas to help you begin your yoga adventure.

 

 

Warm Up Poses - The Cat Pose ( (Bidalasana); Yoga Eye Exercises

Seated Poses - The Easy Pose (Sukhasana); The Upper or Full Boat Pose

Standing Poses - The Mountain Pose; The Chair Pose I

Supine Poses - The Wind-Relieving Posture; Leg Reclining Lunge

Back Bends - The Cobra (Bhujangasana)

Twist Poses - The Half Spinal Twist

Inverted and Balance Postures - Crane Pose (Bakasana)

Finishing Poses - Corpse Pose (Savasana)

 

Standing Poses

 

A.The Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

 

Tadasana is the initial pose for all Standing exercises, as well as for some other series of Yoga Exercises.

This pose is incorporated in the middle and at the end of various poses as well. You learn to concentrate on your pose and your breathing. This pose assists you during more intensive exercises to hold your meditative focus, and enables you to increase it as well as regain it, should you become distracted and lose concentration.

 

Procedure:

 

1. Stand up straight with both feet apart at hip-width distance.
2. Turn your heels outward a bit and allow your weight to rest on your toes
3. Let your arms hang downward alongside your body with the palms of your hands pointed towards your body.
4. Next you will move your pelvis away from your lower back by pulling your ribs slightly towards your belly.
   Concentrate on your breath and breathe in and out a few times.
5. During your breathing, position your neck straight over your upper back, as if you were stretching your body upwards from your neck
6. Flex your shoulder blades toward each other, then release outwardly and down to keep them relaxed, but broad. Keep breathing freely with relaxed breaths.
7. Choose a point of focus straight ahead of you and direct your visual attention there while standing motionless. Use as little effort as possible, aiming to deepen your relaxation and concentration.

Hold this pose motionless for 30 seconds to 1 minute to achieve the desired results.

A major aim in this exercise is to focus on the mediatative, calming aspect of Yoga.

Many people use this asana as a rest break between more difficult poses, when they have lost focus due to discomfort or difficulty. This can cause you to further decrease your attention unless you continue to concentrate on awareness of the meditative stilling nature of the exercise.

Since this is a fundamental position for so many yoga exercises, spending proper time and focus here to learn it correctly will carry over to your further yoga pursuits.

 

 

B. Chair Pose I (Utkatasana I)


A strong lower back is essential to performing yoga exercises correctly.

The Chair Pose will help you to gain strength in this important area of your body as well as in the legs and mid-section.

 

Procedure:

 

1. Begin with the Mountain Pose (Tadasana).
2. Next, stretch out your arms forward in front of you, lengthen your spine, and take care not to push the lower ribs to the front.
3. Bend your knees, squat-fashion, and tilt your upper body forward at 45 degrees, as if you are about to sit down in a chair. (Center your weight on your heels, and keep your hips no lower than the level of your knees.)
4. Keep your lower back straight; improper alignment will affect your breathing.(Check to see if you feel a groove in the middle of your lower back. If not, start over. Stand up straight, bend forward with your body, and feel for this groove.)
5. Allow your upper body weight to rest on your pelvis.
6. Relax your calf muscles, allowing your body weight to be directed towards your feet as if into the floor.
7. Move your sternum, or chest bone slightly towards your belly.
8. Relax your breathing, sending it up through your belly towards your chest bone.
9. Stay relaxed, still and focused on correctly positioning your back, chest and pelvis.
10. Hold this pose for about 20 seconds.
11. Go back to standing position, and release your arms.

 

Spirit

Spirit

Mind

Body

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

<

 

 

 

 

;