Good Yoga Posture - Learn Some Simple Yoga Poses-Part II -Warm Up Poses

Good Yoga Posture - Learn Some Simple Yoga Poses - Part II - Warm Up 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)

Warm Up Poses

A. The Cat Yoga Pose (Bidalasana)

Learning to align your body correctly for yoga poses is paramount. The position and movement of your hips and spine are cental to proper alignment at your center. The way your hip or pelvis are positioned and moved allows your spine to stretch or lengthen properly. Movement should begin from your center and coordinate with your breathing.

The cat pose will help you learn to position your hips to ground or center your pose, so that movement begins here, and your spine can flex to the line of energy you are trying to achieve.

The Cat Pose stretches both the front and back of your body, elongating your back muscles, making your spine more supple, and your neck and shoulders less stiff. Your abs are exercised, and even the digestive system is stiumulated, with improved circulation through these areas as well. This pose is also a stress reliever.

If you have any back pain or recent injuries, you should avoid this exercise until properly healed. For comfort, fold a blanket to place beneath your knees if necessary.

1. Start on all fours-- your hands and knees.

Place your hands to line up directly under your shoulders and your knees to line up under the hips.
Spread your fingers out full span, and point your middle fingers straight ahead.
Keep your back flat and horizontal to the floor. Imagine a straight line connecting the hips and shoulders, running from the tailbone straight through to the top of your head. Make your neck an extension of your spine. Your hips/pelvis are now "centered" and in "neutral positioin". Your spine is able to extend fully, with the front and backsides of equal length.
Look down at the floor.

2. Inhale.

Curl your toes under
Drop your belly
Look up at the ceiling.. Start the movement in the spine start from the tailbone, with the neck the last part to move.

3. On the next exhale:

Touch the tops of your feet to the floor.
. Round up your spine.
. Drop your head.
Turn your eyes toward your navel .

4 .Repeat the Cat Stretch

On the inhale, drop your belly and look up
On the exhale, round up your spine and look down

B. Yoga Eye Exercises

Yoga doesn't overlook anything. Your eyes have muscles, too, and like other muscles in our bodies, they need to be exercised as well. Usually, we restrict movement in just a couple directions...to the side or down to read or do a task. We tend to turn our heads to accomplish seeing things otherwise.

If you want to make your eye muscles stronger, improve your eyesight, and help prevent eye strain, do this series of eye movements. Don't turn your head --andallow yourself to breathe normally while doing the exercises.

Procedure:

Look up and then look down.
Look at the right, then look at the left.
Look at the top right, then bottom left.
Look at the top left, then botttom right.
Do this final set at a slower pace twice, then faster two or three times. -- Look up. Roll your eyes clockwise, then counterclockwise. (imagine you are following the digits on a clock, starting at the number 12)