Yoga BLOG

by Stefan
on May 08 2024
These are the most popular yoga exercises
If you've been trying out different types of yoga for a while, you've probably already found one that appeals to you the most. Perhaps you already know your favorite asanas. If this isn't the case, because you've only recently started or your understanding of the different yoga postures is still very limited, you can use the information in this article to your advantage. Get to know various popular yoga poses that can positively support you in your everyday life.
Important: Clarify your symptoms before your first yoga session
If you're physically healthy, you can start right away. However, if you have any physical limitations, be sure to have this checked out by your trusted doctor or a naturopath of your choice.
What you should consider as a beginner before practicing!
Once everything's clear, you can slowly start practicing. It's advisable to join a yoga group in your city. There, the yoga instructor can give precise instructions on how to perform each asana.
If you're already experienced or have access to valuable online content, this may be enough to get you started with yoga. Here, you should make sure that the individual exercises are well explained and that you're confident in performing them.
No matter which yoga class you attend, always be aware of your own limits. The goal is for you to be able to fully perceive your body and feel what you need at that moment.
Deep breathing is also essential for achieving a relaxing effect on your body and mind. The yoga session can be concluded with a meditation or with guidance for a specific breathing exercise on your pillow . This way, you can benefit from the holistic effect.
When choosing your clothing, it's advisable to opt for comfortable fabrics. Fabrics should sit comfortably against the skin, and tight waistbands should be avoided.
The best yoga exercises for body, mind and soul
To get a good insight into the most important yoga postures, you can practice the following poses and integrate them into your practice on the mat .
a) Chair Pose (Utkatasana)
For this pose, stand on your mat with your feet hip-width apart and slowly squat down. You'll definitely feel the tension in your thighs. This is exactly right. This exercise works your thighs and glutes. Your core muscles and calves are also targeted.
b) Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
If you'd like to try another standing pose, Mountain Pose is recommended. This can strengthen your legs and increase your stability. When performing this pose, make sure your feet are firmly planted on the mat, with your big toes touching. Turn your thighs slightly inward, and point your knees forward. Let your arms hang loosely at your sides. Push your chest forward, and stay in this position for one minute. If you feel like it, you can stay longer.
c) Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana)
This pose is part of the Sun Salutation or many advanced Vinyasa flows. For this pose, lie on your mat, belly down, legs extended behind you. Then raise your upper body, palms down, arms straight, and legs slightly off the floor. This means that only the palms of your hands and the backs of your feet are resting on the mat. You can tilt your head back.
Stay in this pose for a few breaths and observe how you feel. This exercise is good for your back and spinal mobility. It also opens your heart and chest.
If these physical exercises are too difficult for you, try Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana). Here, you assume a similar position. Lie on your stomach, place your arms in front of you, press through them, and slowly raise your torso (using the strength of your back). Your knees (and legs) remain completely on the mat. This exercise strengthens your back and opens your heart. You can tilt your head back—be careful not to overextend it.
d) Child's Pose (Balasana)
This is a position ideal for relaxing during a busy day or an intense yoga session. You squat and then place your upper body flat on the mat. Your arms pointing backward or forward.
The advantage of this asana is that you can completely relax in it. It stretches your thighs and ankles, reduces tension in your back, and mobilizes your hip joints.
e) Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Young woman practicing yoga, standing in Downward facing dog pose, adho mukha svanasana exercise, beautiful girl in gray sportswear, leggings and bra working out at home or in yoga studio
To complete your yoga practice, downward dog is a must. It is practiced in the Sun Salutation along with upward dog. This will train your thighs and shoulders, and mobilize your back.
Get into a quadruped position on your mat and then raise your pelvis backward. Straighten your legs (as far as you can) and your arms as well. Keep your back straight, and the soles of your feet rest on the floor. Stay in this pose for a few breaths, breathing in and out deeply.
f) Cat (Bidalasana) and Cow (Bitilasana)
Another popular exercise is the cat-cow pose. Here, you stand back on your mat with your feet hip-width apart and your hands shoulder-width apart.
As you inhale, assume cow pose, which means your chest is directed forward and your back is more sagging (a hollow back). As you exhale, assume cat pose. Your back is arched upward, and you form the familiar "cat's back."
With this pose you mobilize your spine and strengthen your abdomen, chest and shoulders.
Other great exercises are:
Warriors I, II and III
Tree
triangle
swivel seat
Seated forward bend (straight and lateral)
What is your favorite exercise and how long have you been doing yoga?

Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana: Upward-Facing Dog
by Nick
on Sep 28 2018
Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana: Upward-Facing Dog
Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) is one of the classic yoga poses and is well-known as a relaxation and stretching pose, even in beginner yoga classes. But it's not the only dog pose you should practice in yoga. Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana) also offers beneficial effects and is easy to learn. Learn how to get into Upward Facing Dog, how it differs from Cobra, and what benefits it can offer you here.
Dog or cobra?
The two poses are sometimes easily confused by beginners. Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana is a backbend performed from a prone position with arms outstretched. Ideally, only your insteps and firmly grounded palms should touch the floor. You gaze upwards, diagonally, toward the highest. The pose is graceful, and few asanas surpass it in beauty. Cobra pose, on the other hand, remains much more grounded than upward-facing dog. Here, too, you lie on your stomach and bend upwards. However, the backbend only involves the upper body. Your legs remain on the floor, and your elbows are included in your grounding.
Prepare the upward-facing dog well
Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana is an intense backbend that requires careful preparation. You'll need both strength and stretching. You'll draw strength from standing poses like Warrior Pose. You'll achieve the stretch in Downward-Facing Dog. You practice both together in Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar) . You can also increase the flexibility of your ankles for standing on your instep on the mat. For example, heel-seat pose is one way to consciously feel the pressure on your insteps.
Going into Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana
First, lie on your stomach. With your toes pointed, lift your legs off the floor up to your hips and support yourself with your hands to the right and left of your ribcage. Keep your ribcage wide open. Open your heart by bringing your elbows close together and simultaneously pulling them back. Inhale, lift your head. Exhale, and push yourself upward with your hands and toes. In this pose, place the tops of your feet flat on the floor and surrender to this posture. Your weight is distributed evenly between your feet and hands. Keep your neck long and your gaze directed forward and upward.
Feel balance
Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana promotes balance in two ways. You feel external balance by placing equal weight on your feet and hands, thus filling them with energy. You feel internal balance by simultaneously grounding yourself with your feet and hands and connecting with the Supreme through the backbend with your head upturned.
Experience the effects
Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana is an asana that benefits body, mind, and soul. You activate your entire spine and make it flexible. The stretch in the chest can help you if you suffer from asthma or bronchitis. Your internal organs are gently massaged and their function stimulated. This also applies to the thyroid. Your arms and legs, as well as your core muscles, are sustainably strengthened with regular practice. You find peace because you can feel safety from below and protection from above. Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana can be helpful for back pain, but you should not perform this exercise if the pain is acute.
Variations for the upward-facing dog
You can find support for Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana by practicing the asana on your tiptoes until your insteps are ready for the strain. You can also place a soft blanket under your feet. If you want to intensify the backbend, you can rest your hands on blocks for Upward-Facing Dog.
Image © fizkes / 123rf.com