Starting any physical routine requires the right start. But a lot of us tend to opt for the opposite. The day one of our so called ‘fitness start’, starts with everything in one day. This is because we start a physical routine to get rid of extra weight in the body and not aim for overall wellness. The hurry to see changes can lead to sheer tiredness and imbalance in various functions of the body. That’s why all the fitness advisors ask you to step into the grind slowly and steadily. The idea is to make it a habit so that it becomes a necessity just like brushing your teeth daily.
To start doing yoga we need to follow the no rush policy. Remember it is a holistic process that works on the body, mind and soul. Wear comfortable clothes and try to fetch a yoga mat for yourself. Do not work out right after you have eaten. Yoga should be done on empty stomach or at least three hours after eating. Keep a bottle of water handy and a small towel to wipe off the sweat. Also remember to do yoga in a clean environment and in clean clothes, hygiene and cleanliness is very important for a yogi.
After making sure everything is in place, start off with these asanas for a week daily, repeat at least twice daily.
TADASANA/Mountain pose
Stand with feet together and then stretch your arms up interlocking your fingers. Then breathe deep and slowly come on your toes. Stretching the hands up more, stretches the tummy and also erects the spine. Thus making the posture better and warming up the spine for abdomen exercise. Repeat 3 times.
BENEFITS
- Improves posture
- Strengthen thighs, knees and ankle
- Relieves sciatica
- Firms abdomen and buttocks
KATI CHAKRASANA/Spine twisting pose
Stand with your feet hip distance apart. Take your hands forwards, arms straight parallel to each other. Now slowly exhale and turn your torso to the right side and remember not to turn the hips too much as we have to concentrate on the upper body. And now do the same on the left side. Repeat 5 times each side.
BENEFITS
- Helps to remove lethargy
- Improves flexibility of spine
- Opens neck and shoulders
- Great back pain reliever
VRIKSHASANA/Tree Pose
Stand with feet together. With your right hand hold the right foot firmly and put it on the left inner thigh as high as possible. Push your right knee out to the right side. Stand tall with your back and slowly making a Namaste with the palms, stretch your palms high up above your head. Elongate your spine and squeeze your abdomen in. Thrusting the stomach in pushes the spinal columns straight. Look forward and at a point at your eye level. Breathe in and out long and deep. Steady breathing helps in getting the balance. Hold for some time and change the leg.
BENEFITS:
- Improves flexibility of legs
- Improves posture
- Increases mental stability and concentration
- Tones the legs and make them strong
- Helps in healing sciatica
UTKATASANA/Chair Pose
To do the chair pose you need to take your feet hip distance apart that is 30-40 centimeters. Inhale deep and exhale bend your knees and push your hips back. Remember you are not taking your knees forward to go down, just focus on the hip to go back and down. Check your back and try to make it straight. It might not be a perfect straight but don’t create an arc with your back. Slowly inhale take both the hands up parallel to each other, upper arms touching your ears. Also try to align your ankle and knee in the same line. Stay there for 10-15-20 seconds as per your strength.
It gets tough in this asana, all you have to do is breathe deep and focus on a point while holding.
Benefits:
- Excellent for lower body blood circulation
- Tightens the hips and tones them
- Tones the thighs
- Strengthen leg muscles
- Reduces cramps in legs
- Good for digestion
TRIKONASANA/Triangle pose
Open your legs 3-4 feet apart and keep your hands parallel to the shoulders. Both the feet should face forward and legs should be straight. First take your right foot to the right side, the left foot will remain facing forward. Now inhale and stretch your right hand to the right side and take the hand down to touch the right foot. Look up at your left palm. The left arm will remain stretched up. If you are not able to touch the hand down, don’t worry, just reach down with the right hand as low as possible. Remember to keep the leg straight and try to push the left shoulder back and right shoulder forward, so you feel a nice stretch coming to your left side of the waist. Hold the pose for at least 15 counts and then come up inhaling and take your hands down. Face the right feet forward and now do the same pose with left side.
Benefits:
- Strengthen the legs
- Opens the hips, hamstring, groin shoulders, chest and spine.
- Increases mental and physical balance
- Improves digestion
- Reduces anxiety, back pain and stress
ADHOMUKH SVANASANA /Downward facing dog
Come in the plank pose and now exhale and pull your stomach in and push your hips up, slowly bring your feet closer to the hands. Maintain a distance of 2-2/5 feet between hands and legs. Now slowly take your head deep down by sinking down with the shoulders. You have to make an upside down ‘V’ with your body, where the fulcrum of the V is your hips. Stay here for 15 seconds by keeping inhalation and exhalation deep.
BENEFITS:
- Calms down the sympathetic nervous system.
- Relaxes tired legs
- Good quick relaxation of overall body
- Stretches the hamstrings
- Opens the shoulder blade
- Improves digestion
Bhujangasan/Cobra pose
Lie down on your stomach. Keep the palms underneath the shoulders, so your elbows are up or just against the chest. Now inhale and push your chest forward, shoulders down and bend your elbows close to the rib cage. Keep the heels and toes together and push the naval down on the mat. Push your chin up and look up.
Benefits:
- Bhujangasana helps in making your lower back healthy.
- It also opens the shoulders and chest improving your posture.
- Thyroid gland is also activated during the asana.
- Tightens the loose fat on the belly.
- Removes double chin
