If you want to take care of yourself, but the frantic pace of workouts in the gym is not quite what you need - pay attention to yoga. Smooth movements, harmony and relaxation after each workout make yoga classes attractive to many. How to do yoga at home from scratch? Consider seven postures (asanas) for beginners.
Where to start yoga classes
First of all, make sure there are no contraindications. Yoga is contraindicated for any chronic diseases in the acute stage and congenital deformities of the bone section. If you have previous operations on the joints and the spine, you should consult with your doctor and start yoga only after a course of physiotherapy exercises.
To practice yoga at home, you will need: a non-slip mat, a terry towel and clothing that does not restrict movement. No yoga shoes are needed, all exercises are performed on bare feet. For the mood, put on relaxing music and turn on the air ionizer (if available).
In summer, if possible, do yoga outdoors: on the grass or boardwalk. Nothing should distract from your studies. Duration of one lesson: at least 45 minutes.
Yoga for beginners: 7 asanas (positions)
Yoga classes always begin with breath tuning and end with relaxation. Consider 7 asanas (positions) for beginners.
To start exercising, lay a rug and sit cross-legged. Place your wrists on your knees with the backs up. Keep your back and shoulders straight and your chin not drooping. Close your eyes. Take 6 deep breaths in and out. Try to keep the duration and depth of inhalation and exhalation the same.
1. Cat pose
One of the most important tasks of yoga at home: a therapeutic effect on the spine. Many often observed how the cat gracefully bends, shaking off the remnants of sleep. The first yoga pose for beginners is the cat pose, designed to give flexibility and tone to the spine.
Get on all fours so that your legs and arms are at right angles to your body. The fingers are spread out. As you inhale, bend your lower back down, straighten your shoulders and pull your head up without lifting your palms off the floor. On the exhale, on the contrary, arch your back in an arc, draw in your stomach, and lower your head down.
All movements are leisurely - imagine that you are a cat in the sun. All yoga poses count to 6. Complete the sixth inhalation, exhale fully and slowly push your palms off the floor, bending your knees and sitting on your heels.
2. Mountain pose
All yoga poses flow smoothly from one to another. From the final position of the cat pose, move your right or left hip to the side, put your leg bent at the knee and slowly rise, helping yourself with your hands. The back is straight, the stomach is pulled in. The back of the head, shoulder blades, tailbone and heels should be in a straight line.
The arms are freely placed along the body. The feet are firmly on the mat. Feel like a mountain that nothing can make you budge. As you inhale, turn your palms outward (called open palms) and slowly raise your arms above your head. The fingers stretch up. As you exhale, return your palms to their original position and lower your arms. Take 6 breaths in and out.
From the mountain pose, it is convenient to make bends to the left and right. Stretch your right arm out in front of you (palm facing left, not down) and lift above your head. Tilt your arm and upper body slightly to the left. Turn your head and chest towards your raised arm. Take 2 breaths in and out. On the 3rd inhale, straighten, and on the exhale, lower your hand. The same thing in the other direction. This exercise improves air exchange in the lungs and also tones the oblique muscles of the abdomen.
3. Pose of repentance (worship)
Get into a mountain pose. Place your palms on your hips. Bend your knees slightly. Lean forward slowly. Extend your arms and wrap your ankles or legs under your knees. Without lifting your arms, straighten your back and legs as much as your flexibility level allows. While inhaling, without lifting your arms, stretch upward, straightening your shoulders and straining your back. As you exhale, bend over, trying to press your head against your legs. The back is relaxed. After the 6th exhalation, slowly rise, opening up like a flower. The head rises last.
4. Lunges
The second of the tasks of yoga at home is the development of flexibility and muscle stretching. From mountain pose, slowly lean forward, place your toes on the floor. Bend your knees so that your palms are completely on the mat, and your knees are in your armpits. Step back with your left foot as far as possible. Place a folded towel under your left knee. The knee and ankle of the right leg should be in a straight line. Place both palms on your right knee and straighten your back while maintaining balance. As you inhale, draw in your stomach, as you exhale, sag slightly downward to develop the internal muscles of the right thigh. After 6 breaths, do the exercise with the other leg.
5. Tree pose
Starting position: standing (mountain pose). Rotate your right foot and knee to the right and bend slowly, placing your foot on the ankle of your left leg. Then with sliding movements of the foot (you can help with your hand), raise it to the level of the knee or the inner side of the thigh. At the same time, the foot of the left leg is pressed into the floor, the leg itself is straight. If you find it difficult to maintain balance, place a high-backed chair on your left and lean on it with your left hand. Slowly raise your arms and place them at heart level, palms pressed together. Look at one point in front of you, focus. If you "run" your eyes, you will not be able to maintain balance. Take 6 breaths in and out. Repeat with the other leg.
6. Cobra pose
Starting position: Take a prone position. The arms are bent at the elbows, the elbows are pressed to the body, the palms are located on either side of the chest, the head is raised. Take 6 breaths in and out. On inhalation, the chest, due to filling the lungs with air, will itself raise the upper body, and on exhalation, lower it. After this preliminary preparation, slowly raise yourself up on your arms and bend back. Fix the position and take 6 breaths and exhalations. On the last exhalation, return to the starting position.
7. Child's pose
From the starting position of the cobra, smoothly go into a stance on all fours. Bring the big toes of both feet together and spread the knees to the sides. Lower your torso onto your heels, leaving your arms extended (or position them along your body, as you like). As you inhale, stretch your fingers forward. Relax as you exhale. Take 6 breaths in and out
Final relaxation
Extend your legs from the child's pose, taking a prone position. Roll over onto your back. Keep your legs and arms free. Close your eyes and enjoy the silence (or music). Lie like this for 10 minutes without thinking about anything.
Doing yoga at home is easy, you can alternate the poses at your discretion: for example, start with the pose of the mountain and slopes. The main thing: do not forget to breathe correctly and do everything slowly and with pleasure. Any discomfort: bad mood, painful periods, high temperature, etc. Is a good reason to cancel your workout. After 3 weeks of daily training, you can supplement the workouts with other, more complex postures.
