In recent years, yoga is increasingly popular and is tried by various ages. Yoga itself is a physical activity that involves meditation with techniques of stretching, breathing, balancing, and body flexibility to achieve harmony and harmony between emotion, soul, mental, spirituality and body. In addition, yoga is also a form of exercise because it has many benefits for the body. Posture or series of movements and breathing are the two main components of yoga. Apart from providing relaxation and peace of mind, yoga is quite easy to do anywhere and anytime. If you already understand some of the basic yoga movements after trying them with the direction and guidance of a yoga instructor, you can repeat them at home.
Benefits of Yoga
Apart from being a form of exercise, there are various benefits of yoga for health. If you still feel reluctant to practice yoga, perhaps the following benefits can make you change your mind. Yoga is a relaxation tool that can help you improve your mental and mental health by reducing stress, depression and sleep disorders. In addition, it can also increase self-confidence and the ability to think positively. The regular breathing process in yoga helps you regulate your breathing, increases lung capacity and improves blood circulation to all brain cells and body.
Physically, yoga is useful to build flexibility, balance and body strength. Forms a firmer posture and stronger muscles. The more regularly you do yoga, the better your posture and body shape can be. The positive impact can also lose weight and shrink the stomach. Yoga is also useful for improving the function of the endocrine (hormonal) glands in the body and helps prevent and treat several health problems such as heart disease, arthritis, asthma, and high blood pressure. Finally, yoga is useful for increasing the function of the endocrine (hormonal) glands in the body.
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12 Basic Yoga Moves for Beginners
At first glance, people think this sport is easy to do, but actually yoga also requires a lot of persistence and flexibility. Here are some basic yoga movements that you can do again as a form of exercise at home.
1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
Mountain pose or tadasana is the basic pose for all yoga poses that are performed standing (standing) and upside down (inversion) and for starting other poses. Because of this, mountain poses will naturally help in improving posture. Another benefit of this standing pose is that it increases body awareness, strengthens the legs, and improves harmony between the limbs.
How to do:
- Stand relaxed but with a straight posture
- Take a deep breath, hold for 5 seconds, then exhale and do so until the body feels relaxed to start the next pose
2. Tree Pose (Vrikshasana)
The Tree Pose is useful for stretching the thighs, groin, torso, and shoulders. This pose builds strength in the ankles and calves, and tones the abdominal muscles. As well as improving balance and stability in the legs.
How to do:
- Stand with your feet together
- Stretch one leg and bend it at the groin
- Both palms together in front of the chest upward
- Hold the pose for 30 seconds and then switch legs
3. Warrior 1 Pose (Virabhadrasana)
There are 5 types of warrior poses, warrior 1 is the most basic. This pose is one of the fundamental yoga positions to help build strength, balance and flexibility.
How to do:
- Stand behind the mat with your feet together
- Slide your right foot forward about 3 or 4 feet in front of your left foot
- Slowly bend your right leg
- Straighten your left leg
- Put your palms together and push up
4. Warrior 2 Pose
Warrior 2 pose is a continuation of warrior 1 pose with the same benefits for flexibility and balance.
How to do:
- Slide your right foot forward about 3 or 4 feet in front of your left foot
- Turn the body to the left and slowly bend the right leg
- Straighten your left leg
- Stretch your hands in the direction of your body
5. Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
The downward-facing dog is also the foundation of many yoga movements. This pose will drain blood to the brain so it is very good for the circulatory system. This pose will also strengthen the inner abdominal muscles which help stabilize the spine.
How to do:
- From a standing position, slowly reach up to the end of the mat with both hands
- Exhale and straighten your legs and knees
- Extend the tailbone and back
- Tighten the outer arm and press the base of the index finger actively against the mat
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6. Cobra (Bhujangasana)
Cobra pose is a beginner level yoga pose aimed at working out the back muscles. This pose can also increase spinal mobility, strengthen the muscles that support the spine, to help relieve back pain.
How to do:
- In a lying position on the mat, place your palms under your shoulders
- Lift your chest away from you, straightening your arms
- Look up and keep your stomach active.
7. Full Plank
The Plank Pose is a yoga movement that tones all of the core muscles of the body, including the stomach, chest, and lower back. This exercise strengthens the arms, wrists, and shoulders, and is often used to prepare the body for more challenging arm balance. Practicing Planks for a few minutes builds endurance and stamina, as well as tones the nervous system.
How to do:
- Extend your fingers and press down through your arms and hands
- Look down between your hands, extend the back of your neck and pull your abdominal muscles toward your spine.
- Tuck in your toes and step back with your feet, bringing your body and head together in a straight line.
- Pull your pelvic floor muscles toward your spine as you tighten your abdominal muscles. Keep the head in line with the spine. Extend along the shoulder blades and across the collarbone.
- Pull it down through the base of the index finger
- Press the front of the thigh toward the ceiling while extending the tailbone toward the heel.
8. Triangle Forward Pose (parivrtta trikosana)
The triangle forward pose has the benefit of opening the chest and shoulders. Ensures mobility of the hip and neck joints and provides proper stretch to the spine and strengthens the muscles in the thighs, hips, and back.
How to do:
- Stand with your feet wide apart on the mat
- Lower your left hand behind your left leg until it touches the floor
- Straighten your shoulders with your right hand parallel to the sky
- Maintain this pose for 30 seconds before switching sides
9. Bridge Pose
Bridge pose is a yoga movement useful for stretching the back of the body and training shoulder muscle strength. This pose also helps develop awareness of the muscles in your legs and helps build strength in the supporting muscles in your legs and hips.
How to do:
- Lie on the mat with your knees bent
- Put both hands at your sides
- Gently push your butt up so that your body is resting on your shoulders
10. Seated Forward Bend
It is important to include this pose in yoga practice to stretch the hamstrings, lower back, and sides. Slouching forward while sitting is the perfect fold for everyone to start opening up their bodies and learning to breathe through uncomfortable positions. If you feel a sharp pain, you should step back and relax the pull slowly. You can also bend your knees in the pose as long as your legs stay bent and together.
How to do:
- Sit with your feet together, legs bent firmly and not turning in or out, and hands near your hips.
- Lift your chest and start swinging forward from the waist
- After you reach the maximum level, stop and breathe for 8-10 breaths. Make sure your shoulders, head, and neck come off.
11. Wide Child’s Pose
Wide Child’s Pose is usually a pose that is done at the end of each session as a resting pose. This pose is very comfortable and helps the muscles to relax more after doing some tough poses and testing their previous stamina.
How to do:
- Sit on the mat with your heels to meet your buttocks
- Stretch your hands forward as far as possible
- Push your body forward and face down until it touches the floor
- Maintain this pose until you feel much more relaxed
12. Corpse Pose (Shavasana)
Corpse Pose is a meditative ending pose performed at every yoga practice. The purpose of this pose is to relieve stress and calms your mind after your yoga practice. It also induces your body into a relaxed state.
How to do:
- Lie down on your mat with your feet falling on their side
- Bring your arms alongside your torso with its palms facing the sky
- Relax your body and stay for 30 seconds to five minutes
So, those are the basic yoga movements for beginners and the benefits of each! Don’t forget to pay attention to the instructions and don’t force yourself to do extreme levels of movement that can make you injured. Stay healthy!
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