Learn the foundational yoga postures and discover different variations to add variety to your practice! As you explore the postures, you can adjust each one to fit your needs and level of flexibility. Enjoy the journey of yoga
1. The Cobra
Start your workout session by lying flat on your stomach, legs together and stretched behind you and forehead to the ground. Place your palms, facing downwards, just below your shoulders. Take a deep breath and raise your head back, pushing your neck along in the process. Now use your arms to help push your midriff up, forming an arc from your lower back up to the back of your neck.
You can stop at any time here and relax with your head to one side. If you can, straighten your arms completely, bend your legs at the knees and drop your head back towards your feet. You don’t have to go too far, just as far as you can. Hold this posture and take nice, deep breaths.
When you’re done, slowly roll back onto your stomach and relax. Feel free to repeat this as much as you would like!
2. The Bow
If you’re wondering how many children can master this extreme version of the simple bow, you’ll be surprised how quickly they pick it up!
You can start by lying face down on your mat. If you’re pretty slim, you’ll want to make sure your mat is thick and well-padded. On an inhale, bend your knees and reach back to hook your fingers and thumbs around your ankles. As you exhale, lift your head and chest, drawing your feet closer to your hands and lifting your knees and thighs away from the floor. Keep breathing easily, and try to kick up your legs further and keep your head lifted.
If you feel comfortable, you can move your hands down your legs and gently stretch even further. Take a few good deep breaths, then when you’re ready, carefully release your hold and lay your head to one side.
3. The Shooting Bow
In Sanskrit, this posture is known as Akarna Dhanurasana and it is often compared to a “shooting bow”.
To begin, start by sitting with both legs straight in front of you and with a straight back. Reach forward with both hands and try to clasp your feet- the left foot with the right hand and vice-versa. Inhale, then take the left knee and gradually pull the foot in towards your chest, making sure the elbow is pointing up and the body twists slightly to the right. It’s important to keep the left-hand firm and steady while holding the right foot. Take normal breaths and release them slowly, taking time to relax after each time.
Try repeating the same steps with the other leg. Don’t worry if it’s a bit hard to start with, to begin with, you can hold the bent left leg with the right hand. When it’s easy, go ahead and stretch down and pull the left foot in with the right hand. As you continue to pull on the left foot, make sure to lift it higher each time you exhale.
