Asana – is all about the poses and flow of yoga. Asana and yoga practice has evolved over thousands of years. Many Westerners are initially attracted to yoga for the movement and physical exercise, but soon discover the extraordinary benefits of pranayama and meditation. There are many styles of yoga – Hatha yoga and Vinyasa flow being the most popular in the West. Regular practice will provide the practitioner with physical, emotional and spiritual strength and resilience.
Different poses and flow sequences can help the body heal and return to health. The power of yoga really comes when it is combined with pranayama and meditation.
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Yoga Poses
The asanas have evolved over thousands of years and are not merely a pretty pose to post on Instagram. The combination of poses, the connecting flow, co-ordination with breathing and awareness by the mind is yoga. Although asanas may present challenges to the physical body, its practice can calm the mind, improving concentration and focus.
If you are new to yoga, it is good practice to get the techniques right and set the foundation. Don’t worry about the fancy poses. Start with the basics and develop a strong core. try to link your breathing with movement – inhaling when stretching out and exhaling when folding in. Once you have the foundations, you will find it easy to progress to an intermediate level. At all times, have an awareness of your physical body and learn how the state of your mind can profoundly affect the function of the tissues, joints and organs, right down to the celullar level.
Sitting Poses
Sitting poses consists of a stable base, aligned spine and open chest. Some examples of sitting poses are Virasana ( Hero pose), Dandasana (Staff pose) and Baddhakonasana (Fixed angle pose).
Virasana
Virasana, or staff pose involves sitting upright with knees bent – initially sitting on the calves but with practice the calves are placed on either side of the thighs with the buttocks firmly in contact with the earth. This pose can ease stiffness in the shoulders, neck, hips and knees, relieve backache and improve the alignment of the discs between the spine. This pose also improves the circulation in the feet.
Dandasana
Although sitting poses are simple classic poses, they all can provide enormous benefit with regular practice. Dandasana, which is a sitting pose with the spine upright, chest open and the legs straight in front, can not only tone the leg and spine muscles involved but also strengthen the muscles of the chest, tone the abdominal muscles and lengthen the leg ligaments. Hidden benefits include improvements in breathing and reducing heartburn and indigestion.
Baddhakonasana
Baddhakonasana means ‘Bound angle’. the soles of the feet face each other and the knees drop either side towards the earth. This pose is a good stretch to improve blood flow to the abdomen, pelvis and back. It can help reduce sciatic back pain, strengthen the abdominal muscles and prevent hernia. It is also good for the reproductive organs in women and prostate in men.
Standing poses
Standing up straight in Tadasana, like a mountain, with both feet firmly planted on the earth can improve posture, strength and increase awareness of the body. By aligning the body correctly, you can avoid ailments associated with bad posture, and slow down the degeneration of the spine and reduce stress on the legs and feet. The gluteus muscles (buttocks) can also be strengthened. Have an awareness of the position of the feet and the weight of your body on the earth. Inhale, stretching both arms upwards and open up the chest. This pose forms an integral part of the the sun salutation or Surya Namaska.
Chaturanga Dandasana (Four limbed Staff pose)
This is a component of Surya Namaska or sun-salutation. Start in a plank position and shift the shoulders forward, in front of the wrists. Inhale, engage the core and legs, drawing the straight body away from the floor, exhale, bend the elbows hugging them against the body and slowly lower the body until the shoulders are at the same height as the elbow, keeping the body straight. Inhale, glide the body forwards, open the chest to upward facing dog, exhale, downward facing dog.
Tips include engaging all the trunk and thigh muscles to keep the body straight, shifting forwards slightly before lowering the body and keeping the elbows close to the body.
Utthita Trigonasana
Extended Triangle pose or Utthita Trigonasana provides an intense stretch to the legs and trunk, with the body in the shape of a triangle. This pose improves the alignment of the neck and shoulders, improves the flexibility of the spine and can alleviate back pain. In addition, it can provide relief from gastro-intestinal symptoms such as indigestion and flatulence. The pelvic area is also toned.
A tip for beginners, try to keep your ‘triangle’ in one flat plane. Do not tilt the pelvis so that the buttock is protruding out of the plane. By stretching the upper arm straight upwards, keeping the head in alignment with the spine and shoulder blades in line with each other, a perfect extended triangle can be achieved.
Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I)
Virabhadrasana I or Warrior I is a strong asana that strengthens the back muscles and tones the abdominal muscles. Step the right leg forwards with the knee at 90 degrees, directly above the ankle. Stretch the back leg, engage the core, open the chest and as you inhale, lift both arms up with palms facing each other. Holding the pose can increase the strength and flexibility of the legs. The pose can alleviate backache and sciatica, as well as improve digestion and strengthen the bladder. This pose should not be practiced if you have cardiac disease or high blood pressure.
Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)
Like a warrior, this pose can strengthen your legs, and increase your stamina, especially if held for a length of time (typically 5 breaths). It will also calm the mind, help align the spine and relieve lower back ache, and improve breathing capacity by opening the chest.
Stand with the feet about 1m apart. Point the right foot to the right and turn your left foot so that it is at 90 degrees to your right foot, with a line from your right heel bisecting the left arch of the foot. Bend the right knee to 90 degrees, with the knee in line with ankle. Extend the back leg and left the chest while floating the arms up to a T with the right arm pointing towards the right and left arm towards the back, palms down. Draw the shoulder blades back and gaze towards the tip of your 3rd right finger. Sink down a little with each exhale.
Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III)
Warrior III is another strengthening pose that can also improve your balance and posture. Holding this pose will increase the heat and strength in your legs, hips and upper back.
Start from Warrior I, bend forwards from the hip, shifting your weight to the front leg and inhale, lifting the back leg to be parallel with the floor and keeping it engaged and straight. The arms can be straight and parallel with the floor (as illustrated) or palms together in front of the sternum. The pelvis should be facing the ground and gaze forwards.
