Boost Your Flexibility with These 8 Yoga Poses for Flexibility
I will never forget the time when I noticed that I was not able to touch my toes. I was late 20s, felt pretty active, but when I stooped forward, my hands hung a hard six inches below my feet. It was a wake-up call. I used to believe that flexibility was a feature that you are born or born out of like having curly hair. However, I then learned about yoga, and I knew that being flexible is a skill that can be trained, just as strength. It has nothing to do with being a contortionist; it has everything to do with letting your body move freely without tension or discomfort.
You are not alone in this case when you may have felt stiff when getting out of bed or when you may have found your shoulders rounding as a result of excessive time spent sitting before the computer. The positive thing is that you can use several main yoga poses in your routine and it will be a great difference. We should divide the reasons why flexibility is important and which poses can bring you the state of restoring your motion range.
So what is the importance of flexibility?
Get yourself rid of the picture of a gymnast in the splits. Real flexibility is concerned with functional movement. It’s what allows you to:
Put on your shoes without sitting down.
Check the rear rear mirror before reversing in a parking place.
Fall on the floor and pick up a toy (or a dog) without worrying that your back is going to go out.
In cases of chronic tightness of our muscles, the muscles pull our joints and this may cause poor posture and even pain. The 2015 article in the International Journal of Yoga underlines that a regular yoga practice has a great effect on flexibility and pain in joints, which is significant. The greatest advantage to me has been the fact that I am more comfortable in my own body during the day. That “stuck” feeling? It’s gone.
Best yoga postures to enhance flexibility.
The yoga beauty lies in the fact that it is an activity that is focused on the whole body. I have learned that a moderate strategy is the best strategy. You do not need bendy hamstrings when your back and shoulders have not been tightened yet. These eight poses are my number one suggestions to make since they address the most prominent regions in which we are likely to be tense.
Poses for back flexibility
A spine that is flexible is an immature spine. These pose are beneficial to overcoming all the forward bending we experience in our day to day life.
Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)
The pose is a strong backbend that exposes all frontal areas of the body and mostly your chest and shoulders that become tight due to being slouched.
How I do it:
I am lying on my stomach and my arms are close to me.
I squat and in as much as is possible, my heels are brought as close to my glutes as possible.
My hands reach back and grasp the outer part of my ankles. (In case I can not reach I secure a yoga strap at my ankles).
During inhalation, I raise my chest and my thighs off the floor. I have a great ache over my chest and at the front of my hips.
I sustain the tradition 5 breaths, paying attention to the breathing of my chest to increase the stretch.
Shoulder and neck flexibility pose.
Wherever you go, you are likely to be carrying stress. The poses assist in the release of that upper body tension.
Plow Pose (Halasana)
This position seems more difficult than it is. It is unbelievable to loosen tight shoulders and stretch the whole back. Noticeable note: In case you have problems with your neck, either do not perform this pose or seek the guidance of a teacher.
How I do it:
I begin lying on my back and hold my arms next to me, palm down.
I raise my legs upwards and over my head, and my toes to the floor behind me.
I place my hands behind my lower back making sure that my elbows are spaced far enough.
I work on the relaxation of my neck and shoulders, and I can feel a strong stretch in my spine and between my shoulder blades.
I breath in 5-10 seconds of profound breathing then slowly roll my spine down to the mat.
Poses for hip flexibility
Our hips are transitional places of body. Slim hips may lead to back and knee pain. It is a game changer opening them up.
Wide-angle seated forward binding (Upavistha Konasana)
The pose works the inner thighs (adductors) and hips, which tighten during the sitting up of the day.
How I do it:
I am sitting on the floor and spread my legs in a wide V-position. To ensure that my knees and toes are facing straight up to the ceiling.
I squeeze my hands at the floor in the back of my hips and lean forward, straightening my spine.
I move my hands slowly, trying as much as possible to keep my back straight. I can just go as far as I can bend my spine.
It is not to get my chest on the floor but to stretch my inside thighs. I hold for 5-8 breaths.
Poses for core flexibility
We usually consider the core as being only associated with the strength, but it must be flexible as well! Flexible core can be twisted and bent better.
Overall flexibility poses.
There are all-stars poses, which operate on several fronts simultaneously. The following is the holy grail to most yogis.
How to do yoga safely
You should take precautions before leaping into these poses. The first ground rule that I have is to listen to the body. A stretch must be a pleasant release rather than a stabbing, poking pain. Here’s what I keep in mind:
Warm up: I do not use cold muscles. Light movement (such as marching in place or cat-cow poses) is a few minutes of blood circulation.
Breathe: this is the most significant gadget. I never hold my breath. Strong deep breathing assists the muscles to be relaxed into the stretch.
Be Patient: I did not get tight last night, and I will not get loose last night, neither. Consistency is key. Even ten minutes per day is preferable to one hour per week.
FAQs
Q: What is the most frequent time that I should practice yoga to achieve an increase in flexibility?
A: Consistency is better than duration, as per most research, which I have participated in. The 3-4 times a week, with even 20-30 minutes, will result in better outcomes as compared to the 90-minute class once a week.
Q: I’m not flexible at all. Can I still do yoga?
A: Absolutely! This is the widespread delusion. Yoga is not flexible for people. The flexibility is created by the practice. All of the poses can be adapted using the aid of props such as blocks and straps.
Q: What is the difference between the sensation of a stretch and pain?
A: Good stretch is a mild to moderate pulling pains in the belly of the muscle. Pain is acute, abrupt, in a joint (such as knee, hip or spine). When you experience pain, then you are advised to come out of the pose with gentleness.
Q: How many seconds in the pose?
A: To be more flexible, one should keep a pose with 5-10 deep, slow breaths (about 30-60 seconds) so that the muscle has time to relax and stretch.
The bottom line
It did not take me a week to touch my toes and then stand up and able to fold. It required time and practice. But the changes were real. I am less stiff, I feel less serious after a long ride, I feel stronger and more united with my body.
These eight poses make a fantastic beginning. They deal with the critical areas in which we are tight because of modern life. Keep in mind that flexibility is not a contest, it is merely a personal routine such as providing your body with the support it requires to move freely in the coming years.