Practitioners believe that yoga is a therapeutic exercise that brings about peace of mind while it brings stability to the body. So, people practice yoga to feel fit and relax their minds of stress, depression and tension. Yoga is concerned with movements, patterns, postures and alignment of the human body. Most yoga postures can be practiced by people of all ages, however one should have the guidance of a qualified teacher when starting out.

Types of Yoga postures

There are many types of yoga postures. Some of the more well-known postures are discussed as follows:

• Sukhasana or Lotus is a sitting pose of yoga and is easy to perform. It is often used as the starting position. It helps to open and strengthens the groin, hips and lower back bone.

• Tadasana or Mountain pose is used to improve the balance of mind and posture of the body.

• Virabhadrasana or Warrior is a yoga pose that can be performed after Tadasana or mountain pose. It stretches both arms and legs and strengthens the bones.

• Uttanasana is a yoga posture in which the body is extended upwards and then bent in the forward position to touch the toes. It helps in stretching the neck, legs and back bones, while also provide relaxation to the heart and mind.

• Adho Mukha Svanasana or Downward Facing Dog is a yoga posture performed by putting and maintaining forehead on the floor in front of you. It helps to increase the flexibility of the hamstrings and back.

• Bhujangasana or The Cobra posture is performed by laying down flat on your stomach on the floor. It helps open the chest area and heart and stretches and strengthens the spine.

• Janu Shirshasana is head to knee pose of yoga exercises. This position is performed while sitting and touching the foot with the hand. Increases flexibility in the hamstrings, back, and arms.

• Trikonasana or the Triangle is a yoga pose in which the body is bent in the form of a triangle by separating the feet 3-4 feet and then touching one foot with one of your hands. It opens up the torso and increases the flexibility in back bone.

• Ardha Sarvangasana or Half Shoulderstand is a yoga pose that is formed by lying down on your back with elbows and lower arms on the floor and rise you legs up in the air. It helps in enhancing thyroid function and blood circulation in the body. It also stretches the upper spine and strengthens the abdomen and organs.

• Sethu Bandhasa or the Bridge is that yoga posture in which the body is laying down on the floor with arms resting at its sides while the body is risen such that the head, neck and feet are on the floor but the middle part of the body including tail, tail bone and spine is raised in the shape of an arc. This position opens the chest while also improving the strength and flexibility of the abdomen and lower back.

• Hatha Yoga is the most difficult and demanding type of yoga postures as it requires very hard exercises and practices, immensely involving every muscles of the body.

• Pranayama is a yoga posture that involves breathing exercises.

• Dog and Cat posture helps in increasing the strength and flexibility of spinal cord.

• Savasana or the Corpse posture is performed at the end of yoga exercises session to relax the body and also provides a refreshing effect on the mind. This is a relatively easy position to perform.

Benefits of practicing yoga

There are hundreds of benefits of yoga. Here are just some of them:

• It increases the body’s healing power and boosts the immune system.

• It enhances perception, improves concentration, and relaxes the mind.

• It improves the body’s overall flexibility.

• It increases memory and learning ability of the mind.

• It increases the cardiovascular ability of the heart.

• It helps provide stability to the nervous system.

• Lowers heart rate and blood pressure.

• It increases awareness and improves brain function.

• Improves endocrine and gastrointestinal function.

• It increases energy level of the body so increasing the grip and equilibrium of the body.

• Many people practice yoga to control their weight.

• It improves balance.

• Helps overcome depression and anxiety.

• Helps lower cholesterol.

• It can help control diabetes.

• It improves muscle tone througout the body.

• It proves as a treatment for arthritis, arteriosclerosis, chronic fatigue, asthma, hepatitis, insomnia and AIDS.

• Reduces the effects of aging.

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