We often think of muscles like a rubber band; pull them harder and they will stretch longer. The problem is that most of our muscles are old, rigid rubber bands that will snap the minute you pull them too far. Another problem is that our muscles don’t work exactly like rubber bands. So how do our muscles function and how do they stretch longer? Enter flexibility: range of body motion that loosens us up.

What flexibility is… and what it is not

Before we can pull our muscles every which way in our yoga poses, we have to loosen them up.

Believe it or not, our flexibility is not determined by our muscles; the nervous system determines our flexibility. Take tight hamstrings as an example. Say you have tight hamstrings and you do a deep forward fold. Your brain will send the flashing red “danger” signal to your hamstrings (via your nervous system) and your hamstrings will respond by contracting. They do this as a survival mechanism; when they contract they may lose flexibility, but they gain strength, which they use to protect you.

Your first instinct might be to push past this feeling into a deeper stretch. But pulling yourself deeper won’t improve your flexibility and could actually cause you to get injured. Yoga for flexibility is not about pulling on our muscles until they grow longer, it’s about teaching our muscles to relax when we hit our limits. A relaxed muscle is a loose muscle, and that is where you find flexibility.

Why flexibility is important

Regularly practicing Yoga poses for flexibility have many health benefits. Stretching is a great way to increase your mobility, improve your range of motion and reduce the risk of injury. Flexible exercises are an important part of any workout routine. They help you avoid injury and keep your body limber. You should also stretch before and after workouts to prevent soreness and muscle fatigue. Stretching helps increase blood flow, improves circulation, and increases joint mobility. Flexibility is essential for maintaining a healthy spine and avoiding back problems.

Stretching helps us release tension and stress. It improves overall physical health and mental health. Yoga poses are great for correcting poor posture, improving sleep quality, cultivating body awareness and boosting mood.

How to improve your flexibility

I constantly remind my students that flexibility does not come from pushing past your limits, but from reaching your edge and staying there. The number one way to improve your flexibility is to keep practicing. Keep these flexibility tips in mind during your next yoga practice.

• Play with your limits—While you do not want to force yourself beyond your limit, you also do not want to stay too far on the other side. The only way to learn (and expand) your body’s limits is to play along the edge.
• Use your breath—With every inhale, focus on alignment and check on the integrity of your posture. With every exhale, think about letting go and sinking a little deeper into the posture.
• Remain calm—A lot of our muscle tension comes from a fearful brain. This turns on the sympathetic nervous system, which triggers muscle contraction. Keep your breath long and smooth and remind yourself that you are safe so your brain and nervous system can relax. This will inevitably lead to your muscles relaxing.
• Stay awhile—Maybe yin yoga is not your thing, but there is quite a bit of science that supports the argument that your muscles need time to relax. Staying in a pose for five breaths is good for your muscles, but stay for five minutes and you might be amazed by how much deeper your muscles relaxed at the end compared to when you started.

Whether your regular practice consists of intense vinyasa classes or relaxing yin classes, if you follow these tips you will see shifts in your flexibility. Just remember—stop worrying about lengthening and focus on relaxing!

How does yoga help improve flexibility?

Yoga isn’t just about stretching. Yoga is an ancient practice that combines physical movement, breathing techniques, meditation, and philosophy. Yoga differs from just stretching because it focuses on safety, form, and the variety of poses that target both major muscle groups and deeper-seated stealth muscles. Yoga emphasizes proper alignment, attention, and the awareness of your body.

It helps us to understand our bodies and minds better. It teaches us to focus on our breath and body while we move. It teaches us to calm down and relax. And it teaches us to become aware of what we’re doing and why.

12 yoga postures for flexibility

Most asanas have a balance of both strength and flexibility, but there are a handful of positions that will be most helpful to increase your flexibility. These poses require minimal effort so you can focus on relaxing, breathing and relaxing into the stretch. Start with just a few of these poses each week until you feel comfortable enough to add more.

Bound Angle pose

Baddha Konasana is a great pose for beginners because you get to stretch your hips while opening your chest. Holding this asana for several deep breaths will stretch the adductors, inner quadriceps, and hamstrings. Feel your heart expand as. you let your shoulders drop down and your spine lengthen. This pose helps you release any tension and stress in your body and stimulates the reproductive, nervous and respiratory systems. It also helps you prepare for meditation and other seated yoga postures.

Wide Legged Seated Angle pose

This hip opening pose is perfect for those who struggle with tight hamstrings. Upavistha Konasana opens up and stretches out your inner thighs while stretching the entire back side of the body: legs, back, and arms. It also helps Strengthens the calves, ankle, hamstrings, glutes, abdomen, and spine. If you find this pose difficult, try placing a folded blanket under your hip bones or use a bolster under your chest.

Triangle pose

Utthita Trikonasana is a great pose for stretching out your muscles in your legs and in the sides of your body. Triangle pose can increase stability by activating your core muscles. Keeping the lower hand lightly touching the floor engages your core strength which helps you gain confidence and feel stronger. Triangle pose stimulates your organs, including your digestive system, which can improve your metabolism. It reduces stress by targeting the lower back, which can cause tension and pain. It can also help relieve stress, anxiety and help stabilize emotions.

Child’s Pose

Balasana is a great pose to relax the entire body, and it’s a great resting pose after practicing a challenging asana. Child’s pose is a simple yet effective position that gently stretches the low back muscles. Breathing deeply in this pose also massages and tones the abdominal organs to help them function properly. It also helps reduce stress by calming the mind and soothing the nervous system.

Supine Pigeon pose

Supta Kapotasana is a great pose for beginner students or for people with tight hips. Reclined pigeon pose provides an opportunity for us to gently stretch the hips, thighs, and low back. It helps prepare us for backbends, as well as for sitting meditation. It allows us to open the front side of the pelvis, which is often tight and contracted when we sit still for extended periods of time. Reclined pigeon pose provides us with a great opportunity to practice patience and surrender.

Standing Forward Bend

Uttanasana is a great pose to lengthen your hamstrings. Standing Forward Fold stretches the hamstrings, hip flexors, and calves. It stretches the backside of the body, which improves posture and spinal alignment. It calms the mind and relieves stress. It also stimulates the liver and kidneys and helps improve digestion.

If you’re feeling your legs or low back extra tight, bend your knees slightly. To relax deeper into the stretch, grab opposite elbows and let yourself hang upside down.

Seated Head to Knee pose

Janu Sirsasana improves flexibility in your back, hip, and thigh muscles. It also increases blood circulation in the lower abdomen and relieves stress. Seated Head to Knee is a great pose to stretch the hamstrings, the muscles of the inner thigh and groin. It helps to calm the nervous system, eliminate mild depression, and improve digestion. Janu Shirshasana helps us release tension in the hips, knees, and lower back. It’s a great pose to practice when you feel stressed out, anxious, or depressed. Use a yoga strap around the foot of the straight leg if you cannot reach your toes.

Half Lord of the Fishes pose

Ardha Matsyendrasana elongates and aligns the spine and strengthens the core muscles. This seated twist provides a great stretch for the back muscles along the spine. It improves posture and provides relief from lower back pain. It can help with digestion, constipation, and indigestion. This asanas’ twisting action is said to stimulate heart, kidneys, liver, spleen and lungs.

Cat-Cow pose

Bitilasana and Marjaryasana is an easy movement for beginners to warm up the spine and stretch the hip flexors, abdominals and back muscles. It creates coordination, improves focus, and invigorates prana by activating the diaphragm and breathing deeply into the belly. It improves digestion, relieves stress, and calms the brain. Flowing with the breath between arching and rounding the spine creates emotional balance by helping us release pent-up emotions and feelings.

Pyramid pose

Parsvottanasana is a great pose for stretching the hamstrings, calves, quads, hips, glutes and back muscles. It strengthening the legs, hips, ankles and the feet to maintain the stability of the body. Parsvottanasana improves blood circulation in the head, which calms the nervous system and improves brain function. Deep conscious breathing in this asana further encourages the release of tension in the lower back, legs and hips, as well as in the shoulders and upper back. This asana opens the throat chakra, which is associated with communication and expression. It also activates the sacral chakra, which is related to creativity, sexuality, and self-expression.

Cobra pose

Bhujangasana stretches the entire front side of the body, including the hips, abdominals, chest and the tops of the feet. Cobra Pose has been shown to improve sleep quality, reduce stress, and increase energy. It’s a great posture to practice before bedtime, as well as during the day if you need some extra energy. It can help reduce back pain and inflammation. It also builds muscle strength in the arms, core, and upper body. In addition, there’s evidence that practicing Cobra Pose regularly improves posture, self-esteem, and symptoms of depression.

One Legged King Pigeon pose

Eka pada rajakapotasana is a deep hip opener that improves flexibility in hips, legs, pelvis and groin. It stretches the thighs, psoas, glutes, hip flexors, and piriformis muscles. This asana helps to release tension in your hips, lower back, shoulders, and chest. If your hips are tight, you can place blocks or blankets under your hip bones for support.

Breathing deeply in Pigeon Pose improves nervous imbalances and stimulates the internal abdominal organs. According to Ayurveda, stress, sadness, and worry are stored in the hips, so this asana encourages an emotional release and regulation. Regular practice of this pose may help relieve anxiety or stress.

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Urinary incontinence is a common problem among older women. It occurs when the muscles around the urethra (the tube through which urine passes) weaken and lose tone. This causes leakage of urine during normal activity. The condition usually affects women after menopause. One study found that approximately 50 percent of women will at some point in their lives have issues with urinary incontinence. There are many treatments for urinary incontinence including lifestyle changes, medications, surgery, and physical therapy. Several studies have shown yoga to be an effective intervention for improving bladder control and treating this condition.

What is urinary incontinence?

It’s estimated that as many as 25 million Americans suffer from temporary or long-term urinary incontinence. This occurs when urine leaks out during physical activity or when pressure builds inside the bladder. It may happen suddenly or gradually. The most common cause of urinary incontinence is stress incontinence which happens during exercise, coughing, laughing or sneezing.

Causes of urinary incontinence

Older people are more susceptible because age weakens the pelvic floor muscles that help control the bladder. Unfortunately, age is not a dependable indicator of whether people can suffer from incontinence. Younger people can experience it because of disabilities or accidents weakening their bodies.

Pelvic floor dysfunction is one of the most common reasons for urinary incontinence in women. If muscles that support the pelvic organs become weakened and lose muscle tone, you may not be able to control your bladder fully. Tight pelvic muscles can mean that they are under constant strain. With more flexibility, you can better control them so that they can relax. Relaxed pelvic muscles can conserve their strength when you genuinely need them. These muscles are located between the bladder and vagina and play an important role in controlling urination. Pelvic organ prolapse also contributes to urinary incontinence. When these muscles fail to hold up the uterus, intestines, or rectum, they bulge into the vagina.

How yoga helps reduce incontinence symptoms

Balances your pelvic floor

Yoga can help you strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and relax your tight ones. Stretching exercises strengthen muscles that support the bladder and other pelvic organs. Breathing techniques improve blood flow throughout the body, which helps keep the pelvic area healthy.

The mula bandha (root lock) is one of the best pelvic floor muscle exercises in yoga. It strengthens the pelvic floor muscles which helps prevent urine leakage. Mula bandha is a contraction of the pelvic floor muscles. In addition, these pelvic floor muscle contractions improves blood flow to the pelvis and increases abdominal strength. This makes it easier to hold urine during times of stress. You can apply mula bandha to strengthen your pelvic muscles in almost all of the yoga poses.

The most important poses to focus on to improve your pelvic floor muscle function are:

Improves your posture

A surprisingly effective way yoga can help with urinary incontinence treatment is proper posture. One of the reasons for incontinence is stress applied to the bladder. It usually means something applies pressure to the bladder, pushing the liquid inside out. Strong muscles prevent the leak, but you can also avoid this by preventing the pressure from happening. Proper posture like standing straight or sitting properly ensures that there is no pressure at all on your bladder. Yoga poses are an excellent help because it improves balance and strengthens the core and back muscles to prevent slouching. It also helps with breathing, so your diaphragm doesn’t push down to your bladder. You will feel less pressure as you walk around with better posture.

Learning to be more aware

Yoga is also a meditative exercise. It ensures a better awareness of your physical condition and limits. With urinary incontinence, you need to know what is happening with your body. Most of the time, your body will warn you about your incontinence. It should allow you to be on your way to the bathroom before anything happens.

Improves mental health

Meditation, mindful breathing and yoga exercises can all help reduce stress, worry and tension. You learn how to cope with stressful events and find peace within yourself. Learning to relax will help ease some of the tension in your body. Relaxed muscles are able to conserve their strength for when they are necessary, which is good for incontinence.

Improved physical condition

While the pelvic floor is the focus of most urinary incontinence prevention efforts, a healthier body will help make things easier for those who suffer from incontinence. The core muscles in your abdominal area also help keep your pelvic floor strong, and yoga can strengthen them. Yoga can also get you on the path to losing weight. Excess weight around your midsection can put more pressure on your bladder, especially when sitting down. Losing weight can allow you to control your incontinence better. It also ensures you are healthy for a longer time. For those who are not elderly, practising yoga can be a path to recovery and preventing incontinence.

Yoga’s benefits can go beyond helping with urinary incontinence. It also gives people more robust and flexible bodies, improving general health and boosts overall quality of life. Even if their incontinence does not go away, they will feel better. You may wish to consult with an experienced yoga therapist to see if it could help with your situation.

Conclusion

Yoga is not a cure all, but it has been proven to improve the lives of many people. When used correctly, it may provide relief and even prevent urinary incontinence problems. You may need to consider other treatments for incontinence and lifestyle interventions to successfully manage pelvic floor disorders and urinary incontinence. You can find tips more healthy practices to treat incontinence and urinary leakage in this article from Molicare.

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Hip openers are an essential part of a strong and balanced yoga practice. While hip opening poses have many great benefits, they are often challenging and uncomfortable to practice, especially for beginners. These poses are not only great for physical well-being, hip opening asanas also encourage emotional release and stress relief. If you follow some basic practice tips, you can conquer these challenging poses and reap all of their amazing benefits.

What are hip opening yoga poses?

A hip opening pose is a yoga posture that stretches the muscles around the hip joint and pelvis, including the buttocks, hamstrings, inner thighs, groin, and abdomen. These muscles are often tight from sitting at a desk all day, which can lead to lower back pain and other issues. By stretching and strengthening these muscles, you will be able to move more freely and comfortably through your poses, as well as have more mobility and range of motion in daily life.

Most hip openers are practiced low to the floor, but you can perform hip openers lying down, standing, or sitting. Most people find the deepest hip openers when supported by the ground, as they are able to relax deeply into the stretch and to hold the pose for a longer time. Experienced yoga practitioners often perform them after other poses that warm up the muscles and prepare the joints for movement.

Anatomy of the hip bones

The hip joint is made up of two bones—the femur (thigh bone) and the acetabulum (hip socket). These bones meet at a ball-and-socket joint called the hip joint. The hip joint allows you to rotate your leg inward and outward, move forward and backward, bend your knee, and lift your foot off the ground.

The pelvis is made up of three bones: the ilium, sacrum, and pubic arch. Together, they form an oval-shaped bowl that connects the legs to the spinal column. The bones of the pelvis form the acetabulum or hip socket. The head of the Femur bone is shaped like a ball. The acetabulum is the socket into which the femur fits. This makes the hip a ball-and-socket joint. The hip joint allows for flexion and extension, abduction and adduction, and internal and external rotation.

Muscles of the hips

There are several muscles that surround the hip joint. Some of these hip muscles work together to stabilize the joint. Others work independently to provide balance and strength. These are grouped into the following four groups:

1. Quadriceps, Hip Flexors and Psoas muscle—Located at the front of the leg and hip, this group of muscles helps extend the leg and straighten the thigh.
2. Hamstrings—Located at the back of the leg and hip area, these muscles assist with bending the knee and extending the leg backwards.
3. Groin, internal rotators and hip adductors—Located along the inside of the leg, this group of muscles stabilizes the hip joint and supports the body while balancing and .
4. Gluteal muscles and external hip rotators—Located on the outer side and back of hips, these muscles help support the weight of the body while walking, running, jumping, climbing stairs, etc.

Yoga hip openers will target one or more of these groups. For a balanced practice and for the most effective approach to releasing tight hip muscles, choose poses that stretch the muscles of each group.

Tips when using hip openers in yoga

• Always warm up with other poses before doing them. It’s best to place hip openers at the end of your yoga sequence. Sun salutations, cat and cow, the warrior poses, and downward dog are great options to warm up the lower body.
• Practice hip opening poses regularly to see the quickest progress.
• Do them slowly and make sure you don’t overdo it. Hip stretching should be practiced slowly, mindfully and carefully. Find a stretch where you feel some discomfort, but no pain. Do not push yourself past your limits.
• Be very mindful of your knees and do not let them twist or torque in the poses. Make sure that any rotation movements come from the hips so the knees stay safe.
• Do not force the pose. If you feel discomfort, pain, or other intense feelings, stop immediately.
• If you feel too much weight or pressure on your knees or hip bones, put a fold in your yoga mat or put a blanket under you.
• Use a yoga block, bolster, or other props to support your body weight so you can relax into a deeper stretch.
• Ask your yoga instructor for advice on how to modify the pose for more or less of a hip stretch.
• You should feel the stretch in the middle part of the muscle, rather than feeling it at the ends. If you do feel the stretch at or near the joint, you are probably pushing too hard and may cause an injury.
• If you have arthritis or had previous hip injuries or other problems with your hips, consult a physician or physical therapist before doing any hip opening exercises or stretches.

The benefits of hip openers in yoga

Hip openers are vital for any yoga practice. Excessive tightness in the hips can lead to problems like lower back pain, a misaligned spine, poor mobility and other common injuries. Hip opening yoga poses improve circulation, flexibility and range of movement in the hips, legs and back. They are also beneficial for improving posture, strengthening balance, reducing stress, and promoting mental health and overall wellness. In addition, they reduce the risk of injury, especially in the lower back, by improving flexibility. They are an excellent complement to other forms of exercise, such as running, cycling, dance, and aerobics. A good amount of hip flexibility is required for proper alignment to perform many of the advanced yoga postures, so tight hips can limit the progression of your practice.

Why do hip openers release emotions?

Hip-opening poses activate Svadhisthana, the second or sacral chakra, located within the pelvis along the spine. This chakra energy center is about self-expression and creativity, and is located near the bladder, womb and ovaries. It is the source of sexual energy and passion. The element associated with the second chakra is water, because just as water moves, we are also meant to flow with the current of life, rather than fighting against challenges that come our way, or struggling to stay afloat. Water represents the emotions, and when we open our sacral chakra, we open ourselves to feel our emotions.

The muscles around the hips are known to hold on to and store strong negative emotions, such as anger, fear, anxiety, worry, and grief. When we hold on to these negative emotions, they take over our lives and affect every aspect of our life. By practicing hip openers, we allow our body to let go of these emotions and free ourselves from their grip. When you feel strong emotions bubbling up in a hip opener pose, take a moment to notice and be mindful of what is going on inside you. What is this emotion telling you about yourself? How does it make you feel? Can you identify where this emotion came from? Most importantly, allow yourself to feel, breathe, and release whatever emotion you are experiencing.

Basic hip opening yoga poses

The following poses are some of the most common hip opening poses you will find in yoga classes. If you are a beginner student, you may wish to familiarize yourself with and practice these asanas before attending a yoga class. These are also some of the most accessible and simple yoga poses to help stretch and open the hips.

1. Pigeon Pose
2. Wide-Legged Forward Fold
3. Supine Figure-4 Stretch
4. One Leg Downward Dog
5. Supine Bound Angle
6. Prayer Squat
7. Warrior 2 Pose
8. Happy Baby Pose
9. Goddess Pose

Complete list of hip opening yoga poses

You can find photos, step-by-step instructions, modifications, cautions and contraindications of all the 36 hip opening asanas in our yoga pose directory.

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Yoga is a great activity for kids—it is a fun, creative, and noncompetitive exercise that promotes fitness, flexibility, balance, relaxation, and mindfulness. Kids who practice yoga regularly are calmer, happier, and more focused. They also tend to fall asleep faster and get better rest at night! If you are wondering if bedtime yoga for kids would be a good fit for your family, we’ve compiled a great list of benefits, poses and tips to help you decide.

Benefits of bedtime yoga for kids

• Bedtime yoga helps children sleep better at night.
  Children often have trouble sleeping because they’re anxious about something or worried about what might happen in the future. When we worry, our body produces stress hormones like cortisol, which can disrupt normal brain function. This makes it harder for us to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night. In addition, when we don’t feel relaxed, we may become agitated and restless, making it even harder to fall asleep. By practicing yoga before going to bed, you’ll help calm your child down so they will drift off into dreamland easier. You’ll also give them an opportunity to release any pent-up energy from being awake all day long.
• Bedtime Yoga is fun for both parents and kids.
  Bedtime Yoga helps parents learn how to let go of control over their child’s life by giving up worrying about his/her behavior. Instead, they can enjoy watching their kid do things she enjoys doing. The same goes for the parent – instead of feeling stressed out and frustrated, you can just sit back and watch her move around, stretch, and play freely without having to think about anything else.
• Bedtime yoga teaches children how to relax, self soothe and regulate their emotions.
  When kids practice yoga on a consistent basis, they develop a greater ability to relax themselves mentally and physically. As a result, they sleep better at night and wake up refreshed in the morning. These skills translate well into other areas of their lives, too. For example, they learn to manage anger and frustration effectively, deal with anxiety and fear, cope with sadness and loss, improve concentration and focus, and increase tolerance towards others. All of this leads to improved relationships with friends and teachers, increased academic performance, and overall happiness.
• Bedtime yoga promotes healthy brain functioning.
  The human brain develops rapidly during early childhood, but then slows down significantly after age 25. Regular yoga practice has been shown to promote cognitive development and enhance memory retention. A bedtime yoga session is a great way to improve your child’s mental development while helping them be rested and ready for school in the mornings!
• Bedtime yoga helps children develop self-esteem and confidence.
  Yoga promotes positive thinking and encourages students to take responsibility for their actions. It gives them confidence as they gain strength and flexibility through movement. They are encouraged to trust their own judgment and make decisions based on personal values rather than external pressures. Over time, this builds self-esteem and fosters independence.
• Bedtime yoga improves social skills.
  Kids who regularly participate in yoga classes tend to exhibit more social awareness, empathy, compassion, patience, cooperation, and respect toward peers and adults. This makes it easier for them to build friendships and form lasting bonds with those around them. In addition, practicing yoga improves communication skills and enhances listening abilities. By improving both verbal and nonverbal communication skills, bedtime yoga also allows kids to express feelings more openly and comfortably.
• Bedtime yoga improves focus & concentration.
  Children who have practiced yoga consistently over time demonstrate enhanced attention span and higher levels of concentration. When you add meditation techniques like breathing exercises or guided imagery to a nightly yoga routine, you will see even bigger improvements in focus and concentration. The benefits of focusing on something without distraction are invaluable when learning new things, completing homework assignments, studying for tests, and working on projects.

9 bedtime yoga poses to help kids go to sleep

1. Easy pose.
   This basic pose encourages your child to sit up tall and breathe deeply through nose. With each exhale, focus on releasing all thoughts and worries about schoolwork, family issues, friends, etc. After a few breaths, have your child bring their hands into prayer position and think or say of something they feel grateful for.
2. Cat and Cow pose.
   Moving between these two poses teaches your child how to link movement with breath while releasing tension in the back and neck. This is a great pose to practice to calm the mind and reduce anxiety and stress.
3. Rabbit pose.
   Kids love this posture that helps them relax their minds and relieve tension around the neck and back. This relaxing pose helps ease depression, anxiety, and stress.
4. Seated twist.
   This pose improves flexibility throughout the spine and torso and encourages the wringing out of tension and stress. It also strengthens core strength and builds stamina.
5. Child’s pose or Sea Turtle.
   This classic calming asana releases tension in the lower back, improves digestion, and soothes an overactive nervous system. It also helps with insomnia and making falling asleep easier.
6. Butterfly Pose.
   This great hip opener mimics the flapping of butterfly wings and is a great way to open your child’s hips after sitting in school all day.
7. Fish Pose.
   This asana opens the chest to help us slow down and breathe deeply. It is one of the most effective poses for reducing stress, improving emotional regulation, and promoting overall wellness. It also stretches the back, neck, and shoulders, helping to relieve tension in these areas.
8. Bridge pose or Whale.
   This posture builds strength in the legs and back and opens the chest. It improves circulation by opening blood vessels and stimulates lymphatic drainage. Bridge pose is especially beneficial to increase lung capacity to improve slow deep breathing.
9. Savasana.
   This is a great place to end your child’s practice. Remind them that this pose is a time to come back to the present moment and reflect on what you learned throughout the session. Encourage them to relax completely and focus on their breathing. In this pose, children learn to let go of all worries so they can fall asleep peacefully.

17 tips to get started

1. Practice together as a family. Children will be encouraged and learn faster if you are modeling the asanas and breathwork while teaching them how to do the practice.
2. Keep it simple! Don’t try too hard or push your child too far. Start with just a few poses and build from there.
3. Have fun! Let your kid have fun with the poses and allow them to use their imagination. Incorporating stuffed animals into the poses can add a fun and engaging dimension to the experience of teaching and play.
4. Experiment. Try different things until you find something that works best for both of you.
5. Encourage your child to take breaks throughout the session. These moments allow both teacher and student to catch their breath, reset, and prepare for the next set of poses.
6. Offer praise whenever possible. Praise your child for being brave, strong, flexible, calm, relaxed, happy, confident, healthy, smart, responsible, respectful, helpful, compassionate, and loving.
7. Give your child choices when appropriate. Let them choose the posture, type of breathing, and which leg or side of the body to lead with.
8. Help your child understand why they need to stretch properly. Explain that stretching makes muscles stronger and prevents injury.
9. Teach your child calming breathing techniques. Breathing correctly reduces stress and increases endurance.
10. Tell your child stories about people who practiced yoga. These could include famous yogis like Krishnamacharya, Pattabhi Jois, Indra Devi, Swami Vishnu Devananda, Yogi Bhajan, and Kripalu Maharaji.
11. Read kids yoga stories. There are many great bedtime yoga books available in bookstores and libraries that you can read as part of your evening routine.
12. Don’t be afraid to tell others about your family’s experience with yoga. Sharing information about positive experiences encourages other families to give yoga a chance, too.
13. Create a calm atmosphere. Make sure your home has enough space for everyone to move around comfortably without bumping into furniture. Tidy up toys and put up blankets or pillows to make the floor more comfortable. Dim the lights and consider diffusing a calming aromatherapy oil.
14. Choose comfortable clothing. For young children, it is probably best to have them change into their pajamas before their evening practice. Older children may prefer changing into more adult looking athletic wear. If so make sure their clothing is loose fitting or does not restrict their movement.
15. Consider using a yoga mat instead of carpeted floors. Mats provide traction on slippery surfaces and offer better support than carpets. Alternatively, you can have your child practice on their bed for a quick transition to sleep.
16. Play calming music. Music is known to help children fall asleep faster by reducing anxiety levels and promoting relaxation. For the best results, look for instrumental music specifically created for yoga and meditation.
17. Ask questions to encourage reflection and integration like “What do we learn from each pose? What does my body need to work through today? How long should I hold each position? Is there anything else I should know?”

Conclusion

Yoga before bedtime is a great way to teach kids to breathe deeply, relax, and connect with themselves and their bodies. No special equipment is needed, and it’s a great way to incorporate mindful movement, meditation, and relaxation into a bedtime routine. Even just a few deep breaths in one yoga pose before bed can help increase the chances of your child having a deep and restful sleep.

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Perhaps you’ve been practicing yoga for a while now or even teaching it. You’ve spent hours trying to nail all the poses and their names, even in Sanskrit. You understand the difference between the Warrior poses and your Plank is as steady as a rock. But there’s much more to yoga than just improving your balance, strengthening your core, or helping you sleep better. Each asana’s form and name is rife with spiritual meaning and connection to something deeper than the physical world. Knowing the symbolism in common yoga poses can empower, inspire and deepen your yoga practice.

Why study the symbolism of yoga postures?

Yoga is a rich tradition that is full of symbolic meaning. The classic yoga poses can be seen as a language, a means of communication between the body and the mind. Learning and understanding the yoga pose symbols can help boost your focus and concentration and deepen your spiritual practice of the postures. Understanding the symbolism in common yoga poses can help you achieve a deeper level of body awareness and life satisfaction. They strengthen and support a dedicated yoga practice and provide insight into some key themes that run through many yoga traditions.

Yoga poses as symbols

Animals, elements of nature, and the names of ancient sages are the inspiration for many of the names of the yoga poses. The ancient yogis understood the power of symbols and used them to quickly convey the spirt, energy and shape of each asana. Practicing a posture with the awareness of the symbolic story behind them can add a new layer of meaning and insight. It can also add a sense of play, delight and wonder in your yoga practice.

What do yoga poses symbolize?

Mountain pose

This pose might seem simple, but its meaning and symbolism run deeper than you think. In Sanskrit, this pose is known as Tadasana, with ‘tada’ meaning mountain and ‘asana’ meaning posture. The mountain pose is also known as the Samasthiti which is derived from the word “Sama,” that means upright and unmoving and “Sthiti” which means still and steady. This pose is the foundation for all standing poses and evokes stillness, strength, stability, and power, just like a mountain.

Most people don’t pay enough attention to the way they stand, and overtime many develop an imbalance in the hips and spine. This pose works to create a lightness in the body, serves to ground us down to earth, and invites a steady energy into the body.

Child’s pose

Unlike other symbols, Child’s pose is straightforward and relatively easy to understand. It’s simply symbolic of the childlike curiosity that’s lost in adulthood. This fetal position pose is very satisfying after a long day or vigorous yoga class, to draw up feelings of comfort and security.

By recreating these feelings from childhood and even before birth, you’re surrendering down to the earth, settling into our deepest selves, which can release unnecessary tension. In fact, 54% of yoga lovers said that practicing yoga poses helps them release tension. The symbol here can guide you to reconnect with a time in which you felt no stress or tension, only joy.

Warrior Two pose

Warrior II is a symbol of the fearless warrior Virabhadra who was said to have defeated their enemies with a thousand arms. This pose is meant to channel determination, courage and strength. The best way to use this pose is to approach it as metaphor for the challenges in our lives being just like real battlefields. The strength of Warrior Two can evoke the feelings of being a real warrior fighting through a battlefield or persevering through your challenges with power and inner strength.

Corpse pose

Savasana, or Corpse pose, can seem morbid at first, but when viewed differently as the symbol for the circle of life, it can be deeply healing for your mind, body, and spirit. As you lie back, you should imagine letting all the dead parts of yourself fall away into the earth or up into the air.

It can be hard to surrender yourself and your feelings to allow Savasna to really work, but you should get better at with enough practice. In the long run, a pose such as this can be really therapeutic and help work toward feeling better in yourself. Around 42% of yoga practitioners surveyed insisted that yoga increased their personal well-being. In many cases, this works best when this deeper connection with the poses and their meanings is found.

Eagle pose

This yoga pose’s symbol is right there in its name. The eagle is a regal bird known for its strength and various myths as a messenger of God. As you sit in the pose, you can visualize yourself taking flight between spiritual and earthly planes. Your new eagle eye of the world should take in a greater life perspective as just one of the many great benefits of practicing yoga.

Eagle pose requires great focus and a lot of patience. Think of it like this: getting stuck on all the negative challenges or difficulties of life may be easy, much like how difficult this pose can be at first, but a calmness and the right amount of focus can help you on your journey. Eagle Pose helps us to see what is important in life.

Conclusion

The benefits of yoga are plenty and can reward you with a lifetime of joy, health, and happiness when executed with mindful awareness and clear intentions. Understanding not only how to do a pose but the symbolism and the meaning behind each one can allow for this to happen more deeply and also easily, like unlocking a door within yourself. These symbols aren’t limitations but more ways in which you can explore yoga and its possibilities.

What does your favorite yoga pose symbolize to you? Are you curious about the spiritual meanings behind other popular yoga poses? Let us know in the comments below!

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Do you have trouble falling asleep? Do you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep? Yoga is not just a great way to relax before bedtime—there are many poses that you can do to assist you in falling asleep and staying asleep. Even just a few minutes of deep mindful stretching with slow deep breaths can make a big difference in the quality of your sleep. Beware, not all asanas are equally relaxing, so knowing the best bedtime yoga poses is essential for a successful calming bedtime routine.

What is yoga for bedtime?

Bedtime yoga is the practice of calming and soothing postures that focus primarily on stretching and relaxing the major muscle groups, from your shoulders to your feet, before you go to sleep. A yoga for bedtime practice will wring out tension and allow your nervous system to relax, which helps you fall asleep faster and enables you to wake up feeling more refreshed in the morning.

Why practice yoga before bed?

A bedtime yoga routine not only improves your overall wellbeing and quality of life—it helps you to relax your mind and body and prepare for a deep restful sleep. Yoga poses are very effective in relaxing the body and the mind and reducing worry and anxiety. Holding just one gentle stretch with deep breathing can help you improve your sleep quality and help you wake up feeling refreshed and energized. Several medical studies have shown that yoga can improve the quality and quantity of your sleep by reducing stress, soothing your nervous system and helping you control your breathing.

Promoting good sleep is one of the most underrated benefits of yoga. Sleep is vital to our well-being. It helps our metabolism, recuperation, and physical and mental health. Without sleep, we run the risk of having a terrible or even fatal health condition. But, when we don’t get enough sleep, we have a harder time getting rid of stress and staying focused.

The effects of yoga on the quality of your sleep may take a week or two to appear. A regular nightly session will have the quickest and strongest effect on improving sleep and reducing stress. Be patient with yourself, but also know that you may need to experiment and make adjustments to your routine if you don’t find success right away.

When to practice yoga for sleep

For the best quality of sleep, practice poses and breathing exercises at least one hour before bedtime to prepare your body for sleep. If you are suffering from chronic insomnia, it is recommended to practice simple poses in your bed so you can transition directly from your practice to sleep. If you don’t have sleep issues you can practice evening yoga earlier, just make sure you don’t practice on a full stomach. If you wake up in the middle of the night, consider practicing a few poses in your bed to encourage you to fall back asleep.

What type of yoga to practice before bed

The best style to practice in the evening should incorporate gentle yoga poses and meditative breathing. A general hatha yoga class can work well, but for the most calming effects try a gentle, restorative or yin class. If you love to practice more vigorous styles like hot yoga, Bikram, power, flow, or vinyasa, make sure you practice several hours before bedtime and balance your practice with gentle stretches and restorative poses towards the end.

If you are new to yoga, we recommend you read our beginner’s guide on how to begin a yoga practice before bed.

Which poses are best for sleep?

Yoga before bedtime can help calm the body and the mind and help you get a deeper and more restful sleep. With so many options up for grabs, it’s hard to narrow down which poses are the best for inducing deep, restful sleep. Focus on restorative poses, gentle stretches, and relaxing poses. These are primarily hip openers and forward folds, but twists and side bends will also be calming and balancing. Overall, choose easy and simple beginner asanas that make you feel good, and allow you to breathe deeply. Hopefully, you will find benefit and healing by practicing a few of these poses for sleep.

1. Cat / Cow — Flow between these two positions to release tension along the spine and to balance the nervous system. Repeat a few times until your body feels soothed and you feel the body warmed up and ready for more intense poses.
2. Downward Dog — This classic asana builds upper body strength, and it is a great stretch for the muscles in the legs and back, especially for those of us who sit all day at work. Down dog helps to balance the mind and emotions and is perfect to practice letting go of a long day of work.
3. Child’s pose — This is a simple yet very soothing stretch for the back of the legs and low back. Hold this position for several breaths to rest, integrate and soak up the benefits of your practice.
4. Sphinx pose — This gentle backbend helps to decompress and relieve tension in the low back while opening the chest to encourage emotional release. It has a mildly energizing effect, so place this towards the beginning of your nighttime sequence.
5. Pigeon pose — This is a great hip opening stretch to help combat the stress, worry and anxiety from a long workday. You will quickly get in touch with your emotions as you hold and breath deeply in this grounding pose, so come out early if you feel its adding anxiety to your routine.
6. Dolphin pose — This pose is great for the physical and emotional release of anger and frustration that gets held in the shoulders and upper body.
7. Seated Forward Bend — This calming asana is good to stretch and release tension in the low back and hamstrings. It also stimulates digestion and calms the mind.
8. Seated Head to Knee pose — This is a hip opener and hamstring stretch that is good for all levels of students. It helps to balance the energy in the hips and the spine.
9. Seated Yoga Seal — This posture provides a deep stretch in the muscles of the chest and ribcage, to help harmonize the emotions and increase lung capacity. It also stretches the spine, stimulates digestion and encourages detoxification. The full expression of this posture has a stimulating effect on the brain, so add this early in your sequence or skip if it is too energizing.
10. Reclined Hero — This is a powerful and deep stretch to the hamstrings and hip flexors, so move into this asana slowly and carefully. Place a yoga block, folded blanket or pillow under your chest to add a gentle heart opening to soothe the emotions.
11. Supine Twist — This is a simple stretch that is very effective at removing tension from the back and helping the spine maintain a healthy alignment. This is a perfect pose to practice after a long day of sitting, driving, or any activities that stress the low back.
12. Plow pose — This a tricky shape to practice so if you are a beginner its best to have a yoga instructor teach you this pose. Moving your body weight onto your shoulders gives them a pleasurable release as well as stretching the neck, back and legs. This also promotes healthy circulation of blood and lymph.
13. Supine Bound Angle — This hip opening supine pose is best placed this pose at the end of your sequence. Take several slow deep breaths here to feel your diaphragm fully expanding and focus on letting go of tension to release deeper into the stretch.
14. Happy Baby pose — This is a great pose to end your practice with as it prepares you for sleep by calming the mind and it is an excellent stretch for the inner thighs and hips. Allow yourself to be playful and let go of the seriousness of your day by exploring movement in the legs and by rocking left to right to massage the spine and release low back tension.
15. Knees to Chest — This is a simple and accessible asana to release tension in the sacrum and hip flexors. Also known as wind relieving pose, breathing deeply while holding this shape massages the abdominal organs which can help with digestive problems.
16. Corpse pose — Make sure you end your sequence with this deeply relaxing pose. You may wish to transition from your yoga mat to your bed as you hold this position for 10-15 breaths and feel all the day’s tension and worry melt away.

Using a breathing technique

Incorporating a simple yogic breathing exercise in your evening routine has a powerful relaxing effect on your central nervous system. When we’re stressed, we breathe faster and up into our chest, which reinforces the stress response. When we use slow diaphragmatic breathing, we activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms the body and prepares it physiologically for sleep. You can incorporate pranayama into poses or practice these breathing exercises separately. Dirga Pranayama (three-part or complete breath) and Sama Vritti Pranayama (equal breath) are the two most calming techniques.

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There are many reasons to start your day with a morning yoga routine. The morning is a great time to practice yoga poses because it prepares your body and mind for the day ahead. It can also be hard to find time to practice yoga during the day, and at night you might be too tired to do anything. A short series of yoga stretches and poses with mindful deep breaths can keep your body loose and limber, help you release stress and tension, energize your body and calm your mind. To help you get a splendid start to your day, we’ve gathered 18 of the best morning yoga stretches and poses, so you can power your way through the day with peace and productivity.

Tips for practicing morning yoga

• Start slow and warm up the body with rhythmic movements.
• Gently work on building up to deeper stretches.
• Experiment with different asanas to find the best energizing yoga routine for you.
• A faster paced Vinyasa yoga style of movement will be more energizing.
• Incorporate a few minutes of energizing pranayama like breath of fire.
• Be mindful to take slow breaths regardless of the pace of your practice.
• A regular practice and a minimum 15-minute morning yoga routine is recommended to receive the most benefits of yoga.
• Place the most energizing asanas at the end of your morning sequence of postures.
• If you have a hard time waking up, practice morning yoga in bed!

The best morning yoga stretches and poses

We’ve asked several yoga experts for a few of their favorite morning yoga stretches and poses. Practice one or more of these stretches and poses to get up and get moving, and help you start your day feeling refreshed and energized. It’s easy to make yoga work anywhere—all you need is a modest amount of space and a desire to create a healthier body and a more peaceful mind. Choose from a selection of simple poses that you can do at home, or aim to build up to a more strenuous routine. Click on the pose photos for detailed step-by-step instructions.

Mountain Pose / Tadasana

A great pose to start your morning practice with a calm grounded energy is mountain pose. Carrie Froggett teacher and co-founder of The Frog Project notes that “Essentially, it is a meditative pose, but the standing nature of the posture means that your body is physically active. I love the challenge of using the least physical exertion as possible while simultaneously trying to relax my mind. It looks easy, but it’s tough, and the benefits are wonderful. A game changer for any morning!

Froggett recommends holding the hands in prayer position to encourage “a feeling of faith, acceptance, commitment” and to use the pose as an active meditation to provide “a few minutes to introspect, set an intention for the day ahead, or a chance to let go of something you may have been holding onto overnight. This in turn can leave you feeling energized and prepared for the day ahead, and often with new and creative ideas to take with you into your day with momentum, ease and grace.”

Cat and Cow pose / Marjaryasana and Bitilasana

Flowing between Cat pose and Cow pose is a great way to wake up your spine for your morning practice. According to yoga teacher Eloise Skinner, “a night of sleep can leave your back and neck feeling immobile and restricted, and the cat-cow transition helps to bring some movement back to your body.” She suggests that “as you move through the two poses, you can use it as an opportunity to check back in with yourself: perhaps close your eyes, and synchronise your breath to the movement.”

Child’s pose / Balasana

One of the easiest asanas to include in your morning practice is Child pose. OriGym yoga instructor Annie Williams tells us that “as well as being a great and highly effective way to start a yoga practice, Balasana is a brilliant way to start your day as it allows you to reconnect with your breath, as well as providing a gentle release for the lower back, lats and hips—waking them up and preparing them for the day ahead.” Child is excellent for alleviating stress and anxiety, and Williams notes several other benefits. “The Child’s Pose helps release any build-up of tension in the back, shoulders and chest, as well as normalises circulation throughout the body, which is vital for our bodily functions to perform at their optimal potential.”

Hero pose / Virasana

A stable basic pose to start your morning routine with is Hero. Shaw Academy instructor Tanya Shiels recommends This pose as it is “wonderful for improving your posture and is a deep stretch for the quads, knees, and ankles, which often feel stiff and sore in the mornings. Starting your mornings in Virasana is a great pose to set intentions for the day, resting your hands on your knees, palms upturned, in a gesture of receiving for what the day has in store. Pairing this with some heating Pranayama is also a great way to really connect with the body.”

Downward Facing Dog pose / Adho Mukha Svanasana

A great pose to incorporate into your morning practice is Downward Dog. This classic yoga pose strengthens the upper body, improves blood circulation, and brings fresh oxygen to the brain to help you wake up. Skinner appreciates how “the posture delivers a stretch to the back of your legs, as well as creating space along the spine and the back of the neck. You can pedal through your feet in this position to bring some movement and energy into your legs and hips.”

Sun Salutation A / Surya Namaskar A

Welcome the warming and energizing nature of the sun as you flow through the movements in the sun salutation sequence. “Surya Namaskar A is a key aspect of Ashtanga Yoga which is typically practiced in the morning before eating,” notes Shiels. “This dynamic sequence is a perfect way to warm up your body, increase flexibility and strength, and leave you feeling energised for the rest of the day.” Use the repetitive nature of the sun salutation to connect with your breath and clear your mind. “A common practice is to repeat the Surya Namaskar 108 times,” says Shiels. ” However, even a few rounds of this wonderful sequence is enough to bring energy into the body, so you can greet the day with positivity and gratitude.”

Cobra pose / Bhujangasana

If your day ahead requires creativity and confidence, hold Cobra pose for several breaths. This back-bending pose compresses the kidneys and opens the chest, which is extremely invigorating for the morning. Froggett tells her students to “skip their coffee and do a backbend first thing in the morning. It will give you more energy than your espresso and have you dancing into your day ready for anything.”

Bhunjangasna exercises and tones the deep muscles of the back that support the spinal column to support good posture. Froggett adds, “backbends have a strong impact on your hormones, secretions and chemicals in your brain which stimulate the body and generate feelings of confidence, strong self-esteem and willpower. An added bonus to this pose is the gentle pressure it puts on the abdomen and pelvis, which kick starts your digestive organs into action. Best done on an empty stomach.”

Low Lunge pose / Anjaneyasana

If you’re spending a lot of time sitting at work, include a variation of low lunge in your morning practice. “Low lunge is an energizing pose that powers up your hip flexor muscles,” says Grace Woinicz, CEO at The Brilliant Kitchen. “It also stretches your arms and your torso and powers up your legs. This is a helpful pose to practice in the morning before heading to work as it prepares you for a long day ahead.” To make this asana more energizing, add a round of breath of fire while holding. For more stretch in the hips and legs, use one hand to gently draw the back foot towards the hips.

Camel pose / Ustrasana

Empower your morning yoga flow by taking several deep breaths in Camel pose. “This heart opener is surprisingly energizing, and leaves you feeling ready to conquer the day,” notes Amy Zellmer, editor-in-chief of The Brain Health Magazine. “It can be a challenging pose for some, as it is a deep backbend. You can use a block under your feet to help bring them up closer to your arms, or you can simply allow your arms to hand wherever they reach.” This deep backbend opens your chest and improves lung capacity so it is especially powerful to use a full diaphragmatic breath while holding.

Chair pose / Utkatasana

Fire up the quadricep muscles in Chair pose if your day calls for clarity, balance and groundedness. This standing pose “gives a sense of grounding through the feet, and activation in the biggest muscle groups of your lower body,” according to Skinner. “Chair pose is a great way to bring some energy into your morning practice! The lift up through the arms can bring a sense of openness and invitation—a great way to start your day.”

Twisted Chair pose / Parivrtta Utkatana

You can take Chair pose a step further with its twisting variation. Williams recommends all students to begin their day with Twisted Chair pose as it “helps to increase our circulation as it uses every muscle in the body, and the twisting action helps wake up the internal organs and plays a role in our digestion process. The Twisted Chair pose, just like other poses that feature a twist, present a squeeze and release effect on both our body’s digestive system and internal organs so they help promote detoxification.” A few other important benefits of this twist include “increasing our balance and focus and improving joint range of motion, both of which are important factors that we draw on from the second we wake up.”

Dancer pose / Natarajasana

If your morning needs a big boost of invigoration and motivation, add Dancer to your yoga sequence. This back-bending standing pose “is a great movement to improve balance, flexibility and energize your whole self,” according to Tara Stiles, founder and owner of Strala Yoga. “It’s important not to use the force of your arm strength to try to open your back, same as it’s important not to use force against yourself in any movement. Dancer is a great movement to practice in the morning to create expansion and space in your back as well as a mindset of being open to possibilities.”

Warrior II / Virabhadrasana II

Adding one or more of the warrior poses to your morning yoga flow is essential to wake up your body and mind and empower you for a challenging day ahead. The most accessible of these poses is Warrior II. “This is a powerful pose for balance and strength, but also to help you practice your affirmation statements or to set goals for your day,” says Zellmer. “It is a foundational pose of any yoga practice, and will help you feel more confident, grounded, and focused.”

Warrior I / Virabhadrasana I

Warrior 1 challenges one to stay grounded and present and helps build power and stability in the legs, core and back. This is a excellent asana “for building strength and whole self-awareness as well as getting a nice and gentle opening in your hips and back,” explains Stiles. “Warrior 1 is a wonderful position to practice in the morning to bring your mind to focus as well as engage your body in balanced strength building.”

Warrior III / Virabhadrasana III

You will get a quick boost to your heart rate and energize your entire body when you balance on one foot in this Warrior pose. “Warrior 3 feels like it sends waves of activation to every muscle in your body,” says Woinicz. “Starting from shoulders, to hamstrings, calves, ankles, and back. It also stretches and tones your abdominal muscles. If you are ever running short on time and can only do a single pose, this is the one.”

Triangle pose / Trikonasana

A classic yoga asana to include in your daily yoga practice is Trikonasana. This standing pose is “great to open up your whole body together and gives a big sense of expansion emotionally,” according to Stiles. “It’s awesome to practice triangle pose in the morning to wake up your whole self, release any tightness in your body and energize your mind. The benefits include strength building in the legs, balance and coordination improvement and mental focus.”

Wide-Legged Forward Fold pose / Prasarita Padottanasana

It is important to integrate and balance out the powerful energizing properties of the warrior poses and other standing postures. Zellmer recommends to “follow up Warrior II with a gentle wide-legged forward fold. Forward folds calm the central nervous system, increase circulation, and help you center your body and mind. Focus on grounding into the earth beneath you, using a block to rest your head if you can’t reach the floor.”

Pigeon pose / Eka Pada Rajakapotasana

Another powerful pose to practice if you sit a lot at work is Pigeon. Michelle Bagnato at Bliss from Balance tells us that it is common for her to wake up with tight hips. “This pose, with the help of a block for support and to keep my hips even, is amazing at loosening the area. To help me feel focused in the morning I make sure to reserve a few minutes in the pose resting my forehead on my hands or the mat.” Pigeon is a key yoga pose to help her wake up. She notes that “Spending this time with a few deep inhales and exhales helps me feel grounded and at peace, allowing me to check in on how I am feeling that morning so I am prepared for the day ahead.”

Bow pose / Dhanurasana

A glorious morning pose to boost energy levels and promoting a strong metabolism for the day ahead is Bow. This belly down backbend stretches the entire front side of the body while strengthening your back. It invigorates the internal organs and stimulates the adrenal glands and strengthens diaphragmatic breathing. According to Williams, “as the Bow Pose works to open our chest, it can help us have an easier time breathing. By promoting a steadier breath pattern, the Bow Pose can help calm us and reduce stress, leading to improved concentration levels and mental determination which directly improves our mindset and productivity on a day-to-day basis.”

Seated Spinal Twist pose / Ardha Matsyendrasana

It is important to start your day with a happy spine, so include at least one twisting pose like Ardha Matsyendrasana. Placing Seated Spinal Twist at the end of your morning yoga routine soothes and invigorates the back muscles and is calming to the mind. Shiels tells us that “This is a great pose for mornings as it brings energy into the spine after sleep, where often our spine is in one position for long periods of time. Also, one of the best poses to aid digestion, a seated spinal twist will leave you feeling energised, and stimulate your digestive system before eating breakfast. After doing this pose in the mornings, drinking a glass of warm water with lemon will help to fully kick start the digestive system, and prepare your body for the day ahead.”

Seated Forward Fold pose / Paschimottanasana

An excellent asana to integrate and release tension and tightness in the back body is Seated Forward Fold. Froggett explains that “the longer you hold and breathe into it, the deeper the stretch and the more ‘release’ you feel along the spine, from the base of your skull, between the shoulder blades and all the way to the lower back. The effect of this opening up across the whole back of the body is an extremely energising way to start the day. You will experience any compression that has built up overnight, or indeed anything left over from the previous day, begin to melt away. Leaving space for ease, energy and inspiration to take into your day ahead.” This calming floor pose also tones and massages the abdominal and pelvic region, which is great for stimulating digestion at the start of the day.

This posture encourages a feeling of letting go, surrender and release as Froggett explains, “I love how it can help me let go of anything that I might have woken up thinking about and really helps me start the day with a fresh slate. The nature of a forward fold is that it’s hard to do anything but breath and let go, so it’s wonderful for getting you grounded, focused and ready for the day.”

Bridge pose / Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

A great way to close your morning practice is with the energizing and heart opening Bridge posture. This gentle backbend stretches your chest, belly and shoulders, while strengthening the back, buttocks, and hamstrings. Bagnato tells us that “This pose is a little more active, which I love to incorporate at the end of my practice. It helps me to wake up by generating heat in the lower body and back, and making me feel more limber. To ease into the pose (or if you prefer a less active version) try doing a supported bridge with a block under your sacrum. This is perfect to help alleviate back tension from sleeping. No matter which variation you chose, this full-body pose will help you switch on mentally and physically, so you can easily transition from a drowsy state to fully waking up.”

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In Indian yogic tradition, the five poses of the warriors are called the Virabhadrasana series or the Vira poses. They are all standing poses that are usually sequenced together and are often included in vinyasa style classes and modified sun salutations. These poses are named after the legendary warrior Virbhadra, who was created by the god Shiva. This challenging set of yoga poses stretch and strengthen our bodies, hearts and minds. The Virabhadrasana series is yoga’s most popular—and perhaps most useful—group of postures.

What are the yoga warrior poses?

One of the most common groups of asanas in hatha yoga are the Warrior poses, known in Sanskrit as Virabhadrasana. Vira means “hero” and bhadra translates as “blessing,” “auspicious” or “friend.” In this context, asana translates as “posture”. Thus, Virabhadrasanas can be called auspicious heroic postures. The warrior poses are all standing poses with a wide stance and outstretched arms. They are usually sequenced together, but they can also be done individually.

There are 5 primary warrior asanas:

• Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I) — The front knee is bent and the hips are turned forward with the arms raised.
• Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II) — The front knee is bent and the hips are turned to the side with the arms parallel.
• Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III) — Balancing on one foot, the standing leg is straight and the opposite leg is lifted with the arms reaching forward.
• Humble Warrior (Baddha Virabhadrasana or Virabhadra Mudra) — The legs are the same in Warrior II, but the torso bows forward with the arms clasped behind.
• Reverse Warrior (Viparita Virabhadrasana) — The legs are the same in Warrior II, but the arms and torso reach towards the back straight leg.

Origin of the Warrior Poses

It is thought that these standing poses were created in the early 20th century by Krishnamacharya, who was influenced by the physical culture and gymnastics. They may also have their origin in the Indian martial art of Kalarippayattu. The five warrior poses were popularized and taught by Krishnamacharya’s students—Indra Devi, K. Pattabhi Jois, and B.K.S. Iyengar.

We do see the warrior stance, with the front knee bent and back leg straight, depicted in mythological Indian art. This position was used to symbolize strength, anger or combative activity. The warrior stance became a symbol of the fierce work of sadhana, the spiritual practice of self-discovery and inner-transformation.

Mythological story of Virabhadra

As with all gods and goddesses, there is a powerful ancient story behind Shiva’s creation of the warrior Virabhadra. While some details change depending on the version, much of the story remains the same. Shiva was married to Sati. However, her father, Daksha, did not approve of their union. He refused to invite either of them to a huge sacrificial festival he held, which prompted a hurt Sati to confront him. Her father humiliated her, asking if she was leaving her “wild animal of a husband.” In sadness and shame, Sati chose to kill herself. The specific means of how varies, such as throwing herself into the fires or meditating until she burst into flames.

Shiva was devastated and then furious upon learning his wife’s fate. In his anger, he ripped a dreadlock from his head and threw it to the ground. From the hair sprang Virabhadra, a massive creature with three eyes, a thousand arms, and a garland of skulls. He went to the festival to slaughter everybody, including the gods. When it was over, Shiva was remorseful for the destruction he created and his anger turns to compassion. He restores the lives of Daksha and the gods.

Why practice the Warrior poses?

The moral of Virabhadra’s mythological story is that it is best to transcend our anger, fear, hurt and insecurity by activating our strength, power, courage and devotion. When we move into these Warrior shapes, we embody the auspicious and heroic energy of a warrior. As we hold and breathe in these asanas, we connect to our strength, confidence, compassion and power. Each warrior posture has its own powers that can help yoga students in their journey of inner and outer transformation.

These poses can be difficult for some, as most have the front leg bent 90 degrees at the knee, which requires a lot of lower body strength. However, these warriors are some of the most common shapes you’ll encounter in a yoga sequences so it is important to learn their correct alignment to prevent injury. Routinely practicing them brings many powerful benefits.

The Physical, Mental, and Emotional Benefits of the Warrior Poses

Benefits of Warrior 1

• Physically, this asana works to strengthen your lower body, especially your hamstrings, feet, ankles, glutes, and quadriceps. It also builds core strength by having the spine long and the chest lifted. This mild backbend opens the front body and stretches the quads, hip flexors, and psoas.
• Mentally, it promotes focus, concentration and body awareness. This warrior challenges one to stay grounded and present while engaging multiple muscle groups to hold this shape.
• On an emotional level, Warrior I is a fiery pose of bravery, celebration and virtue. It encourages a heart full of compassion and courage to conquer life’s challenges and our inner demons of ego and anger.

Benefits of Warrior 2

• This asana strengthens your body’s quads, adductors of the inner thighs, hamstrings and core muscles, as well as your arms, shoulders, hips, and glutes. It also stretches your hips and groin. This warrior promotes strength, endurance, and stability.
• This asana challenges us to find ease within effort and builds mental stamina, inner strength and concentration.
• With practice, this asana will develop the courage and power to stare down your battles with ease and grace. It will also allow you to see your challenges clearly with discernment.

Benefits of Warrior 3

• This balancing Warrior creates muscular stability as you engage your core and stabilizer muscles, hamstrings, gluteus, and spine. It also strengthens the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, and ankles.
• This challenging pose strengthens your focus, concentration, and mindfulness. As you balance all your weight on one foot, you discover how to remain calm and cool under stress and pressure. Overall, it encourages poise, balance, grace and grit.
• This warrior teaches us how to transform our biggest challenges and struggles into strengths and triumphs. Learning to balance on one foot requires inner strength, faith, courage and humility.

Benefits of Reverse Warrior

• Also known as Crescent Pose or Proud Warrior, this asana deeply stretches the side body, as well as the hips, spine, chest, and inner thighs. It strengthens your abdominals, intercostal muscles, neck, arms, and the psoas.
• This side bending pose is also known as the Peaceful Warrior as it calms your mind by increasing the flow of prana and blood and releases tension in the upper body.
• Emotionally and mentally, Reverse Warrior is a great way to add strength, power, perseverance, self-esteem, and beauty to your daily practice. It’s also promotes your ability to flow through life’s challenges with ease and grace.

Benefits of Humble Warrior

• Also known as Devotional or Bound Warrior, this asana is considered one of the most challenging Warriors for many yoga practitioners. The pose tones and strengthens your hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, abdomen, glutes and back while stretching and opening your shoulders, chest, arms and hips.
• On a mental level, it builds body-mind awareness and creates a sense of introspection and groundedness.
• Emotionally, this asana encourages vulnerability, humility, acceptance and a sense of surrender to a higher power. Bowing deeply towards the earth supports the surrender of pride, judgements and expectations.

Sequencing the 5 warriors

Sequencing is the art of arranging poses with the most flow and fluidity. Since the warrior poses are all similar shapes, they are often sequenced together in a class. Warrior I and II are often taught at the beginning of a sequence as they are the most common and not as challenging as the other warriors. The transition between warrior two and warrior one can be a bit clunky and is often not taught. You will find the best flow between Warrior II to Reverse Warrior to Humble Warrior. Transitioning from Warrior I to Warrior III is challenging, but can be fluid and graceful with practice. When moving directly between warrior I to warrior II, you may find it more easeful to straighten the bent leg between the two poses.

Conclusion

The warrior poses are a group of powerful yoga poses that build strength, flexibility, and balance. These are dynamic and powerful postures that can help you move past your fears and into your inner power. These asanas are also a great way to build mental focus, concentration, determination and perseverence.

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