What's Your Yoga?

What’s Your Yoga?

Winter yoga should focus on heating the body from the inside out. Asana and pranayama practices that heat the body help maintain elasticity of the muscles and joint mobility to relieve cramps and soreness.

Upward-Facing Dog Pose (Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana)

Upward-Facing Dog Pose is a backbend yoga posture that lengthens and strengthens the spine, torso and arms. Use this pose as a backbend on its own, or as a transition to even deeper backbends. Those practicing Sun Salutations should move directly from Upward-Facing Dog into Downward-Facing Dog by lifting their hips and rolling over their toes to press the soles of their feet on the mat. Benefits: Upward-Facing Dog stretches the chest and spine, while strengthening the wrists, arms and shoulders.

Low Lunge Pose (Anjaneyasana)

Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana)

Low Lunge Pose is a heart opening posture that is a perfect combination of balance, backbend and stretching. To get into this posture, from Downward-Facing Dog, inhale to step your right foot forward in between your hands and lower your back knee down. Stabilize your front knee by stacking it directly over the ankle. Benefits: Low Lunge stretches the hips, gluteus muscles and quadriceps while improving balance, concentration and core awareness.

Seated Forward Fold is a calming yoga pose that helps to relieve stress. This pose is often practiced later in a sequence, when the body is warm. The more you can relax in this pose, the deeper your stretch will be. It’s important to never force this stretch or push too hard. Benefits: Seated Forward Fold can help relieve fatigue and improve sleep. This pose stretches the spine, shoulders, pelvis and hamstrings. It also stimulates and balances the liver, kidneys, adrenal glands, ovaries and uterus.

Yoga is a mind-body practice that combines physical poses, controlled breathing, and meditation or relaxation. Yoga may help reduce stress, lower blood pressure and lower your heart rate. And almost anyone can do it!