Friday, April 30, 2010

Cow pose


The Yoga Cow pose is also known as the cat-cow pose. This pose is a good one for relieving the tension in your spine. This pose is so named as it draws from the actions of animals like cows, cats and dogs. These animals relieve the tension in their spine by stretching their spine upwards and downwards.


The cow pose mimics the actions of these animals. To do the cow pose you should ideally be on all fours. But in case you cannot be in this position, due to age or ailments like rheumatism, you can also do a modified version of this pose while sitting on a chair. But you can do it best from a position of being on all fours.


Place your hands at about a shoulder’s distance from each other. Ensure that your wrists are directly below your shoulders, and your knees below your hips. Your legs are bent from the knees. Stiffen the muscles of your arms and legs, and curve your spine upwards. You will need to lower your head slightly as you do this. Engage your abdominal muscles and draw your belly button inwards, when you curve your back upwards. The center of your back is the highest point in this posture. Pause at this position for between three to five breaths and then move on to the next step.


Come into a neutral position and then arch your back downwards. Curve your neck and lift your head upwards. Your abdomen is stretched and your belly button is the lowest point in your abdomen when you are in this posture. Pause here too for some time and then repeat this cycle of movements for a few times, till you experience relief in your back, shoulders and neck.


Sources:


Yoga poses: Cow pose

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2467


Yoga Cow Pose for Insomnia

http://www.ehow.com/video_4399018_yoga-cow-pose-insomnia.html


Yoga Un-Cat & Cow Poses for the Lower Back

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjco7AJ0KLc&feature=related

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Temple pose


The Yoga Temple pose is a sequence of moves that help to give comprehensive exercise, especially to your upper body. The temple pose also helps in burning away your extra calories and reducing your midriff to develop a sculpted frame.


Start by standing erect on a mat as in the Mountain pose. Bend down slightly from your hips and knees to come into the Chair pose. Place your hands on your waist and move your legs away from each other to keep a shoulder’s length of distance between them. Turn your feet away from each other to have your right foot point to the right and left foot to the left. Raise your arms to the level of your shoulders and stretch them away from each other.


Place your hands on your thighs and slowly bend down and try to make your thighs horizontal to the floor. Press your hands against your thighs and gently rock yourself from side to side.


Now take your hands behind your back and clasp your right palm with your left palm. Turn your feet to face forward. Inhale, and as you exhale bend down from your hips and bring your head as close as you can to the floor, while holding your hands behind your back. Pause at this stage before proceeding further.


Bring your arms in front of you and interlace your arms into each other. Fold your arms form the elbows and wrap your hands into each other. Inhale, and as you exhale, lower your hips to make your thighs horizontal to the mat. Repeat this movement for between four to five times and then exit this pose.



Sources:



Temple Pose Low Body Sculpting Yoga


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GYC-OIG_iE



Temple Pose


http://yoga-glow.com/temple-pose-low-body-sculpting-yoga/



Temple Pose Modeling


http://yogademo.com/temple-pose-modeling-low-body-yoga-school


Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Twisting Dragon pose


The Twisting Dragon pose of Zen Yoga aims at nourishing your hips, spine and thighs. This pose involves balancing as well as twisting. You start doing this pose from being on all fours. Bend your right leg from the knee while stretching your left leg behind you. Now lower your left hip towards the mat, by twisting your hips. This brings your right hip up.


Rest your outstretched left leg and your left buttock on the mat, and bring your right arm over and above your shoulders to place it to the other side, i.e. to the left of your left leg.


Pause at this position for between two to three breaths and then come back to the original position of being on all fours and then repeat this twist. This time you fold your left leg from the knee and stretch out your right leg and then turn to your right by bringing your left arm over your shoulder and placing it to the right side of your outstretched right leg.


Repeat this twist to either side for as many times as you are comfortable doing so and then exit this pose. As this pose involves twisting your hips, spine and legs, it nourishes the quads (thighs), and the muscles of your back.


Sources:


Zen Yoga Full-Twist Dragon Stretch


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26OhzbEONSA&p=02B6B1A4A6759D95&playnext=1&index=24



Zen Yoga Dragon Stretches: Video Series


http://www.ehow.com/videos-on_7630_zen-yoga-dragon-stretches.html



Yoga Poses


http://www.tracis.info/yogathumbnailposes.htm

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Starburst pose of Zen Yoga

The Starburst pose of Zen yoga is an adaptation of the Corpse pose of conventional yoga. This a simple pose where you allow your spine to extend and lengthen. You start this pose by lying down on your back. Ensure that your spine is straight and is not curved to either your right or left.


Place your feet about a shoulder’s length apart from each other and do not engage the muscles of your legs and let your feet rest in a casual unsupported position. Move your arms away from your torso and allow your hands also to rest against the floor. This seemingly simple pose is both a relaxation pose, while it also nourishes your spine and the muscles of your back.


As you lie down in this position, stretch out your arms and legs away from you and imagine as if a force is pulling them away from you. As you do this, let the weight of your arms and legs sink into the floor and do not engage any muscles of your limbs.


Keep breathing slowly, deeply and consciously as you open your arms and legs outwards. You feel the spaces in your abdomen and chest opening out. Allow the breath to fill in these open spaces in your torso. The logic behind doing this relaxation exercise is to counter the strain that your torso is subject to during your normal standing, and walking postures.


Sources:


Zen Yoga Star Burst Pose


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTRXiNSOrFc



Zen Yoga Breathing for Back Stretches


http://www.ehow.co.uk/video_4943842_zen-yoga-breathing-back-stretches.html



Back Stretches Back Bends


http://en.kendincos.net/video-ldvnhprl-back-stretches-back-bends-back-walkovers-backbends-tutorial.html


Monday, April 26, 2010

Downward Facing Dog pose

The Downward Facing Dog pose is also known as the Adho Mukho Svanasana. This pose draws inspiration from the instinctive poses of dogs and cats who stretch themselves by stretching out and arching their backs, lifting their hips and lowering their head in between their two front legs.


This pose is simple enough even for kids to learn, and it can also be done by the elderly. This pose has many benefits like improving the flow of blood towards your heart and brain. This in turn leads to improvement in eyesight.


You start doing this pose by being on all fours. Inhale, and stiffen the muscles of your arms and legs and straighten them. Your arms are not bent from the elbows and legs too are not bent from the knees. Lift your hips up to be highest point in your pose.


Place your feet flat on the mat. This increases the stretch at your thighs (quads) and calf muscles. Keep your palms also flat on the mat for a better balance. If you find it difficult to place your foot soles flat, you may place a folded towel or a blanket under your heels.


Lower your head between your arms. Some variations of this pose are to bend your arms from the elbows and place your forearms on the mat.


Stay in this pose for between five to ten breaths and then exit. When exiting, lower your knees to the mat, lower your head and rest your forehead on the mat. Keep your arms outstretched as you rest your thighs on your calf muscles to be in the Child pose to relax.


Sources:


Downward Facing Dog pose

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/491


Instructions for Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing dog pose)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldGrVFEcWnI


Yoga Exercise - Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/info/downward-facing-dog.asp


Downward Facing Dog - Adho Mukha Svanasana

http://yoga.about.com/od/yogaposes/a/downdog.htm