For all of you yearning to master the art of stretching and finding inner peace, here’s a little something. You don’t have to be an avid yogi to enjoy the benefits of yoga. All you need to do is include it in your daily routine. Twelve of our certified yoga trainers talk about their favorite yoga poses and how they benefit your body.
Read on and see if any of your favorite poses are mentioned below!
Abhilasha’s Choice – Camatkarasan (The Wild Thing)
This pose opens up the whole body. It makes me very confident, strong and graceful. This pose is very liberating and allows my qualities to flourish, bringing out the best in me. The Camatkarasan has the ability to strengthen its inner mechanism, thus being christened “The Wild Thing” in English. In my opinion, accepting and strengthening one’s original self is the best form of yoga one can practice.
The advantage that this pose offers is that it uses the whole body, thus using it in its entirety. It cultivates the will, confidence and autonomy in the person who practices this regularly.
Chaitanya’s Choice – Urdhva Padmasana to Shirshasana (Variant on the Head)
My favorite, the Urdhva Padmasana to Shirshasana, is the pose that balances strength and flexibility. Getting into this pose is worth the effort and practice, as it leaves you in relaxation mode, but fully alert.
The king of asanas, Shirshasana strengthens your core while building your respiratory system. It also helps to heal and prevent eye and ear ailments as well as expanding horizons. It also improves memory and concentration. Padamasana coupled with this improves the mobility and flexibility of the hips and knees.
Anshu’s Choice – Ustrasana (Camel Pose)
I love backbends. Backbends are great mood lifters and also keep your spine supple – after all, you’re only as young as your spine, they say! The horizontal and vertical planes of this pose are difficult to maintain, calling for keeping your glutes tight, releasing immense energy! This pose opens your chest by raising your sternum skyward, leaving your spine light as a feather!
If you are trying to correct your posture in terms of drooping shoulders or arched back, this is the pose you should be performing. Overall, practicing Ustrasana is good for your whole back.
Sridhar’s Choice – Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)
A symbol of having more patience, the Vrikshasana helps you stand firm in times of change. Much like how a tree grows from within, every soul’s journey of transformation unfolds from within.
Vrikshasana helps improve balance and stability in the legs, while helping to achieve balance in other aspects of life. Due to its weight-bearing nature, practicing this pose will help strengthen the hip and leg bones. Practicing Vrikshasana also helps build your self-confidence and self-esteem like an old tree rising in the storm.
Shamlee’s Choice – Purna Natraj Asana
Natarajasana, the Lord of Dance, has been my favorite asana since I started my journey with yoga. This asana helps me improve my back flexion and concentration, leaving me feeling great and refreshed. This pose doesn’t require a lot of space and can be done anywhere and anytime, and I mean, I perform this pose even while traveling or hiking for that matter!
The benefits of this pose include strengthening your hips, legs, ankles, and chest. It helps you shed those extra pounds! Practicing this pose will too helps you improve your posture, balance, digestive system as well as concentration, bringing you into zen mode as your body releases stress and your mind is in a state of calm.
The choice of Shambhavi Rajni – Padmasana
Padmasana of the many different asanas in yoga is my favorite. Besides being simple and easy to do, this pose doubles as a great workout and is good for your mind and your breath. It is also known to condition your body and core while improving your flexibility. This is a very simple asana and can be performed by men and women of all ages.
This basic pose has a number of benefits listed below.
- Padmasana preserves the vital fluids of the body, thus preventing abdominal diseases and female ailments related to the reproductive organs.
- Practice this pose and bring your mind to a state of peace, solitude, and longevity.
- Padmasana also helps you develop a healthy appetite while relaxing your body.
- Being the base of all asanas, it helps strengthen the hips, eliminates knee joints in female practitioners, and stretches the knees and ankles.
- Practice this posture to tone your hips and thighs!
Kavana’s Choice – Dhanurasana
The more we stretch, the more flexible we become. Dhanurasana or the bow pose is a symbol of the sacred weapon used by Lord Rama and Arjuna. The arrow hitting its target depends solely on how accurately the bow is arched. Likewise, the more precise we are in performing this asana, the more flexible our body becomes.
Performing this asana maintains the elasticity of your spine, while toning the abdominal organs. It opens up the chest, neck and shoulders while stretching the leg and arm muscles. It also acts as a stress reliever and helps improve concentration.
Sumeet’s Choice – Samakonasana
The greats have said in the past that “a person who dances well can walk easily”, but I believe that “a person who can do this difficult pose well can do all physical activities that involve gross motor movement effortlessly. “.
Samakonasana is excellent when it comes to improving blood circulation to the abdomen and reproductive organs. While it stretches and straightens the spine to improve posture, it also opens up the hip and groin muscles.
Jitendra’s Choice – Ardha Chandrasana
The Ardha Chandrasana is my favorite. I often practice this pose after my gym session, it helps strengthen my whole body and also stretches the neck, chest and thighs.
This pose softens and strengthens the entire skeletal structure. It gives you relief from respiratory ailments including colds and throat infections.
Dr. Helen’s Choice – Trikonasana
This pose is at the top of my list. The reason being, this can be done anytime and anywhere. The biggest advantage of this pose is that it is an excellent fat burner and good for those who suffer from back pain. The triangle pose also helps broaden your chest and shoulders.
Tanya’s Choice – Yoga Mudra Asana
After a stressful day at work, stepping into the Yoga Mudra Asana instantly energizes you, leaving you feeling refreshed. What makes this asana my favorite is the fact that just holding this posture for a few breaths counts, rids me of all my physical stress and agility while calming my mind immensely.
Yoga Mudra Asana is known as the best packaged pill for complete health and wellness. In the basket of its enormous benefits, you will find that it improves memory and flexibility of the spine, while getting rid of stress. It also has the ability to improve blood circulation and digestion, as well as to heal skin conditions.
Swapna’s Choice – Tiryaka Tadasana
Practicing this asana along with 1-2 glasses of lukewarm water triggers bowel movements. Regular practice helps stretch the digestive system, while toning the sides from the wrist to the waist by holding the pose for 15-20 seconds, each side for 4 rounds. This asana also helps develop postural muscles and improves spinal nerve circulation.
I start my day with this stretching asana because it serves as a warm-up, opening up the joints in the shoulders, arms, and neck.
Need advice on a yoga routine that fits your lifestyle? Our experts can help you
