5 easy-to-do yoga poses to help you lose weight
Yoga is all about balancing your body by doing a variety of poses, with a specific technique to move from one to the other. Yoga helps you to focus on your body, connecting the abdominal and hips to form a natural and flexible spine. If your yoga practice feels more like rows than the possible benefits of the practice, you may want to give it a try. Here are five simple poses that anyone can do.
Hip Hop (Utsavasana)
Don’t think that this is the same as an alternate entry. In traditional yogic poses, utsavasana is the full bend position. However, in hip hop, there is little kneeling involved. The only functional purpose is to create movement as an extension of your hips and back. Perform this at your own pace and when you get tired or find the pose isn’t working, find a better one. Do two reps each time and move on. This poses is best practiced during the saathi session (seated series) in the downward facing dog.
Squat with Lateral Extend (Vinyasa Ashtanga)
This poses takes place just before the seated series. The floor flattens and the knees are off the floor, instead of the ankles. While using your feet, move your hips from side to side with the same motion and lift the knee up into the sit position with a deep bend. Repeat this four times on each side. Perform 15 to 20 repetitions of this pose during the saathi session. Once you feel the benefits, try out some other variation like breathing through your chest, doing the pose with a bent ankle or pushing your hips back into place during squats.
On the Side With Lying Down (Utsurana)
Next, perform a modified version of this pose on the side. The lid helps support the body during the low-lying Downward Dog and is a perfect position to perform different movements. This is a great pose to practice on your lower back if you’re trying to gain flexibility and improve your strength. Some of the benefits of this pose are a better range of motion, reduced stress on your shoulders and more overall flexibility in your body. Perform five to ten sets of 10 to 15 repetitions on each side, depending on the strength and fatigue level of your legs.
Hip Clasp With Standing in-and-Out Gluteation (Hatha Yoga Kriya)
This pose forms one side of a Kriya. Kriya, or Class I, is essentially a chain-attached block that you use to propel your body forward during the Kriya sequence. Although this pose isn’t as well known as other breathing practices or postures, the benefits are just as many. Doing one arm-down and one arms-up in this pose can help you correct the alignment of your body. Perform five to ten sets of 20 to 30 repetitions, depending on the total lung capacity and strength of your body.
Hip Twist with the Lower Leg (Dharana)
This is a classic yoga pose designed to strengthen the hip flexors and also the abs. It’s an interesting twist to the traditional Kriya pose, where the body is moving to the left, creating a “spin” on the hips. You are stretching your pelvis, and this time your legs are engaging with the full swing of the hips. Perform a series of 20 to 30 repetitions using the bent left leg to the back of the torso as the axis of movement.
Hip Wind Up (Utsavasana)
This is a hip-twisting pose done standing up. This pose should be performed in an upright position. The body naturally bends with the inside of the hip. This poses provides extra flexibility in the hips because you are elongating the spine. Perform a series of 20 to 30 repetitions with a normal back bent until the floor flattens down. While using your feet, move your hips from side to side with the same motion and lift the knee up into the sit position with a deep bend. Repeat this two to three times.
Please note that these positions are performed to improve flexibility and focus on alignment in a seated postures. Remember, each pose should have a functional purpose. Performing the poses one by one on each side will help to ensure that you’re not hurting the area in the process.
Originally published on VOXXI as Five easy-to-do yoga poses to help you lose weight
