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Yoga Basic Positions – What Does Each Type Do?
By Della Menechella

I often wondered what the value of each type of the yoga basic positions is, so I did some research to find out. All basic positions of yoga help to develop strength and flexibility. Yet the type of basic positions of yoga that you do also offers some very specific benefits.

Standing Poses

They are included in many poses, and they help to align your feet and body. This type of yoga pose is especially useful in improving your posture. Standing poses strengthen your legs while simultaneously increasing flexibility in your legs and hips. They add to the mobility of your neck and shoulders and they increase the flexibility in your pelvis and lower back. One of the most basic standing poses is Mountain Pose.

Seated Poses

These poses help increase flexibility in your hips and lower back, while also strengthening your back. They add suppleness to your spine and elasticity to your hips, knees, ankle and groin. They also encourage deeper breathing, which contributes to you feeling calm and peaceful.

Forward Bends

This type of yoga basic position helps stretch your lower back and hamstrings. Forward bends also release tension in your back, neck, shoulders, and increase the flexibility in your spine. They often promote a sense of calmness. I find forward bends particularly challenging since I have a considerable amount of stiffness in my neck due to an old gymnastics injury. This is the type of yoga basic position where I often use a prop such as a strap or block.

Back Bends

They open your chest, rib cage, and hips. They strengthen your arms and shoulders, while simultaneously increasing flexibility in your shoulders. They help relieve tension from the front of your body and hips and they also increase spinal stability. You should always do back bends as a complement to forward bends in order to maintain balance in your body.

Balance

Although balance poses can be challenging, I find them to be some of the most fun poses to do. They help you develop muscle tone and coordination and also strength and agility. They help improve your posture because you really need to elongate your spine in order to keep yourself from falling over. This type of yoga position helps train your mind to focus your attention; if your attention if not focused, you will not be able to do the pose.

Twists

I love to do twists. Twists release tension in your spine and increase shoulder and hip mobility. They also help relieve backaches by stretching and opening up your back muscles. I often experience tightness in my upper back and twists help me loosen up this area. It is important to always do twists on both sides of your body in order to ensure alignment and balance.

Supine and Prone Poses

Supine poses are done on your back. They help stretch your abdominal muscles, they open your hips, and increase your spinal mobility. They release tension and strengthen your back, arms and legs.

Prone poses are done facing the floor. They strengthen your arms and back and open up your hips and groin. They relieve tension and increase flexibility in your spine. One of my favorite prone poses is Extended Seal, because I find it very relaxing, and it helps stretch out my shoulders and upper back.

Inversions

This type of yoga position develops strength and stamina, particularly in your upper body. It also increases circulation because since your legs are higher than your heart, it reverses the normal flow of blood. Inversions help pull fluid out of your feet and legs, so they are great to do after you have been standing up for a long time. Advanced inversion poses require a great deal of strength and alignment and should only be learned under the guidance of a certified teacher. People with glaucoma, pregnant women and those who are menstruating should avoid inversion poses.

Relaxation Poses

Relaxation poses are usually done at the end of a yoga practice. They calm your mind and body and encourage a deep feeling of relaxation. This type of yoga position is often one of the most challenging poses to do, particularly for Westerners who often have a difficult time letting go. One of the most well-known relaxation poses is Corpse Pose.

There are hundreds of yoga basic positions and they all provide wonderful benefits for your mind and body. By understanding each type of the yoga basic positions, you can choose a well rounded practice with asanas from each type, or do those that meet your body’s needs at any given time.

Della Menechella is a yoga and fitness enthusiast who has been involved in fitness for over thirty years. Her website http://www.beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com is filled with practical information about how you can make yoga and fitness a positive part of your life.

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Be sure and visit the informative yoga websites shown above to learn more about yoga basic positions and the wide range of health benefits that come with yoga.

Looking for yoga poses for kids information?

From stress reduction (yes, kids have stress to deal with too!) to better ability to focus to improved health, yoga positions for children help kids in a number of ways. The basis for yoga poses for kids is to have fun. Visit the informative yoga website above and select the "Child Yoga" button to read more about yoga positions for children.

Perhaps you want information on yoga poses yoga for weightloss, yoga pose for upper back info, yoga pigeon pose or yoga poses moon solution. These are examples of yoga basic positions searches commonly done online. Again, use the yoga websites above to learn more about these and other yoga poses and positions.

Yoga Journal's Yoga Step By Step Session 3, DVD 1 ea Yoga Basic Positions

• Yoga basic positions in this 35 minutes DVD.
• Poses of yoga basic positions suitable for advanced beginners.

Gaiam Balance Ball Starter Kit (for individuals from 5' to 5'5") 1 kit

The BalanceBall inflatable exercise ball works like a portable gym, for a total body workout virtually anywhere - yoga basic positions. The BalanceBall Beginner's Kit provides the tools and instruction to help you safely and effectively maximize your fitness goals! Certified Pilates and yoga instructor Suzanne Deason integrates the principles of Pilates and yoga to help you:

• Challenge your cardiovascular system
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• Build core muscle strength and flexibility

Gaiam Pilates Beginning Mat Workout DVD

Flatten Abs. Strengthen Back Muscles. Improve Posture.
Introducing a unique method of conditioning that allows you to dramatically reshape and redefine your body. Pilates Beginning Mat Workout focuses on strengthening the "powerhouse"-the muscles in the center of the body that are instrumental in creating and maintaining good posture and alignment - yoga basic positions.

A special 10-minute session introduces you to the form and principles of Pilates and is followed by an invigorating 20-minute workout. A modified version is simultaneously demonstrated for those with limited flexibility and strength.

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