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Exercise

Balancing Builds Strength & Flexibility

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If you’re familiar with the classic yoga pose called “downward facing dog,” try this variation for more of a challenge. It develops flexibility in your legs while strengthening your core and upper-body muscles.

..CLICK & SEE

Step 1. Begin on your hands and knees, then curl your toes under and lift your hips to straighten your knees, pushing your heels toward the floor. Shift your weight to your left leg and raise your right leg off the floor. Keep your right foot flexed, with your toes and knee pointed down.

………
Step 2.  Focus on keeping your shoulders and hips facing the floor as you shift your upper-body weight to your right hand. Slowly raise your left arm off the floor while you use your core muscles to stabilize your shoulders and pelvis. Find your balance and hold for three complete breaths. Slowly lower your arm and leg, then switch sides and repeat the exercise on the other side.

Sources: Los Angeles Times

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Restore Physical Vitality with Yoga’s Downward Facing Dog

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Practicing yoga can help restore your physical vitality and emotional balance. The various postures are powerful tools to strengthen and stretch your entire body at any age and fitness level. Here is a simple way to do downward facing dog if your back and legs are tight.

click & see

Step 1.   Begin on all fours with your feet and knees about hip-width apart. Have your hands about shoulder-width apart with your fingers pointing forward. Tuck your toes under and raise your hips, keeping your heels up. Continue to raise your hips higher as you move your chest and head down toward your thighs. Pause in this position and focus on moving your shoulders away from your ears.

Step 2. Without losing the height of your hips, straighten your legs and lower your heels to the floor. Move more of your weight back into your legs. Relax your head and neck and lift your kneecaps up toward your thighs. Stay in this posture for 20 to 30 seconds, breathing evenly. Bend your knees and lower to the start position.

Sources: Los Angeles Times

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Exercise

Loosen Up Your Back, Hamstrings

This asymmetrical forward bend will stretch each side of your back and your hamstrings (backs of your thighs) separately. You may find that one leg or one side of your back is tighter than the other. Spend extra time stretching the tighter side.
..CLICK & SEE

1. Kneel on a padded surface. Bring your right foot in front of you. Bend your knee slightly and rest your right heel on the floor with your toes pointing up. Hinging at the hips, bend forward and balance on your fingertips. Lengthen your spine by reaching the crown of your head away from your tailbone. Slowly straighten your right knee. Hold this position for 10 to 20 seconds and repeat on the other side or move on to the next pose.

………..CLICK & SEE

2. Keeping your lower body in the same position, shift your weight over your left hand. Place your left hand flat on the floor below your left shoulder. Once you feel stable, turn your upper body to the right and raise your right hand directly above your right shoulder. Focus on sliding your shoulder blades down away from your ears. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds, then turning toward the floor, bring your hand down. Repeat on other side.

Sources:Los Angeles Times

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Yoga

Dog Yoga Pose

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Variation on dog yoga pose adds flexibility:

This exercise takes a classic yoga pose to a new level. If you’re already familiar with downward facing dog and flexible enough to do it correctly, then challenge your body with this variation
click to see
Step 1. Beginning on your hands and knees, place the heels of your hands directly below your shoulders and your knees below your hips. Curl your toes under, lift your hips and press your heels toward the floor as far as you can. Straighten your knees and bring your head and chest toward your thighs. If possible, have your ears between your arms. Take three to four breaths in this position.

 

Step 2. Slowly shift your weight over your left arm, keeping equal weight over both feet. Once you find your balance, reach your right hand toward your left leg. Grasp your left ankle, twisting your upper spine slightly to bring your right shoulder closer to your left thigh. Focus on stretching your toes forward and your heels back. Take three to four slow breaths in this position. Place your right hand on the floor and repeat on the other side.

Sources: Los Angles Times

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Yoga

Thigh-Muscle Stretch (Yoga Exercise)

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Thigh-muscle stretch works best if body stays in alignment

It’s very easy to cheat when performing some of the more popular stretches. But without proper form, we can end up wasting our time or worse — creating undue stress on our joints. When done correctly, this is an excellent way to stretch the muscles in the front of the thigh.
Step 1:->.

Stand with both feet together, then shift your body weight over your left leg and bend your right knee. Reach your left arm in front of you, or place it directly on a sturdy surface to help you balance.

Step 2:->

Bend forward and reach down to grasp your right foot with your right hand. Be sure to hold around the arch or the shoelace area of your foot (not the toes). Stand upright and point your right knee straight toward the floor; be sure your knee does not point out to the side. For a deeper stretch, tuck your hips under your torso and pull your heel closer toward your buttocks. Release and repeat on the other leg.
Now leave your hand, come back to the straight standing position and do the same stretching of the other hips.

Try to remain in stretched position for at least 30 seconds and minimum 3 sets of the above exercise to be done at a time.

This stretching exercise is very helpful to get rid of leg fatigue and knee pain.

Sources:Los Angles Times

 

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