Search Results for: yoga

January 10, 2025 By GOQii 221 Comments

Important Exercises & Yoga Poses To Be Done During Pregnancy

In one of my articles, we explored how beneficial it is to follow yoga during pregnancy. In this article, I will highlight the prenatal yoga poses that can help you stay fit during pregnancy and support a smooth post-delivery recovery. Let’s dive right in!

Exercises & Yoga Poses To Do During Pregnancy

Start With Breathing Exercises
Before beginning, practice some mindful breathing:

Sit comfortably, with your knees bent and your shoulders, head, and neck relaxed.
Place one hand on your upper chest and the other just below your rib cage. This will allow you to feel your diaphragm move as you breathe.
Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Continue for 3-5 minutes.

1. Cat and Camel Pose

Begin on your hands and knees, with your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders.
Round your back towards the ceiling, tucking in your buttocks and slightly lowering your head.
Return to a neutral position.
Let your belly lower towards the floor, creating an arch in your back. Keep your head slightly raised, with your eyes looking forward.
Alternate between these poses.

Tip: Use a folded towel under your knees if they hurt, or place fists instead of palms on the floor for wrist support.

2. Butterfly Pose

Sit with your spine and neck straight.
Bend both knees and bring the soles of your feet together, as close to the groin as possible.
Hold your feet firmly with your hands and keep your heels on the ground.
Place your elbows on your thighs.
Inhale deeply and press your thighs downward using your elbows.
Exhale as you raise your knees without support and release the pose.

3. Kegel’s Exercises

This exercise strengthens the pelvic floor muscles.

How to Perform:

Sit, stand, or lie down comfortably.
Contract your pelvic floor muscles as if stopping the flow of urine for 5 seconds.
Relax the muscles for 3 seconds.
Perform 5-10 repetitions per session, twice a day. Ensure you breathe normally throughout.

4. Goddess Pose

Step your right foot back to a stride length and turn your toes out at a 45-degree angle.
Bend your knees deeply and lower your hips until they align with your knees.
Extend your arms to shoulder height and bend your elbows so that your fingertips point upwards.
Engage your core, draw your tailbone towards the floor, and keep your spine long.
Hold the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

5. Warrior Pose

Stand with your feet roughly three feet apart.
Place your right foot in front of your left foot.
Extend your arms out to the sides, keeping them straight and palms facing down.
Turn your left foot out to the side and your right foot inward.
Lunge forward, bending your left knee, and keep your right leg straight.
Hold the pose, then return to the starting position and switch legs.

6. Walking

Walking is an excellent cardiovascular exercise for expecting mothers.

Tips:

Start with slow walks if you’re new to physical activity.
Walk for 30 minutes, three times a week.
Pair walking with other light exercises for better results.

If this article helped you, share your thoughts in the comments below. Explore more articles on Women’s Care here. To keep a track of your pregnancy, you can also download the GOQii App and access the Women’s Care Feature.

For more tips on how to manage your health during pregnancy, reach out to your GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health.

September 24, 2024 By Falguni Bhojak 2 Comments

5 Yoga Asanas To Relieve Bloating and Gas

Most of us feel bloated after a heavy meal or when we have some digestive problems or when we are stressed out. There is a feeling of fullness and tightness in the abdomen which may cause abdominal pain. Practising yoga improves digestion by increasing blood flow to your digestive tract and twisting poses compress and massage your internal organs, which help relieve bloating and gas.

Poses To Aid Digestion and Relieve Bloating

Try the yoga asanas below to help improve digestion and relieve bloating:

1. Apanasana
This asana is also known as the ‘wind relieving pose’. It not only helps to release the build-up of gas and improve digestion but also helps in detoxifying the entire system.

Lie down on your back and place your hands on the knees
As you exhale, hug your knees to your chest
Rock your knees from side to side to maximize stretch
Do this for five to ten breaths and release your knees
When you inhale, loosen your grip to allow your legs to move away from your stomach

2. Supta Matsyendrasana
Also known as the Spinal Twist, this pose is great for digestion as it helps your blood flow through your body, especially your gut.

Lying on your back, bring your arms out to the sides with the palms facing down in a T position. Bend the right knee and place the right foot on the left knee
Exhale and drop the right knee over to the left side of your body, twisting the spine and lower back
Gently push your right knee using your left hand to touch the ground
Make sure your right arm is extended out to the side at shoulder height
Breathe and hold for 6-10 breaths
To release, inhale and roll the hips back to the floor, and exhale the leg back down to the floor. Repeat the same process on the other side.

3. Malasana
Also known as the Garland Pose, it is good for digestion as it helps you release all the gas out of your system that is blocking your intestines from functioning normally.

Begin in the Mountain Pose (Tadasana), with your feet slightly wider than hip distance apart
Bend your knees deeply, sinking down until your hips are lower than your knees, a few inches off the floor
Bring your palms together at heart center and wedge your elbows one at a time, to the inside of your knees
Push your elbows into your knees to open your hips and gently press the inside of your knees into your elbows
Stay in this pose for 30 seconds to a minute
To get out of the pose, either sit back onto your buttocks or push back up to standing

4. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Also known as the Bridge Pose, it will open up your gut, allowing blood to flow smoothly and subsequently, will help relieve bloating and pain.

Lying on your back, place your feet flat on the floor
Fold your knees and keep your feet hip distance apart on the floor, 10-12 inches from your pelvis, with knees and ankles in a straight line
Keep your arms beside your body, palms facing down
On inhalation, press the back of your shoulders and your feet into the floor and lift your hips up
Lengthen your tailbone, slide your shoulder blades down your back and keep your neck neutral
Keep your bottom firm up in this pose; Keep your thighs and feet parallel
Hold the pose at the top for 30 seconds each time before releasing
To come out of the pose, release the arms and roll your spine down while breathing out

5. Chakravakasana
This pose, also known as the Cat-Cow Stretch, helps relieve bloating by stretching and contracting the abdomen with each motion.

Keep your hands and knees in the table pose, and your spine neutral
First begin with the Cow Pose by inhaling as you drop your belly towards the mat. Lift your chin and chest, and look up towards the ceiling
As you exhale, come into the Cat Pose while rounding your spine outward, tucking in your tailbone, and drawing your pubic bone forward
Release your head toward the floor, but don’t force your chin to your chest
Inhale as you come back into the Cow Pose and exhale as you return to the Cat Pose
Hold each pose for a breath before moving into the other one. Do this for 15-20 breaths

We hope these yoga asanas help you relieve bloating, gas and any other associated pains. Before you begin any yoga practice, do consult your doctor, physician or personal trainer. Kindly ensure that you perform these asanas under proper guidance if you’re a beginner.

For more on yoga, check out Healthy Reads or speak to a certified expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

June 21, 2024 By Trupti Hingad 6 Comments

Best yoga poses with Attitudes!

Yoga is a Way of life. It aims at overcoming all our dis-qualities like attachments, aversions, hatred, jealousy, and likes and dislikes.

I am here today to share my best yoga poses which have helped me to shape my attitude from negative to a positive and had a great impact on my personality. I don’t do yoga postures just for strength and flexibility. I do yoga postures with a feeling of emotions which have, in turn, helped me imbibe some good qualities within me.

When a dancer dances with the feeling and emotion, that experience is translated down to the audience watching the performance.

“Where goes the hand, there goes the eye,

Where goes the eyes, there goes the mind

From my mind, I create (bhava) feeling

When I create bhava, the observer creates the essence (Rasa)

Rasa is experienced.”

When you do yoga asana, you cannot isolate the body from the mind. You have to apply your mind and feel the asana. This is better done with the below four attitudes.

Let me share what these are.

Dharma is Right to conduct (DUTY)

This is recognized as a duty, faith, and acceptance. Self-direction is our duty. It is a state of preparedness. It’s an initiative towards being quiet and peaceful and enjoying one’s own company. The asana which can be practiced with this Dharma attitude is Sukhasana, Padmanasa, and Vajrasana.

When you sit in the Sukhasana position, your mind starts to wander the moment you close your eyes. Now it’s your duty towards yourself to develop the silence, develop awareness, become introvert, self-direct, and observe peace.

Apart from asana, it can also be acquired using the following techniques:

Looking at nature – sea, sky, greenery, flowing river water.
Listen to nature – soft music, stream flowing, birds chirping, breeze
Reading stories like Panchatantra, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, or any other books with a positive message
Prayers

Jnana (Knowledge)

Jnana is knowledge and is recognized as concentration, coordination, body awareness, self-knowledge and clarity.

Do you desire to have a good concentration? How much? How often are you able to balance your work and home life? If you find this challenging, follow these techniques:

The asanas which helps to achieve the same are Utkatasana, Ekpadasana, Stithprarthasana, Pranayama, and Tadasana.

Other techniques include focusing on one point, playing brain games, and self-analysis.

Vairagya (Humble)

Vairagya is objectivity. This is recognized as humbleness, relaxation, Letting go attitude, and surrender. It is an ability to view things from a distance. It helps to rise above the situation and view things in a detached way.

Few asanas which helps are Trikonasana, Yog-Mudra, Vakrasana, Konasana-3, and Shavasana.

Other techniques include

Scream loudly
Share jokes
Play physically aggressive games

Aishwariya (Self-reliance)

Aishwariya is freedom and power. This is recognized as one’s willpower, determination, free from ignorance, fight for justice and higher motives.

It helps to build qualities like strength, effort, willpower, confidence, self-esteem and a sense of achievement.

Asanas include — Bhujangasana, Veerbhadrasana, back-bending postures, and nasal cleaning process.

The attitude of Aishwariya creates a feeling of enthusiasm.

Next time when you do asanas, generate these feelings in you. It works as a reminder all the time and that helps in faster and better growth.

Wish you All A very Happy International Yoga Day!

If this article helped you, let us know in the comments below! You can find more articles on yoga here. You can also join our live, interactive sessions on GOQii PRO where you will be guided in real time by an expert. Book a class now from the GOQii App.

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January 17, 2024 By Dr. Naina Sudarshan 9 Comments

5 Simple Yoga Asanas To Strengthen Lungs

Lungs are the most important organs of the body as it involves the breathing process. Proper functioning of the lungs is critical for all the other body parts to function well. Recent global health challenges, exemplified by the impact of respiratory infections like COVID-19, SARI, and ILI, underscore the critical importance of pulmonary health. Though we all know Pranayamas are controlled breathing or breathing exercises in Yoga, actual control of breathing starts with Yoga Asanas or the postures. Each Asana has its own breathing pattern. Breath or Prana is the primary source of energy or the force that keeps us alive. So, it is important to keep our lungs healthy and strong. Practising simple yoga asanas can have huge benefits on our lungs and overall health. Here are 5 simple Yoga Asanas which can strengthen our lungs with other benefits.

Simple Yoga Asanas To Strengthen Lungs

1. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

This posture fills the lungs with plenty of fresh air as we inhale, expanding the rib cage and abdomen. All the alveoli in the lungs are filled with extra oxygen, enhancing the lungs’ performance.

Method:

Stand straight with both feet 2 inches apart
Inhale deep and raise both arms over the head, interlocking fingers with palms facing up
Lift both the heels slowly, raising your entire body upward
Balance your entire body on your toes
Hold the position for few seconds while inhaling and exhaling normally
Slowly exhale while lowering the hands and heels down
Return to the rest position

2. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
This asana opens up the chest cavity, allowing the airways to open for the lungs to receive air easily.

Method:

From a standing straight position, spread your legs apart for 3-4 feet
Turn the right foot out 90 degrees toward the right
Turn the left foot about 30 degrees inwards to the right
Inhale and raise both the arms up on the sides, keeping the shoulders relaxed
Exhale and slowly bend your body to the right side
Try to touch your right foot with your right hand until the body is parallel to the ground and spine is straight
Slowly lift the left arm upward in line with the right arm
Hold this position for a few seconds while looking up toward the tip of the left hand
Slowly inhale and raise up your body. Exhale and bring down the arms on your sides
Repeat the same on the other side now

3. Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Fish Pose)
This posture expands the chest and lungs on both sides

Method:

Sit on the floor with the legs stretched in front, feet together
Bend the right knee and keep the right foot with the sole up
Sit on the right heel so that the left side of the sitting fits on the arch of the right sole
Take the left foot over the right side of the right knee
Keep the left foot flat on the floor
Relax the shoulder and straighten up the spine
Place the right arm on the outside of the left knee with hand facing up
Inhale while lifting the rib and exhale while slowly twisting the spine towards the left
Keep the right palm flat on the back of your right foot
Turn your head towards the back from left side
Maintain the pose for few seconds
Slowly exhale and get back to the sitting position
Repeat the same on the other side

4. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
Though there are many benefits through this pose, it expands the chest and lungs to improve the lung capacity

Method:

Lie down with face down and feet together
Forehead should be touching the ground
Place both palms on the side of your shoulders
Elbows are close to the body
Inhale and tighten the hip and the tailbone
As you exhale, draw the shoulders back, lifting the upper body
Back and abdominal muscles are stretched
Look straight or towards the ceiling as much as you are comfortable
Hold the position for few seconds
Exhale and return to the face down lying position

5. Shashankasana (Rabbit Pose)
This is one among the easy poses that is suitable for everyone. This is also called as child pose or Baalasana. It improves the lung capacity, expands the back part of the lungs, relieves upper and lower back issues and addresses spine issues

Method:

Sit in Vajrasana (Sitting on your feet with soles facing up and knees bent)
Inhale and slowly raise both the arms upwards straight above the head
Your abdomen and chest cavity are raised up with spine erect in this position
Now slowly exhale and bend forward with the spine erect
Let the abdomen rest on your knees
Hand stretched straight and rested on the floor above the head
Maintain this position for few seconds to few minutes while breathing normally
Inhale and raise your body and arms up
Get back to the Vajrasana position

All these Asanas have many other benefits on our health including increased flexibility, metabolism, toning the abdominal muscles and spinal health. People with back issues, neck issues, spine issues need to be cautious while doing any Yoga postures. It is always good to learn Yoga Asanas under good guidance. People having serious or chronic medical issues need to consult their doctors before doing Yoga.

We hope you try out these 5 simple Yoga Asanas to strengthen lungs and level up your health! For more articles on yoga, check out Healthy Reads or reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

Important Exercises & Yoga Poses To Be Done During Pregnancy

Exercises & Yoga Poses To Do During Pregnancy

1. Cat and Camel Pose

2. Butterfly Pose

3. Kegel’s Exercises

4. Goddess Pose

5. Warrior Pose

6. Walking

Best yoga poses with Attitudes!

5 Simple Yoga Asanas To Strengthen Lungs

Simple Yoga Asanas To Strengthen Lungs

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