With gyms, parks and usual outdoor workout spots in lockdown, it is difficult for a person to even get as much as a morning walk. So how does one meet their daily physical requirement? The best way is to do whatever workout you can do indoors. Additionally, one of the best things you can do is practice yoga indoors! Let’s look at how you can start.
7 Basic Yoga Poses You Can Do Indoors
1. Tadasana or Mountain Pose
- Stand tall with feet about 10cm apart and hands on the hips
- Raise arms over head and interlock the fingers. Place hands on top of the head.
- Look upwards and fix the eyes at one point.
- Inhale, stretch the arms with palms facing upward.
- Raise the heels coming up on the toes.
- Hold the pose for a few seconds.
- Exhale, lower the heels and bring the hands to the top of the head.
- Practice six rounds.
2. Twisting Cobra Pose or Tiryaka Bhujangasana
Twisting cobra pose makes the spine flexible and strong. It improves lung capacity, tones the abdominal muscles and improves digestion.
- Lie flat on the stomach with the legs straight and feet apart.
- Place the palms flat on the floor slightly below the shoulder.
- Rest the forehead on the floor.
- Slowly raise the head, neck and shoulder.
- Straightening the elbow, raise the trunk as high as possible.
- Look over the left shoulder and gaze at the heel of the right foot.
- Stay for a few seconds in this pose.
- Face forward again and repeat the twist on the other side without lowering the trunk.
- Repeat all steps six times
3. Fish Pose or Matsyasana
Fish pose opens up and stretches the chest and the diaphragm. It’s a great way to beat stress.
- Lie down on your back with legs straight. Hands beside the body. Palm facing down on the floor.
- Take the hands underneath the hip and press elbows on the floor.
- Lift the back and head.
- Bend the head down, arch back to bring the crown on floor.
- Raise the chin as high as possible and push the chest upward.
- Hold this position for a few seconds.
- Repeat three times.
4. Seated Forward Bend Pose or Paschimottanasana
Seated forward bend pose helps to calm the brain and relieve stress. It also soothes headache, anxiety and relieves fatigue.
- Sit down with legs stretched out straight.
- Raise both the hands upwards and place the palms together.
- Bend slowly and touch the feet.
- Gently bend the head downwards with face resting on legs and breathe slowly.
- Repeat this up to 3 times and maintain the bend position longer after each round.
5. Wind Relieving Pose or Pawanmuktasana
Wind relieving pose helps in aiding digestion. It also helps in reducing belly fat and enhances blood circulation.
- Lie down on the back with feet together and hands by the side of the thighs. Inhale and raise both the legs.
- Exhale, hold the knee joints and bring the knees towards the chest.
- Press the thighs on the abdomen with clasped hands.
- Breathe in again. On exhalation, lift the head and chest upwards. Touch the knees to the chin or forehead.
- Maintain the posture as long as possible. Repeat this for at least 6 times and each time increase the span of holding this position.
6. Child’s Pose or Balasana
- Sit on your knees. Place your hands on the thighs and palms down.
- Exhale slowly and bend forward, stretching your hands
- Breathe gently. Hold the posture for 2 to 3 minutes or less as possible.
- Repeat this up to 3 times maintaining the bend position slightly longer.
7. Cat-Cow Stretch Pose
- Take the position of cat pose.
- Lower your head and raise your back towards the ceiling.
- Gently exhale and contract your abdomen. Hold the breath for 3 seconds.
- Inhale while raising the head and bring your abdomen downwards.
- Expand the abdomen fully and fill the lungs with the maximum amount of air.
- Hold your breath for 3 seconds.
- Exhale and repeat step 2 to complete one round. Repeat 3-5 rounds.
Practising simple yoga indoors can help you stay fit and healthy during this lockdown and well after it too. Do yoga preferably on an empty stomach or 3 hours post a meal. Practice these regularly to see an improvement in your health. Before you begin, do consult your doctor, physiotherapist or health expert especially if you have any health issues.
For more guidance into yoga, tune in to LIVE sessions by yoga specialists on GOQii Play. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below!
Stay safe, stay indoors and #BeTheForce!
Now that you’re at home and activity levels have plummeted, it would be wise to pick up healthy habits! And nothing spells healthy better than morning yoga. There is no doubt about the benefits of ancient methods like yoga and pranayama even today.
If long working hours involving a lot of sitting time, incorrect posture and less exposure to sunlight sound similar to you, we’re sure you’ve at some point experienced back pain. Not just at work but traveling also takes a toll on your back muscles. You’ll be surprised to know that back injuries, simple back stiffness and back pain are quite prevalent even among the youth today. The only remedy here is to strengthen the back muscles!
Tadasana is a basic asana for various standing yoga poses! It is excellent for improving posture, maintaining the curvature of your back and strengthening the hips and thigh muscles.
Widely known as the warrior pose, Virabhadrasana strengthens the knees, thigh muscles, opens the hips and chest as well as stretches the back and leg muscles.
As the name suggests, it’s a triangle posture which stretches the spine, opens up the chest and shoulder as well as reduces tension on the hip and thigh muscles. It helps in improving physical and mental equilibrium.
One of the best asanas to improve spinal health. It provides excellent compression and extension to the nerves and muscles supporting the back, increases elasticity of the spine, tones the spinal nerves and reduces the stiffness in the spinal muscles.
Salabhasana prepares beginners for a deeper backbend, strengthening the muscles of the entire torso from the nape of the neck, spine, chest, and legs to the back of the heels. It is a part of Hatha Yoga which stimulates the functioning of abdominal organs and relieves stress.
3. Uttanasana helps relax the muscles and eases the mind. It lowers high blood pressure and ensures that your heart remains healthy!
5. Trikonasana or Triangular Pose relaxes the mind and calms down anxiety levels. This pose also opens and strengthens the chest area, and improves the digestive system.
6. Shavasana is another ideal asana for heart patients. This asana helps in repairing cells and tissues. It reduces blood pressure and assists in developing a better balance of the air element in the body.
7. Bhujangasana or The Cobra Pose is good for heart patients as it expands the chest area and relaxes muscles. As a result, blood circulation gets better and the heart feels reinvigorated.
