10 Yoga Asanas and their Health Benefits
Yoga is a physical and spiritual practice with its origins in ancient India. Even though it is an ancient practice but it is a full bag of numerous health benefits; whether you want a pretzel-like body or work on your core, or simply want to explore your spiritual side with this amazing mind, body-soul discipline yoga has everything for everyone. Practicing yoga regularly improves the blood circulation in the brain cells, increase bodily resistance to infections strengthens core muscles of the body, makes lungs stronger as it calms your breathing. This makes it an incredible practice especially in the modern lifestyle to keep you physically fit and mentally sounds. All you need is fifteen minutes of your day and you will get a fantastic start for your day.
However, getting into a yoga pose and practice it safely is a tricky one even though yoga is very beneficial with numerous health benefits but should be practiced with care. Hence for those who are planning to enroll in a yoga teacher training in India, we have discussed 10 yoga asana and health benefits attached to each of them.
Here are 10 Yoga Asanas and their Health Benefits:
Bridge – Bandha Sarvangasana
- Stretches the chest, neck, spine, and hips.
- Strengthens the back, buttocks, and hamstrings.
- Improves circulation of blood.
- Helps alleviate stress and mild depression.
- Calms the brain and central nervous system.
- Stimulates the lungs, thyroid glands, and abdominal organs.
- Improves digestion
Warrior 1 – Virabhadrasana I
- Strengthens your shoulders, arms, legs, ankles and back.
- Opens yours hips, chest and lungs.
- Improves focus, balance and stability.
- Encourages good circulation and respiration.
- Stretches your arms, legs, shoulders, neck, belly, groins and ankles.
- Energizes the entire body.
Warrior 2 – Virabhadrasana II
- Stretches your hips, groins and shoulders.
- Opens your chest and lungs.
- Builds stamina and concentration.
- Energizes tired limbs.
- Stimulates your abdominal organs.
- Helps relieve backaches, especially through your 2nd trimester.
- Develops balance and stability.
- Improves circulation and respiration
Triangle – Trikonasana
- Strengthens your legs, feet and ankles.
- Stretches your hips, groins, hamstrings, calves and spine.
- Opens your chest and shoulders.
- Strengthens your back, neck and abdominals.
- Stimulates your abdominal organs, aiding in digestion
Four Limbed Staff – Chaturanga
- Strengthens: – abdominals, arms and upper body.
- Anatomical Benefits: – improves strength
- Mental & Emotional Benefits: energizing and builds confidence
Boat-Navasana
- Tones and strengthens your abdominal muscles.
- Improves balance and digestion.
- Stretches your hamstrings.
- Strengthens your spine and hip flexors.
- Stimulates the kidneys, thyroid and prostate glands, and intestines.
- Aids in stress relief.
- Improves confidence.
Crow-Bakasana
- Tones the abdominal wall.
- Strengthens abdominal organs to aide in lower back pain and indigestion.
- Strengthens arms.
- Stretches and strengthens the back.
- Stretches and strengthens inner thighs.
- Opens the groin.
- Strengthens the wrists! TRUTH! Practice.
- Builds endurance and focus – mental focus and calm!
Downward Dog – Adho Mukha Svanasana
- Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression.
- Energizes the body.
- Stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches, and hands.
- Strengthens the arms and legs.
- Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause.
- Relieves menstrual discomfort when done with head supported.
- Helps prevent osteoporosis.
Child Pose – Balasana
- Stretches the legs: ankles, thighs, hips, knees.
- Relieves stress and fatigue.
- Releases back tension.
- Releases neck tension
Tree – Vrikshasana
- Improves balance and stability in the legs.
- On a metaphysical level, helps one to achieve balance in other aspects of life.
- Strengthens the ligaments and tendon of the feet.
- Strengthens and tones the entire standing leg, up to the buttocks.
- Assists the body in establishing pelvic stability
Now you can go and do these 10 yoga asanas and get fitter and healthier.