We’ve all heard the saying ‘sitting is the new smoking’ and that moving throughout the day is better for your body. Between working from home and gym timings being reduced, it is a little bit challenging to get enough exercise in your day. To that, add the dilemma of sitting with your laptop on your lap and being hunched over it for what seems like endless hours.
Having a bad posture can lead to a host of problems including poor digestion, fatigue, teeth grinding, and even improper breathing. So, what can you do to keep these problems at bay? Enter yoga. The good news is that one of the many pros of yoga is that it actually corrects your posture when the poses are practised correctly over time. Here are five easy, beginner-friendly poses that will help elevate your back game.
Mountain pose
• Stand with your feet a few inches apart, parallel.
• Distribute the pressure evenly between your feet and keep your knees slightly bent.
• Maintain the natural curve of your lower back and elongate your spine.
• Broaden your chest and relax your arms by your side.
• Hold this pose for up to a minute.
Shoulder stand
• Begin by sitting with your legs extended and your arms relaxed on either side. Bend forward and touch your feet as much as you can.
• Slowly move back and lie down. Lift your legs slowly and keep your knees soft and bent. Place arms on either side of your body.
• Next, allow your feet to fall back behind you an amount that feels good on your neck.
• Stretch your feet towards the ceiling one at a time, and take three deep breaths.
• To lower your feet, slowly soften your knees towards your forehead, come back to step number three, and slowly lower back to mat one vertebra at a time.
Cat and cow pose
• Begin by placing your palms and knees flat on the ground so that your body structure resembles a table.
• Keep your spine neutral. As you inhale, arch your back and let your belly relax. Lift your head up towards the ceiling.
• As you exhale, round your spine in and pull in your belly button. Tuck your chin in towards your chest.
• Continue doing each movement one after the other for at least 10 rounds.
Cow face pose
• Sit on the floor and cross your right leg over your left. Stack one knee on top of the other and bring your right heel to the opposite knee, that is the outside of your left hip.
• Straighten your spine and sit up.
• Inhale and then take your right arm out to the side and turn your palm upside down so that your thumb points down.
• Exhale and bend your elbow and bring your right arm behind your back. Make sure your palm is facing out and the upper arm pulled in close to your body.
• While inhaling, bend your left elbow and reach your hand down toward your neck so that your fingers face the ceiling.
• Reach your hands toward each other until they touch. Clasp hands or fingers if possible.
• To exit the pose, exhale and carefully release your arms out to your sides.
• Repeat on the opposite side.
Cobra pose
• Lie down on the ground on your stomach and place your hands, palms down, on the ground beneath your shoulders.
• Straighten your arms and lift your chest off the ground.
• Look upwards and keep your abs engaged.
• Hold the pose for up to a minute if possible and then release slowly.