This yoga  for seniors will help to strengthen bones, reduce stress, soothe the body and joint pain, and enhance balance, flexibility, mobility, and strength. Also, mental ailments like Insomnia, depression and low levels of confidence can be healed very effectively with this yoga sequence for seniors.

Because…

Yoga Is Anti-aging

Prolonged Mental Stress: Biggest Cause Behind Most Illnesses

Who doesn’t want to age with dignity! But as we age, the feeling of insecurity due to many internal and external factors starts hijacking our life. 

You start seeking an external support system that may or may not be available. The children have to leave the house for higher studies or in search of a job. Being a parent this may leave you emotionally weak and shattered. Very often these emotions and stress may harm your body and may cause an ailments. 

This is now scientifically proven that many chronic ailments such as IBS, constipation, joint pain, diabetes, hypertension, and more…are the outcome of prolonged mental stress.

Yoga magically holds the key to ageing well and offers a plethora of benefits for your body, mind, and soul.

Why Yoga Becomes A Necessity When You Grow Older

A significant number of seniors are now devoted to daily yoga practice over the other forms of workout.

According to a study in the year 2016, Nearly 14 million Americans over the age of 50 practised yoga,  significantly more than the four million in the year 2012.

As we age, it becomes even more important to incorporate some form of physical activity into our daily lives to help maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

Being a senior, with a regular exercise routine, you will feel more energetic and can help manage the aches and pains which are inevitable with ageing. 

Giving some time to mindfulness leads to an independent life where you’re  feeling your best and most secure.

Yoga is well known as one of the best forms of exercise for older adults. More than exercise , yoga is the best example of a great lifestyle. Over time you can see an improvement in  flexibility, posture, balance, endurance and mood. 

Benefits Of Yoga For Seniors

Best thing about Yoga is that it is customizable or can be adapted to as per your needs.

Therefore, yoga is safe for seniors of all fitness or ability levels. 

It can be an excellent way to keep your body strong and healthy without any stress on body parts or joints. Which is inevitable  from other activities like weightlifting, jogging, and even walking.

 Because all these activities are consumption based while yoga preserves everything, your health and well being included!

And it’s never too late to begin. You can start yoga at any age, but do check with your doctor if you have any chronic ailment.

Here are only some of the  benefits of yoga for older adults:

Maintains Better Balance

 Many yoga poses for seniors work on strengthening the abdominal muscles and improving your core stability; Keeping your lower body parts and joints strong such as those in legs and hips. 

That can help you become fearless, confident, and steadier on your feet and reduce your risk of falls.

Enhanced Flexibility

Yoga movements are the best stretching exercises for seniors. 

When You hold a pose for several breaths, it encourages your muscles and connective tissues to relax and loosen, which further helps to increase your range of motion.

 Research in the International Journal of Yoga Therapy has shown that regularly engaging in yoga can excellently boost the overall flexibility of older adults.

Maintains Bone Health

Yoga is a boon to combat the many severe conditions related to growing age such as brittle bones and osteoporosis. For older women and men, a consistent yoga routine that includes weight-bearing postures can help bolster bone strength. Some promising research has suggested that doing yoga can improve bone density in postmenopausal women.

Reduces Stress And Anxiety 

 Yoga postures, mindfulness -meditation and yogic breathing  encourages you to focus on the present and find a sense of peace. 

Research has proved that it can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol and help ease symptoms of anxiety and depression. 

In a National Institutes of Health survey, more than 85 percent of people  engaged in yoga  experienced reduced levels of stress.

Helps To Sleep Better

Yoga can help alleviate sleep disturbances, which are common complaints among seniors. In a study published in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, adults over age 60 who struggled with insomnia participated in yoga classes twice a week and underwent daily sessions at home. After three months, the group reported significant improvements in both the duration and quality of their sleep.

Inculcates Enhanced Breathing

Yogic Breathing aka the controlled breathing  practices of yoga, known as pranayama, can expand your lung capacity and improve your pulmonary health. 

A study published in the Journal of Human Kinetics found that elderly women who practised yoga three times a week for 12 weeks saw a significant improvement in their respiratory function.

Sharpen Mind And Memory

Yoga helps in improving your memory and preventing various age-related cognitive issues. Doing some mild inversion poses, such as Downward Facing Dog or Uttanasana could improve the circulation of blood, keeping your mind sharp.

Best Gentle Yoga For Seniors

 Let’s open the Yoga Mat and start with today’s gentle yoga for seniors.

Surya Namaskar

Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutations is a set of 12 different kinds of yoga postures.

Doing just even 2 to 3 rounds of Surya Namaskara can prove to be the best yoga sequence for seniors especially to boost strength and endurance of the body.

 It also helps immensely with the process of anti-aging, improved sleep, weight management, strength, and balance among other things.

Research shows that just performing Sun Salutations can improve cardiovascular health, prevent fatigue, promote the feeling of calmness and relaxation along with encouraging a range of other mental and physical benefits.

As our body is made up of five elements and an imbalance in these elements can contribute to three kinds of dosas known as kapha, pitta, and vata dosha, very well described in Ayurveda.

Doshas are responsible for multiple diseases and problems with your body.

Regular practice of Surya Namaskar balances all three of them. You can choose from the different variants of the Sun Salutations known as Sun Salutations A and Sun Salutations C.

Find here how to do Sun Salutations and its benefits.

Or you can begin with the partial and less intense form of sun salutations which will go like this…Mountain Pose AKA Tadasana, Forward Fold AKA Uttanasana, Chair Pose AKA Utkatasana.

Mountain Pose and Forward Fold

• Stand tall on your feet, with palms together in front of your Heart centre.
• Press your feet on the ground from all the corners. 
• Take three deep breaths here.
• Feel the earth’s gravity and imagine your feet sinking inside the earth and simultaneously receiving a lot of power from the same.

• With an inhale raise both the hands together and come to a forward fold while exhaling slowly from your nose.
• and fold from the crease of your hips.

Halfway Lift 

• Place your hands on the shin bones and flap back in ardha-uttanasana.
• Your upper body from Crown of the head to tailbone should be in straight line.

Chair Pose

• Inhale and come up to the chair pose. Imagine that you are sitting on a chair.
• Try keeping your back straight. 

• Extend your knees and rise with an inhale.
• Exhale to fold forward.

Downward Facing Dog Pose

• Reach your hands on the mat, and walk your feet back to come in your downward-facing dog pose, Adhomukh Svanasana.
• Firm your legs and Palms to sink into the ground and try sending your tailbone up.
• Let your neck relax.
• Take your dog for a walk to relax your feet.

Shoulder Rolls On Knees

From adho mukha svanasana, come on your knees and feet for the seated postures to tone your shoulders, arms, core, and waist with following very simple gentle but effective yoga kriyas:

Garudasana

• Inhale spread open your both arms and exhale to bring your right hand below the left and wrap them to bring your both the palms together.
• Inhale and stretch the arms up, and exhale to bow down.
• Repeat for reverse combinations of the hands and continue with deep breathing.

Twists With The Hands On Chest

• Bring your farms above the chest with an inhale twist to your right.
• Then exhale to twist left
• Simple Kriya works excellently on your digestive system and helps to tone the waistline.

Gentle Side Bends

At the same position, you can do easy side bends.

• Inhale and touch the ground first with your right hand.
• Come to the centre , inhale and exhale to touch the ground with your left hand.
• Repeat for five rounds.

Cat and Cow Transitions

• Come on all four and do some cat and cow transitions. 
• Inhale, scoop your back, send your head up, and tail bone up.
• Exhale, round your back, and bring your chin to the chest.
• Send tailbone towards the ground.
• This single yoga posture can help to get rid of all kinds of back pain and also works best on your respiratory system.

Matsyendrasana

• From the cat and cow posture, come to a seated posture.
• Fold your left leg from the knees to bring your left heel near the right hips.
• Let your right leg cross and sweep the left knee so that the right foot is beside the left thigh.
• Place your left arm on the ground just behind you and with the right hand grab your right legs to come in your Matsyendrasana.

• • Matsyendrasana is a very gentle yoga posture for seniors. Just remember to be gentle in your approach.
  • Hold for 5 deep breaths then come to replicate on the other side.
  • Matsyasana, which is a spinal twist, helps to massage your internal organs and improves digestion, releases constipation and bloating.

• Gradually open both the legs in front of you and shake to release then slowly transition into your Paschimottanasana.

Paschimottanasana

Paschimottanasana or seated forward bend exerts very gentle pressure on your abdomen to massage the internal organs, strengthens your pelvic flower and works on the base of your spine or Muladhara a.k.a. Root Chakra.

• Paschimottanasana or the seated forward band may be a little bit of intense yoga postures for older adults.
• But you can make a very tactful transition in this posture by using bit by bit bending towards your legs from the crease of your hips.
• you can curve your back slightly to experience more like a yin yoga posture.
• Hold for 5 to 10 breaths then come to the Sukhasana or half or full Lotus Pose to meditate with me, Yogis.

Mindfulness- Meditation

After your yoga practice, it is mandatory to surrender on Savasana for a minimum of 10 minutes. I always recommend a short Meditation just before that.

Keep both the palms open on your knees or Join the tips of your thumb and index finger in Gyana Mudra (please refer to the video).

• Focus on your third eye chakra and take 5 to 10 deep breaths to relax. 
• Once you feel centred and calm then rub your palms and touch your face to spread the healing energy from your hands.
• You have the option to lie down on your back in Savasana, just choose whatever you feel like.

Wrapping Up- Gentle Yoga For Seniors

You’re never too old to reap the rewards of yoga. For seniors who are looking for a safe, effective way to enhance their physical health and overall wellness, the stretching, breathing, and meditation practices of this yoga sequence and yoga video for seniors can be a great solution.

 As you will soon realise, doing yoga regularly can result in a host of benefits for older adults, from greater flexibility and improved balance to lower stress and better sleep.

Picture Credit:

Mikhail Nilov

The post Gentle Yoga For Seniors Physical Agility And Mental Health appeared first on yogarsutra.

Core is the central and most important part of anything. Without a firm core or a trunk, it would be hard to define the shape or structure of a body. While the trunk in a tree is responsible for holding its elements like branches and leaves and transportation of food, the ‘human counterpart’ holds a fabulous machinery called the internal organs inside the core. A strong core helps to keep our internal organs intact and healthy as well. These five yogasanas to strengthen your core muscles will help to tone your abs and increase the blood circulation in your internal organs and make your spinal column healthy and flexible.

Is It Really Crucial To Have Strong Core Muscles?

Strong core muscles make it easier to do most physical activities in our day-to-day life. From lifting to pushing and pulling motions, a strong core is also a core of a beautiful personality and a perfect posture. Strong core muscles are also important for sports persons and athletes.

On the other hand, weak core muscles can lead to fatigue, less endurance, injuries,  poor posture, and lower back pain…

Which are the best Yogasanas to strengthen your core muscles?

Some Yogasanas, which stretch our middle body parts, work directly on the core muscles.

Most deep stretching yoga postures can strengthen your core muscles and some holding and balancing postures are also good to tone your core perfectly.

Common Signs Of A Weak Core

Your torso, abdominals, and lower back muscles combine to form the core of your body.

These core muscles are important for the actions like balancing, stretching and bending. The same muscles also support your posture when you stand up straight or sit down.

Here are some common signs that you might have a weak core:

Lower Back Pain

If you experience frequent pain in your lower back after prolonged standing or sitting in one posture, it might be because of the weak muscles of the core. The pain may vary from dull to very sharp pain in a specific area of the lower back.

 Poor Posture

Do you often stand dropped and slouchy?

A stooping posture is a sure way to recognise the lack of core strength.

Poor Balance

It is very common to lose balance while walking, bending, or turning your head all of sudden. This is very common with aged people, but if taken care of properly from the beginning, this condition can be avoided for a much longer time. Because your core muscles are key to maintaining balance.

 Shortness of Breath 

If you get short of breath often, it can be due to a variety of health issues, one of which is a lack of core strength. The diaphragm is the internal muscle that separates the lungs and ribs from your digestive system and controls breathing. The rest of your outer core muscles help to support the diaphragm, making breathing easier. 

That said, if you are slouching ( due to the weak core muscles) you might be breathing shallow!

Excessive Body Weakness 

If you often feel excessive weakness, this could be an indication of your weak middle body. Your core is the center of your muscular system, it does affect the overall resilience of your body.

5 Yogasanas To Strengthen Your Core Muscles

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Now unroll your yoga mat and start with a beautiful yoga posture- Mountain Pose.

• Stand on your feet grounded firmly on your Yoga Mat in Mountain Pose.
•  Inhale deeply and exhale very slowly.
• Inhale once again to raise your hands,  exhale to fold from the crease of your hips in Uttanasana.

Imbalances and fallings shouldn’t deter you from trying an advanced posture.

Natarajasana

• Getting into this yoga pose called the Natarajasana or Dancer’s Pose requires a strong core to balance the body on one leg while the other leg is lifted and bent from the knee. 
• The same leg is pulled behind the body with the hand drawing the foot towards the head. The other arm is also lifted at the shoulder level to reach up, fingers in Gyan mudra, and your core leaning forward.
• Apart from strengthening your core, this posture also works well as a heart opener yoga posture.
•  You can start from Natarajasana to get an idea of how stable you could be in a balancing posture.

When you try to get into Natarajasana you come to know about the strengths and weaknesses in your body.

Vrikshasana

• To get into this beautiful posture, Vrikshasana, place the sole of your feet above the knee of the other feet. 
• Press both the feet into each other to get a nice balancing point. Keep your gaze fixed at one point.

Tree pose strengthens Ankles, Thighs, Calves, Vertebral column and Stretches Groin, Thighs, Shoulders, Thorax

Ushtrasana

• Sit on your knees with knees, hips, and shoulders making a straight line (hips-knees-shoulders stacked).
• Inhale and let your ‘right hand’ reach to hold your ‘right ankle’.
• Repeat the same on your left side, with your left hand and left ankle.
• Continue with deep breathing and make sure the same is not strained.

P.S.-

Yoga blocks make it quite easier to do your first Ustrasana.

Want a complete Ustrasana tutorial? Learn here how to do Ustrasana and its benefits.

“This yoga posture Ustrasana or camel pose is also good to improve your digestion. Regular practice of this asana is known to give you strong and toned core muscles and help alleviate thyroid issues and related hormonal problems”.

Make sure you have taken two or three rounds of Sun Salutations or your body is warm enough before doing this intense backbend.

Supta Vajrasana (Reclined Thunderbolt Pose)

• Sit in Vajrasana with heels pointing upwards and big toes touching each other.
• The body is upright, hands rest on the thighs. 
• Breathe normally.
• Place the palms on the floor beside the buttocks
•  Bend the elbows and slowly lean the body back until the elbows rest on the floor. 
• Lower the head backward until the top of the head touches the floor. Bring palms together in front of the chest and hold the posture. 
• Breathing is relaxed and slightly deeper than normal, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.
•  Using your elbows, slowly return to the starting position.

“Chest opener yoga postures like Supta Vajrasana or reclined thunderbolt work on strengthening your core muscles and increasing flexibility of the spine and hips and stretching the thigh muscles. This posture strengthens the lungs and helps treat asthma and bronchitis”.

Contraindications Of Supta Vajrasana

•  Pregnant women must avoid practicing Supta Vajrasana.
• To release the pose, never straighten the legs first. … 
• You shouldn’t practice this Posture if suffering from Sciatica, neck and knee problems, spine ailments, slipped disc.

Dhanurasana

• Come on your belly.
• With an inhale, bend your knees.
•  Grab both the ankles with your hands.
• With an inhale, lift your ribcage and Shoulders away from your mat, and flex out your feet strongly to come into dhanurasana.
• Apart from firming your core,  Dhanurasana or bow pose helps relieve back pain. It stretches your abdomen, chest, shoulders, front of your hips (hip flexors), and thighs (quadriceps). 

Bow Pose also strengthens your back muscles, the back of your thighs, and buttocks (glutes)

Don’t forget to rest in the child’s pose.

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Wrapping Up- Yogasanas To Strengthen Your Core Muscles

There are many yoga asanas to strengthen your core muscles. Including only three to four of them in your daily yoga practice will bring a substantial change in your core strength.

An intense practice to strengthen your core muscles involving these kinds of backbends and balancing postures should not be continued for more than 5 to 10 minutes in one go. I highly recommend resting in crocodile pose or Savasana.

Don’t forget to watch the video on YouTube, which is on the same topic- 5 Yogasanas To Strengthen Your Core Muscles| Backbends and Balancing Yoga Postures

Please subscribe to my channel to support the free and fabulous yoga on YouTube!

I would appreciate you to be a part of my “newly formed wonderful community” and follow me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and TWITTER.

Thanks, for being with me on your mat Yogis, Namaste 🙏❤️

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The post 5 Yogasanas To Strengthen Your Core Muscles| Backbends and Balancing Yoga Postures appeared first on yogarsutra.

This fun-filled and easy to do yoga pilates fusion for busy moms will help to shape:

•  Your core
• Glutes and 
• the most required self-esteem

“And DESTROY THE BELLY FAT”

You must be familiar with most of the common yoga postures which we do on a Yoga Mat. Here those poses will be fused with the Pilates workout.

Difference Between Yoga And Pilates

Pilates is indeed inspired by Yoga but there are a few ingredients that makes it an entirely different workout.

A yoga sequence is made up of  a series of static postures with some exceptions like cat and cow pose or Marjariasana.

The main difference between yoga and Pilates workout is that while yoga involves mindful stretching and holding the Postures…

Pilates is about the short body movements which help greatly to tone your core and whole body. 

Most pilates workouts put you in an unstable position and challenge your body mostly by the movements of limbs.

Movement of limbs stimulates the navel point hence brings balance in your Solar Plexus Chakra.

Much similar to the Kundalini yoga- Nabhi Kriya, which essentially energizes the Solar Plexus Chakra,  works on your abdominal muscles and improves digestion.

One exceptionally nice thing about Pilates I love the most, is that whether you are doing a core specific workout or targeting other muscle groups-

“The core is always engaged“.

So if you are a ‘mom’ and ‘busy’, this workout is going to do wonders for your body and self-esteem both.

Buttt… First…

Why Being A Mom May Make You Look Like Some Other Person (Physically Though)

After enjoying the very process of having ( and making babies) each time, twice to be precise, I was left with a fabulous mummy-tummy. 

Though, my first pregnancy, a stressful one, due to 9-months stretched nauseous feelings, witnessed a happy conclusion.

After a C-section, my gynaecologist handed me my first child and told me to kiss her.

 Perhaps to soothe me from the pain and discomfort that surgery had caused me. 

Which worked like a fairy touch! Tears bursted from my eyes.

Then I lost my consciousness. When I regained, I found my baby sleeping cozily  beside me.

First thing I checked was my tummy. 

If the baby is out, my tummy must have gotten in!

Surprisingly it was…

I didn’t gain much weight throughout my first pregnancy. 

Consuming most varieties of food was too difficult for me because of my over-activated smell glands. 

With the constant breastfeeding, I got the best of my abs without a regular workout routine!

Buttt…

The second pregnancy had something else in store. 

This time my smell-organ was not over activated, so not stimulating a nauseous feeling out of every edible thing.

So I was eating for the best health of my baby and myself!

Rest of the process was the same as my first delivery because the doctor, my gyny,  was the same. 

With the only difference being that, this time when my second child was sleeping cozily beside me, on the bed…

There was someone inside my stomach too!!!

“I was there looking like 6 months pregnant just after my second delivery”.

And let me tell you it was an stubborn belly fat. Because of being in my full time job, I was too busy to melt it away and reclaim my past body.

Here yoga came for my rescue! But I was going very mild with the postures because I was recovering from Cervical Spondylosis. Since yoga involves plenty of forward bends and back bends as well, I was worried for my neck and worsening Vertigo.

So started looking for a workout which was more lower body and core specific. And Yogis ,  this is how I gotta meet Pilates! It was not tough for me to adapt because this is also a mind body workout just like yoga. This greatly help me to soften my belly area and made the core significantly stronger.

So, my story is for you- new mommies there! If you find it hard to regain your original shape after a pregnancy, this Yoga Pilates Fusion workout may be the most appropriate solution. 

Because it has helped me a lot in shedding my weight and reshaping my core by 60 to 70%. 

I do this after each of my yoga sessions, minimum 4 times a week.

And, if you are looking for yoga sequence for the complete weight loss you can read this:

>>Kundalini Yoga For Weight Loss

Also, this yoga Pilates fusion is for you if your hormones (read imbalanced) are behaving like an ‘old school principal’ (hello menopausal). Hence destroying all the efforts of looking cool and sexy”.

This yoga Pilates fusion can greatly help to shred your stubborn belly fat, make the core strong, provide strength to your bones, and relieve symptoms like back pain and hot flashes.

The Best Yoga Pilates Fusion Workout For Busy Moms

P.S.-

In all the lying  postures, remember to keep your lower back on the floor and your core engaged throughout.

Now grab some water and a yoga mat and let’s start.

Mountain Pose

( On raised heels)

• Stand tall with your feet grounded firmly on the mat.
• Take some time to centre and feel your breath.
• Inhale and raise your hands up.
• Exhale to bring your hands to the Heart centre.
• Inhale and raise your hands once more  and simultaneously take your heels off the mat to get into your toes..
• Exhale to come on the mat.
• Inhale to take your heels off.
• Repeat for 10.

Forward Fold With Twist

• From your raised arms exhale and come to forward fold.
• Legs are hips width  apart.
• Place your left Palm on the ground and rotate from the upper hips to take your right arm up.
• Breathe here and do little pulses with your right hand.
• Switch your hands.
• This will help to tone your arms, open the shoulder joints and chest.
• Rise up in the mountain pose, hands in front of the Heart Centre in Anjali Mudra.

Cat and Cow Posture

• Come on all four, hands and knees on the ground.
• 5 rounds of cat and cow transitions.
• Inhale, open your chest Scoop your back.
• Exhale to round your back.

Leg Kicks

• While still in tabletop position, extend your right leg.
• Fold your knees at 90 degrees.
• Inhale and start kicking up.
• Go for 10 rounds.
• Repeat with the left leg.

Plank Pose

• From that 4 legged table top position, lift your knees off the mat and bring your body parallel to the ground.
• Take your belly button in and pelvis floor up.
• With your right leg,  do some micro movements called pulses* in Pilates.
• Go for 20 times on both the sites.
• Repeat with the left leg.

*Pulses are a very small range of motions in Pilates workout. 

Locust Pose

• Come on your belly.
• Slip both the palms under your thighs.
• Start pulses with your right leg.
• Count for 20.
• Repeat with the left leg.

Pilates Hundred

Pilates Hundred is an exclusive pilates workout.

• Come on your back with palms down beside you.
• Fold your knees.
• Lift your feet and bring both the shin bones parallel to the ground.
• Lift your head and neck.
• Bring your belly button in and pelvic floor up.
• Lift your palms off the mat.
• Micro arm movement for 100 count.

Savasana

Bring your legs and head down on the mat and open your legs wide.

Keep your hands away from the body. Continue with the slow and steady breathing to completely relax in savasana.

Wrapping Up- Yoga Pilates Fusion For Busy Moms

Thanks for showing your interest in this yoga Pilates workout for busy moms, and reading these lines:-)

This Yoga-Pilates fusion will strengthen all different areas of your core.

 “It would definitely work excellently in the abdominal area on a deep and superficial level both to achieve true core strength and burn the belly fat rapidly”

Don’t forget to watch the video on YouTube, which is on the same topic- Yoga Pilates Fusion For Busy Moms.

Please subscribe to my channel to support the free and fabulous yoga on YouTube!

Thanks, for being with me on your yoga mat Namaste  Yogis

The post Yoga Pilates Fusion For Busy Moms| Shape Your Core, Glutes and Self-Esteem appeared first on yogarsutra.

This yoga sequence for strong legs and knees is specifically designed for strengthening your legs, improving mobility, and alleviating the knee joints pain.

Buttt…we have…

Leg Defining Moments In Life

As human babies, we can’t use our legs right from the time we are born. It takes deliberate efforts and around an year to walk on one’s soles independently. 

And, that is a precious moment! 

Life goes on thereafter. From the school playground to the college classrooms, we remain anchored by our legs.

And one day life demands “Paddle Own Canoe” AKA “Steer Your Own Boat” to become financially independent.

And, that is a precious moment too!

But when this happens, we observe a huge life-shift. 

From a child who runs and bicycles – to – an adult who drives and sits in front of a monitor all day long!

And, this is that precious moment when we start losing our body and bones strength.

“Firstly the legs”.

One more outcome of our sedentary lifestyle!

A Pair Of Legs- The Humans’ USP

Legs Are Unique because they distinguish us from other species. 

Widely speaking, we would have been a  perfect match with our other earthy-counterparts vis a vis the eyes, the ears, the nose, the mouth, the stomach…

These are our straight legs which distinguish us from the rest.

We are provided with a unique set of parallel limbs. Research shows that our brains developed at a much faster pace when we started in a straight posture, unlike other four-legged animals.

Our legs provide a strong basis for survival. From locomotion to recreational activities like dancing, playing and all other sports activities require a set of strong legs. Legs also support us and bear our entire body mass. With all these reasons and numerous others, having healthy legs is as important as having a healthy heart, a healthy brain, or other body parts and organ systems.

To keep our limbs Strong, we need to keep them moving by exercising and keep nourishing them with vital nutrients.

How Can Yoga Change Your Legs For Better

There are  a number of yoga poses and stretches that target all parts of your lower body, including: glutes, hip flexors, quads, adductors, abductors, hamstrings, calves and Achilles tendons.

So, first let’s have a look for a few wonderful food items that will work specially on your legs, joint strength and the entire body. Then we shall dive into the yoga sequence for strong legs and knees joints.

Foods you must eat for strong legs and knees joints

According to the Cleveland clinic, following diets and foods may help you with most of the joint pain and a sustainable bone health.

Mediterranean Diet

If you doubt what a Mediterranean diet consist of, have a look-

• Mostly fruits, vegetables, grains, olive oil and nuts.
• Some fish and poultry — and drink some wine with meals.
• Minimal dairy products, red meat, processed meats and sweets.

Healthy Fats

Such as olive oil and fish oil ( due to the presence of omega 3 fatty acids)

A 2008 Australian study is one of many that showed fish oil reduced joint pain, increased cardiovascular health and reduced the need for NSAID (Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs).

Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables, such as cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy, broccoli  kale, mustard leaves and  similar leafy vegetables.

These vegetables block an enzyme that causes joint pain and inflammation. In addition to aiding arthritis patients, it may be helpful for athletes who put a lot of pressure on their joints.

Spices and Herbs

Turmeric and ginger are spices well known for their anti-inflammatory benefit. Often used in Indian cuisine, for a healthy option for color, texture, and aroma.

 Turmeric is also used in traditional Asian medicine for its anti-inflammatory properties.

A 2006 Arizona study showed promising results, linking turmeric to the prevention of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis.

You can add turmeric and ginger to teas, smoothies, eggs, or sauces for an anti-inflammatory punch.

Nuts And Seeds

Nuts. Almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts contain high amounts of fiber, calcium, magnesium, zinc, Vitamin E and Omega-3 fats which all have anti-inflammatory effects.

Garlic and Onions

These pungent vegetables contain anti-inflammatory chemicals that have shown to relieve some forms of arthritic pain. As an added bonus, they are also known for their immunity-boosting properties.

Green Tea

This mild drink contains a natural antioxidant called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG).

 This ingredient has been shown to stop the production of certain inflammatory chemicals in the body, including those involved in arthritis. 

Recent studies also suggest that the same component may prevent cartilage from breaking down, helping to preserve joints longer.

Foods You Should Mostly Avoid For Healthy Bones And Joints

Sugars and refined grains, including white rice, pasta and white bread, are the worst food culprits in contributing joint inflammation.

Surprisingly, inclusion of moderate amounts of alcohol with the Mediterranean diet is helpful in joint pain.

Disclosure:

Listen to your body, and if you don’t feel right, please stop. Yoga poses shouldn’t cause unusual-sharp pain. Always be careful to avoid yoga injuries. Please read my full disclaimer.

Yoga Sequence For Strong Legs And Knees

You may require two yoga blocks and one soft blanket. Grab them if you have them nearby or use a cushion,  bolster, or pillow…

Now grab some water and unroll your Yoga Mat, let’s start standing in Mountain pose.

Our today’s intention is…

 I am strong…

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Mountain Pose

• Stand up tall.
• Press from all the corners of your feet.  
• Get a feel of heaviness in your heels, and toes on the ground.
• Join your hands together in front of your Heart Centre.
• Take five deep breaths here.
• Lift your ankles and the arches of your feet. …
• Draw the top of your thighs up and back, engaging the quadriceps.

Mountain pose strengthens the thighs, knees and ankles, and tones the abdomen and glutes. Regular Practicing Mountain pose can help to improve posture, reduce flat feet, relieve sciatica, 

Uttanasana

• Take a deep breath in and raise both hands up and above your head.
• Breath out and fold from the crease of your hips.
• Try not to stress your knee joints.
• Used two yoga blocks on either side of the legs.
• Breathe….

Uttanasana calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression.

Stimulates the liver and kidneys.

Stretches the hamstrings, calves, and hips.

Strengthens the thighs and knees.

Chair Pose

• • Inhale to rise and sit low up to a squatting position and rise halfway in chair pose, aka, Utkatasana.

• Three breaths here.

• Then repeat.

Utkatasana or Chair pose strengthens the entire legs from the glutes and thighs to the calves and ankles.

Downward Facing Dog Pose

• In the forward fold walk your hands away from the feet.
• Stretch your tailbone and hips up towards the sky.
• Press your Palms and legs on the ground to adho mukha svanasana.
• Spend some time here. Walk your legs, open your knees and hips joints.

Downward Facing Dog Pose stretches the Achilles, calves, hamstrings and glutes.

Cat And Cow Posture

• Bring your knees on the mat. To come on all four.
• Use a blanket beneath your knees.
• Inhale open for cow pose, head and tail bone up, hollow your back.
• Exhale, round your back, lift your knees and come to download facing dog pose.

• Take a few Downward facing dog to cat and cow transitions.
• Working out on your legs, knees, and thighs.

• The more of your body parts are put to work, the stronger they become. 
• So keep pushing yourself.
• And keep breathing…

 Leg Kicks In Cat And Cow Posture

• Come to neutral, on all four.
• Lift your right leg off the ground, kick back and bring forward towards your nose.
• Make the motions balanced and homogeneous…
• Open your hips joints a bit more and kick in a diagonal direction.
• Breathe, breathe and breathe…
• Same same on the other side.

This exercise makes your legs flexible and strong along with  massaging your abdominal organs which helps with digestion, blood circulation, and lymph fluid circulation, benefitting your overall organ health

Encourages coordination of movement throughout your entire spine.

Warrior I

• Come to downward-facing dog pose.
• Inhale, raise your right leg, 
• Exhale, plant your right feet between both hands and come to a low lunge position.
• Your right knee is aligned with your right ankle.
• Left leg behind the right leg at least a two feet distance.
• Both hands join together overhead.
• Flex your right knee to come into a triangle pose.
• Make some organic movements here.
• You have the option to use two yoga blocks and make your transitions easy to do.
• Remove the blocks, lift your left me and come to warrior 1 yoga posture.
• Make sure your right ankle is just below your right knees and your left foot is away from the right foot.
• From here come to Warrior 2.

This posture strengthens and stretches the thighs, calves, and ankles and is considered therapeutic for Sciatica.

Warrior II

• From Warrior I come to Warrior Ii
• The left foot is parallel to the shorter edge of the mat..and the right toes facing forward, in heel-arch alignment.
• 90-degree angle bend in your front leg (bringing the front thigh parallel with the floor),

This pose,

• stretches your hips, groins, and shoulders.
• Open your chest and lungs.
• Energizes tired limbs.
• Stimulates your abdominal organs.
• Develops balance and stability.
• Improves circulation and respiration.
• Facilitates healing of carpal tunnel syndrome, infertility, sciatica, osteoporosis, and flattened feet.
• Builds stamina and concentration

Goddess pose

• Bend your left knee, arch your left leg, and come to Goddess Pose.
• Heels-In and toes-out
• Make some gentle bounces.
• This action is to make your legs, thighs, and ankles strong and flexible. 

With a regular practice of Goddess Pose you will never have knee pain.

Pigeon pose

• Cartwheel your hands and come to download facing dog pose.
• Once again raise your right foot and sweep through your hands to place your right ankle behind your left palm.
• The left leg is out facing the back of the mat.
• Open your chest buffet like a proud pigeon 🐦 in Pigeon Pose.
• Feel stretch in right hips flexure.
• Slightly bend the elbows, lean forward, you have the option to rest your forehead on the second height of the yoga block.
• Feel the stretch in the left hip flexor.
• Take a deep breath

Push the ground, lift your right leg to downwards facing dog pose.

Repeat Warrior 1 Warrior 2 and pigeon pose on the left side.

Pigeon Pose stretches the abductors of the front leg, the IT band, the quads and hip flexors, the shin and the top of the foot of the back leg. This is one of the best yoga poses to alleviate your leg pain.

Butterfly pose

• Come to a seated position
• Bend your knees, join both the soles and hold your toes with your fingers.
• With a deep inhale, Set up motions like a Butterfly.
• Keep breathing.

Seated meditation anulom vilom

• Come to a comfortable seated position.
• With your right hands’ thumb, close your right nostril.
• Inhale deeply yet slowly from your left nostril.
• Use your ring finger and ladyfinger to close your left nostril, release your right thumb to exhale from the right nostril.
• Continue like this.
• Keep your inhalations and exhalations equal.
• You may inhale up to count 4 then exhale to count 4.
• When you inhale from your left nostril you calm and activate the right hemisphere of the brain.
• When you inhale from the right nostril, you activate the left hemisphere of your brain.

New research suggests that moving your legs is crucial for brain health. Exercising leg muscles helps the brain to produce new neurons. 

And vice versa is also true. So rejuvenating your brain has a positive effect on your legs and other body parts too.

Savasana

Don’t forget to have Savasana and rest completely for at least 10 minutes.

Wrapping Up- Yoga Sequence For Strong Legs And Knees

Thanks for reading these lines:)

Doing above yoga poses,  may be especially helpful for improving balance, stability, strength, and flexibility in your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calf muscles. Some poses may also help ease leg pain caused by standing and day long exertion.

Don’t forget to watch the video on YouTube, which is on the same topic- yoga sequence for strong legs and knees.

Please subscribe to my channel to support the free and fabulous yoga on YouTube!

Thanks, for being with me on your yoga mat Namaste  Yogis

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Credits:

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Harmony Yoga

Health Line

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RASHMI YOGARSUTRA 

Mindbodygreen

The post 15 Minutes Yoga Sequence For Strong Legs And Knees| Yoga To Shape Your Legs And Glutes appeared first on yogarsutra.

When my dear mom in-law suffered from sever back ache, she was prescribed to use a belt along with a basketful of medicines. Hubby took her to the physiotherapist for the measurement! Measurement…? “We can measure her tiny-waist at home with the inch-tape”! I wanted to prevent her from further inconvenience.

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“It’s not a matter of a waist only. Whole upper body measurements are required”. He replied keeping his cool. With the name belt, I could associate the object that helps to intact our jeans at place.

Really! When our parents start to grow beyond a certain age, we experience a dilemma, for our lives changed forever. And this feeling is totally different from the one we have for our grandparents. As when we are born, parents are young and energetic humans. Grandparents, on the other hand, already old people. As we age further, start caring for the older and fragile couple. While our parents keep nurturing us along with their old parents.

Then comes a day when ‘our parents’ lose ‘their parents’ and we’re without our old, loving, storytelling grandpa and grandma. We are left devastated and shattered with a huge loss. Life goes on… We graduate; we work; we succeed and finally get married and (to) have kids!

And in this movie, mom and dad are mostly back grounded and ignored. They self-manage their lives along with helping us. We never accept them old until they give up.

 Back to mom-in-law’s belt! A wooden cage was bought by her son, which was ‘the belt’ she was prescribed. Very precise measurements were needed in order to keep her posture upright and prevent further microfractures of the back-bone.

She was suffering from Osteoporosis! That said her bones were no more the toughest and elastic part of the body. She was living with brittle, porous and fragile bones. That’s why she developed backbone micro fractures.

Things didn’t stop worsening further. She lived with a constant fear of falling due to her drooped and misbalanced posture. Hubby dear was supporting especially in reaching her room from the washroom. But one day when she fell down, never to stand on her feet again, hardly one foot from her dear son, he couldn’t lend a helping hand to her. The ‘belt’ never gave her that support to maintain a proper posture!

I regret not understanding the woes of an old body then. Had I some awareness, how severely Osteoporosis can impact, the character of my story would have been anyone XYZ but she!

The Only reason behind telling you this story here is to spread some awareness for the people in your family. Be the Grandparents, in-laws, parents or even neighbours, never hesitate to extend your help with an open heart. In this post, I have covered everything to protect you and your dear ones from this “bone killer disease”. So please don’t cease Reading. Pour some milk in a glass and read till the end.

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Disclaimer: 

Some of the pics or links in this post can take you to affiliate sites. That said, if you buy something I may earn a small commission without costing you a dime. Please keep exploring!

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What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis ((from the Greek “porous bone”) is a condition in which thinning of bones occurs, resulting in pain and fractures. Factors causing osteoporosis are age, gender, inappropriate bodyweight, menopause, lifestyle etc.

This initiates bones to become weak and brittle up to the extent that a fall or minor strain like bending or even coughing can cause a fracture. Osteoporosis-related fractures most commonly occur in the hips, wrists or spine.

.

Osteoporosis is often referred to as a “silent” disease—because the loss of bone density is not easily perceptible, a patient may not know she has the disease until she breaks a bone or finds her upper back rounding as the result of asymptomatic vertebral fractures.

When bone mass is low but not low enough to be classified as osteoporosis, the condition is called osteopenia, or “bone poverty.” It precedes, but does not always lead to, osteoporosis.

 While lower bone density means greater risk of fractures, more fractures occur in those with osteopenia rather than those with osteoporosis—in large  because a greater number of people have osteopenia. 

You May Like to Read More On Your Back Pain

• Most Common Types Of Back Pain- The Series
• Yoga Poses For Sciatica-Back Pain Series-1
• Yoga Poses For Fibromyalgia- Back Pain Series-2
• Yoga for Cervical Spondylosis| Back Pain Yoga Series

The Gender Biased Osteoporosis!

Among the people with low bone density most are women: Women are four times more likely to develop osteoporosis than men.

For women, a drop in estrogen at the time of menopause leads to a more rapid and significant loss of bone mass.

For men, a drop in testosterone, just starting around age 70, can lead osteoporosis. Also, medications (especially steroids), medical conditions (such as rheumatoid arthritis and eating disorders) can contribute to osteoporosis.” 

Other risk factors include family history, smoking, lean physique, sedentary lifestyle, inadequate intakes of calcium, vitamin D, or other vitamins and minerals, and excessive liquor consumption.

The common medical recommendations for osteoporosis—medication, calcium and vitamin D supplements, avoiding alcohol and tobacco, and drinking plenty of water,  a good support (viz. a tripod or walker) to avoid falls.

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“Osteo-facts” you need to be aware of!

Restorative Yoga Sequence four times a week, Proper Rest, and a Stress Free happy life.

Osteoporosis affects men and women of all races. But white and Asian women — especially elderly in their post menopause are at highest risk. Medications, healthy diet and low strain physical activities such as yoga and tai chi can help prevent bone loss or strengthen already weak bones.

Our Skeletal System is constructed from the living tissues which are constantly being broken down and replaced. Osteoporosis occurs when the formation of new bone doesn’t pace with the abolition of old bone.

Bone fractures, particularly in the spine or hip, are the most serious complication of osteoporosis. Hip fractures often are caused by a fall and can result in disability and even an increased risk of death within the first year after the injury, as in case of my mother-in-law.

Sometimes spinal fractures may happen without any fall or a subsequent injury. The bones constructing your spine (vertebrae) can weaken to turn brittle and crunch, resulting in severe back pain, gone height and a hunched forward posture!

How “Yoga for Osteoporosis” works- Brief Anatomy

As a common belief to thinking that only common weight-bearing exercises such as walking, running, jumping, and lifting exert enough stress on your bones to maintain or increase their density.

A scientific research titled “Twelve-Minute Daily Yoga Routine Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss” came as a surprise to many.

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What is “Twelve-Minute Daily Yoga Routine Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss

We became more rational over the years. That means more reliance on scientific researches and evidences.

“Twelve-Minute Daily Yoga Routine Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss” is a research conducted by NCBI on a controlled group to study the yogic effects on our bone density.

The study conducted on 227 participants, 202 of whom were women, practiced the yoga routine at least every other day for two years. Their average age was 68 when they entered the study, and 83% had lower-than-normal bone density. The DEXA scans they submitted at the end of the study showed significant increases in bone density in the spine. Hip bone density increased, too, but not significantly. None of the participants reported bone fractures or other injuries caused by doing yoga.

I suggest you to just have a look. It is backed by various charts and other data showing materials.

Blockbuster news for you is that while doing yoga, your bones are rejuvenating more than any other element. That said, while holding a pose like Child’s pose or Cobra pose, one group of your muscles are being stretched against the other. So a constant tug of war between your quadriceps and hamstrings induces a force to induce *osteoblasts– the bone producing cells. In other words, you are working towards reproducing new bone cells, thus reversing the process of bone degeneration caused due to age or other factors. Also, this is in fact quite contrary to the some of the old schools’ philosophy! In which they believed that once woman approach to menopause their bone producing and protecting power has to pause.

*OSTEOBLASTS are the cells that form new bone. They also come from the bone marrow and are related to structural cells. They have only one nucleus. Osteoblasts work in teams to build bone. They produce new bone called “osteoid” which is made of bone collagen and other protein.(Osteoblast | cell | Britannica.com)

Osteoporosis Symptoms

While initial symptoms of the bone loss remain potentially undetected, you must get red-flagged for these changes-

• Back pain– could be a fractured or collapsed vertebra
• Diminished Height– loss of bone strength
• A Stooped Posture- forward bend and disbalanc
• A Bone Fracture – result of coughing or sneezing

What Causes You Osteoporosis

As with other body cells, those in your bones too, are in a constant state of renewal. It is a cycle of breaking the old one and creating the new.

When we’re young, the rate of reproducing new bone is faster than the breaking of the old bone. Hence our bone mass increases. Thus we reach the peak bone mass by early 20s. As we reach our 30 plus, bone mass is lost faster than it’s created.

This is the reason why chances to develop osteoporosis depends majorly on how much bone mass you attained in your youth. The higher is better. Having bones in your body bank is more important than the money in your bank!

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Best methods Of Preventions

Best way to combat on any illness, as I always advocate is

1. Yoga (best form of workout) 2. Healthy Food 3. Good Sleep

Calcium is the most important mineral for your bone to stay healthy. However, there are other minerals that play an important role as well. The best part is that a balanced diet provides adequate nutrients for most people, hence leaving no room for  expensive supplements.

Sneak-Peak of some mineral and corresponding resources For Osteoporosis

Boron

SOURCES -almonds, apples, bananas, broccoli, celery, pears, grapes, legumes, nuts, and tomatoes.

Copper

SOURCES – Beans, nuts, mushrooms, liver, oysters, cereals, and chocolate.

Iron

SOURCES – Dark green, leafy vegetables, such as spinach, and red meat.

Magnesium

SOURCES – Chocolate, green vegetables, nuts, seeds, squash, whole grains-and hard water.

Phosphorus

SOURCES – Cereals, dairy, eggs, fish, meat, legumes, nuts, and grains.

Potassium

SOURCES – Avocados, bamboo shoots, beans, cereals, orange juice, and scallops.

Zinc

SOURCES – Eggs, fish, legumes, milk, poultry, oysters, and whole grain breads.

Vitamin D

Sources- Vitamin D improves your body’s ability to absorb calcium and improves bone health in other ways. People can get adequate amounts of vitamin D from sunlight, but this may not be a good source if you live in a high latitude. . For people without other sources of vitamin D and especially with limited sun exposure, a supplement may be needed. Most multivitamin products contain between 600 and 800 IU of vitamin D. Up to 4,000 IU of vitamin D a day is safe for most people.

Good nutrition and regular exercise are essential for keeping our bones healthy throughout the life.

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Download My Yoga Postures Library 

https://www.yogarsutra.com/yoga-posture-library/

PASSWORD for yoga postures library- ASANALAYA

9 Best Yoga Poses to Counter Osteoporosis

Disclosure- I’m a yoga and health expert and not an osteo-expert. Moreover, I never met you in person (though I wish strongly). Please consult your doctor before following the these sequences.

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1. PLANK POSE

Read here everything about Plank Pose.

2. LOCUST POSE

How to do:

• Start from lying on your stomach.
• Slip your both hands under the thighs.
• With an inhale, lift your core and head from the ground, as in cobra pose.
• Using thigh muscles, try to raise your legs and pelvis area too ( see pic.).
• Stay for 30 sec. or 3 to 4 breaths.
• Exhale and surrender to ground.

3. BRIDGE POSE

• Start from lying on your back.
• Bend your knees while opening your legs hips width apart.
• Stack your knees straight above your ankles (see pic.), and hands on the ground with palm-down.
• Inhale and Push the trunk upward while the head still on the ground.
• Hands, either supporting your waist or on the ground.
• Stay for 30 sec.
• Bring everything down with an exhale.

4. COBRA POSE

Know everything about cobra pose here.

5. CHILD”S POSE

Know everything about the child’s pose here.

6. SEATED TWIST

• Sit on your mat with legs spread in front of you.
• Inhale then exhale while folding one of the leg.
• Rotate your trunk giving a slight twist from the base of your spine.
• Make best use of your hands to support your twist (see pics.).
• Hold and keep breathing.
• Repeat with another side.

7. WARRIOR POSE

• Start from mountain pose.
• Open your legs 2 to 3 feet wide.
• Spread your arms parallel to ground.
• Inhale and rotate your one (say left, see pic.) foot and and knees outward.
• Keep your gaze to your left hand.
• Keep breathing and hold as much you can.
• Repeat with another leg.

8. COW POSE

Know everything about the cow pose here.

9. SAVASANA

Know everything about the Savasana here.

Wrapping Up- Yoga Poses For Osteoporosis

Thanks for accompanying me up to here. I hope it will help you someway. Above said yoga poses are preferred keeping in mind their simplicity and acceptability. Any yoga sequence is going to benefit your brain and body, your bones are of great impotence in the whole journey.

Last I would say never go hard with yourself. Yoga will also prove to be a guide to your subconscious mind. It will enable you to think better and act the best.

I know you will share this information with your dear ones. Share buttons are bellow. Thanks for sharing and caring!

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What…? fibromania…., Fibermalaysia…, fiber …something! Not less than a month I took to pronounce and remember the exact term “fibromyalgia”. The same was a problem with my colleague-friend Mrs. Rover. Who was recently diagnosed with the disease! She wanted to know what possibly has caused her fibro, her new workout or some stress. Also if there exist some “Yoga Poses for Fibromyalgia”.

With months of recurring neck pain, stiffness, and vertigo, she was a regular visitor of the Physiotherapy center (mentioned earlier) and have treated for Cervical Spondylitis.

FMS Misdiagnoses

With little or no improvement, her next visit to a physician resulted in the diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Most of the cases, misdiagnosis of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) occurs quite frequently in clinics. Maybe this is a usual case, because of the chronic tension in the upper back, shoulders, and neck (places where most of the tender points are located), which are the prevalent indicator of cervical spondylitis too.

If you are suffering from musculoskeletal pain further worsen by SLEEP DISORDER AND MENTAL SLUGGISHNESS? Chances are you having fibromyalgia.

The term Fibromyalgia is a combination of Latin and Greek terms, in which fibro stands for fibrous tissues, myo means muscle, and algia is a synonym for pain.

While doctors consider it to be an arthritis-related condition, it does not harm muscles and joints up to an extent arthritis can!

 Yoga Poses For Fibromyalgia Relief –  Anatomy in Brief

For centuries yoga has proved to be the most effective when it comes to stress management.

A properly executed yoga session can set your nervous system response from “stressful to relax”. It works extraordinarily for a sensitive and hyper central nervous system.

In the case of fibro, yoga poses work directly on a painful muscle. In FMS, muscles first lose their length and natural flexibility then eventually start hurting.  The tender points are often located where cramps commonly occur.

Yoga has this beautiful ability to stretch and lengthen a muscle and set it to its natural size.

A thing to remember here is that yoga is an excellent treatment, not a cure though. And it is vital to consult your doctor before starting your hand (and neck) with yoga poses. Try restorative yoga poses in the beginning. Use yoga props whenever needed.

In case you are a yoga beginner, start at a slow pace. Don’t hurry up for perfection. It may hurt you rather.

Breath to Heal Your Fibro Naturally

However, the situations are, you can never go wrong with slow and deep breathing. Breathe into your pain points to soothe them! This practice is known to calm the mind and reduce stress, which is a key trigger of this syndrome.

Further, in chronic pain conditions, you may unconsciously start short and shallow breathing, which can set off the body’s fight-or-flight response and trigger the release of stress hormones like cortisol. Breathing deeply counters stress by stimulating the vagus nerve, running from the brain to the diaphragm, the vagus nerve activates the parasympathetic nervous system. That’s why breathwork is crucial for people with fibromyalgia, says Shoosh Lettick Crotzer

Meditation and Pranayama are the best breathers to start, and with the consistent practice, your muscles are sure to open up.

Why Some Yoga Poses Are Preferred Over Other

If we talk about the best yoga poses for fibromyalgia, a good yoga session, which intelligently comprises poses to provide a complete body workout. Generally, it may start with standing postures viz. mountain pose, forward fold, downward-facing dog pose; seating postures viz. diamond pose, child pose or some all four ( engaging both arms and legs) viz. cat and cow pose, plank pose.

Then it is well-rounded by some “breath n relax” poses such as Savasana or meditation and pranayama.

People with fibromyalgia often have chronic tension in the upper back, shoulders, and neck —places where 10 of the 18 tender points are located. These three areas can easily be targeted with a few simple yoga poses.

A favorite pose to counter your upper body stiffness is Garudasana (Eagle Pose) because it stretches the muscles around the shoulder blades in the upper back.

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) extends the back while opening the chest as well as gentle head and neck stretch to relieve tension in the large muscles on the sides of the neck.

Fibromyalgia-stats and facts

People suffering from fibromyalgia often undergo severe and persistent pain.

The disorder affects an estimated 10 million people in the U.S. and an estimated 3-6% of the world population. Fibro is most prevailing in women. An estimated 75-90 % of the people with FM are women.

Men and children of all cultural groups may also suffer from the disease. The disorder is often seen in families, among siblings or mothers including their children. The diagnosis is usually made between the ages of 20 to 50 years, but the incidence rises with age so that by age 80, approximately 8% of adults meet the American College of Rheumatology classification of fibromyalgia.

More Women Than Men

Fibromyalgia is distinctly more prevalent in women, which is the case with a number of other painful situations, such as joint disorder, headache, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Studies in both humans and animals have shown that the perception of pain is different for males and females. In general, females of all species are more sensitive to experimental pain, hence they have more pain-related clinical conditions, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia.

Good Hormones playing Bad in Fibro

While female-specific hormones (estrogen and progesterone) are primarily considered for their role in reproduction, they also have significant effects on the central nervous system and hence, the perception of pain.

In general, estrogen tends to induce excitation in the central nervous system—this is the reason why someone with a seizure disorder has deteriorating conditions at the time of their menstrual cycles when estrogen levels highest- a condition known as “Catamenial Seizures”.

Women may also experience variations in pain levels throughout their menstrual cycles. Which is an indicator that female hormones play a role in pain perception!

Some of you with the migraine may have realized, for instance, an exacerbated pain during the menstrual cycle and improved thereafter. With the same logic, migraines often improve during pregnancy.

So for the same reason, I avoid visiting my beautician during those days and save my skin from any hair raising experience. Anyway, back to seriousness!

Fibromyalgia Symptoms

While most of these symptoms may not be a clear indicator of fibro or FMS (Fibromyalgia Syndrome), experiencing lots of them together may be the trigger point. Watch out for these carefully:

1. Pain and tender area
2. Fatigue
3. Sleep Disorder
4. Fibro fog (issues with concentration and memory)
5. Stress and Anxiety
6. Morning Sickness
7. Numb arms and legs
8. Headaches
9. Irritable Bowel Syndrome
10. Painful menstrual cramps

Fibromyalgia causes

Though factors causing fibro are not brightly clear, suffering from a painful disease such as arthritis or an infection raises your chances of developing fibromyalgia.

Emotional and physical abuse may also lead to causing disease. Childhood abuse is more dangerous in a way to diminish the ability of the brain to handle situations of pain and stress.

Also, possibilities being that physical trauma, stress, or flu can shoot the disease up. The nerves and brain misinterpret or overreact to normal pain signals, causing an imbalance in the brain chemicals.

Fibromyalgia Prevention

It is disappointing to assert here that there is not much one can do to prevent the occurrence of fibromyalgia. However, the best rule to follow in any condition including FM is to stay as healthier as possible.

My best suggestion, as usual, is- YOGA + HEALTHY FOOD + GOOD SLEEP. My one formula proved to be the best savior in the most problematic situations I ever faced and the same can be for you.

That said if you can WIN YOUR STRESS, fibro will be improved without any further medication.

9 yoga poses to cure fibromyalgia

1. Mountain Pose- Tadasana

My mom always warns to underestimate something from its first appearance. Same suggest I! Never ever think Tadasana as simply upward standing on your yoga mat. This is the beginning and most important pose of a yoga session and one of the best yoga pose for fibromyalgia!

It prepares your brain and body for upcoming challenging poses.

DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS AND TUTORIAL FOR MOUNTAIN POSE WITH PRAYER POSE

2. Forward Fold- UTTANASANA

DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS AND TUTORIAL FOR FORWARD-FOLD WITH DOWNWARD FACING DOG POSE

3. Warrior Pose- Veerbhadrasana

• Start on the top of your mat in Mountain pose, or Tadasana.
• On an exhale, step your left foot back about 3 to 4 feet, depending upon the length of your legs and the flexibility in your hips.
• Place your left foot parallel to the edge of your mat and line up the heel of your right foot with the heel of your left foot.
• Press down firmly through the pinky toe edge of your back foot to avoid crumpling into the arch.
• On an inhale, extend your arms out, parallel to the floor and alongside your body, with your palms facing down.
• Keep your gaze just over the middle finger of your right hand and relax your shoulders down.
• Bend deeply into your right knee, stacking it directly over your right ankle so that your right shin stands perpendicular to the floor.
• Ensure the knee above the ankle.
• Keep your core gently engaged by tucking your ribs in.
•  Continue pressing through the pinky toe edge of your back foot, particularly through the outer edge of the heel.
• Remain in the pose anywhere from 5 to 10 breaths
• Repeat on the other side whenever you feel ready.

4. Cow Pose- Gomukhasana

DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS AND TUTORIAL FOR COW POSE WITH CAT POSE

5. Eagle Pose- Garunasana

• Start in Mountain pose (Tadasana), with the legs hip-distance apart and parallel.
• Root down firmly through all four corners of the feet — big toe mount, pinky toe mount, and the outer edges of the heels.
• Shift your weight into the sole of your left foot, with a slight bend in both knees, and inhale to pick your right foot up off the mat and cross your right thigh over your left.
• Point your right toes down and move towards fastening the right foot around the back of the left calf while balancing on the left standing leg.
• As you exhale, take a deeper bend in the knees and sink the hips a down.
• Extend your arms out in front of you, cross your left arm on top of your right arm and bend your elbows
• Next, try bringing your palms together to touch.
• Lift your elbows, raise your forearms perpendicular to the floor to draw your shoulder blades inward.
• Stack your shoulders over your hips, keeping the low belly drawn in and the core engaged.
• Keep your gaze focused on one fixed point, just in front of you, to maintain your balance.
• Stay in the pose for 4 to 5 breaths, then gently unwind and come back to the Mountain Pose.
• Repeat on the other side.

6. Child’s Pose- Balasana

DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS AND TUTORIAL FOR CHILD POSE, COBRA POSE, AND SAVASANA

7. Cobra Pose- Bhujangasana

8. Fish Pose- Matsyasana

• Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and feet on the floor.
•  Inhale to lift your hips slightly off the floor, and slide your hands (palms down), below your hips and let them rest on the backs of your hands.
• Adjust and hug your forearms and elbows up close to the sides of your torso.
• Inhale and press your forearms and elbows firmly against the floor.
• Next, scoop your scapulas (two shoulder bone) into your back and with an inhale, lift your upper torso and head away from the floor.
• Now release your head back onto the floor.
•  Avoid exerting much of the weight on your head to avoid pressure your neck.
• Keep your knees bent or straighten your legs out onto the floor.
• In case the later, keep your thighs active and press out through the heels.
• Stay for 15 to 30 seconds or 4 to 5 breaths.
• With an exhalation lower your torso and head to the floor.

9. Corpse Pose- Savasana

Wrapping Up- Yoga Poses For Fibromyalgia

Thanks for reaching here with me! I hope it to be helpful in sobering your fibro. When we are in pain our brain fogs. We lose the ability to think and make decisions.  Here your decision to start a yoga practice and mindfulness activities may prove to be an important step towards your wellness. Further, with a good diet and appropriate Sleep, you can make a difference in your life and win even Fibromyalgia.

Word of Caution:

Avoid poses which involve much of the neck straining such as Plough pose, or Sarvangasana. Because these otherwise very useful poses may worsen your vertigo and pain.

Stay active and warm, as cold can tighten muscles; keep moving; breathe into painful areas; and work equally on both sides of the body in order to maintain balance, even if you have trouble only on one side.

Once again Keep your stress at bay. Best way to do this is reading.

HERE YOU WILL FIND HOW READING CAN HELP YOU STAY MINDFUL AND STRESSFREE. ALSO, YOU WILL GET LIST OF BEST SELF HELP BOOKS, READ BY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD!

The last thing, leave your comments and suggestions in the box. I love them. Readers would also get benefit from your experience. Spread the words using social media share buttons.

Related: 7 Yoga Poses for Sciatica| Back pain yoga cure series 1

For more yoga, healthy eating, and good sleep click here.

The post 9 Yoga Poses For Fibromyalgia| Back Pain Yoga Cure The Series 2 appeared first on yogarsutra.

Can Yoga at Office Bring You Great Success!

Check here: A Complete Book On Office Yoga For Your Professional Success

• Work pressure in your office may hold you from giving the best performance.
• Deadlines appear to drain full energy.
• You carry this office burden back home leading some form of disturbance in your family life too!

This is where the need for change in workplace culture arises. Leading companies in the world such as Google, Apple, Yahoo, Tata, Nike, Infosys, and many others are keeping their employees more happy and productive by offering office Yoga and Meditation sessions.

In turn, this  ‘happy and Productive’ workforce works hard for their employer’s great success. A successful company has successful employees.

OfficeYoga is a great source of a happy and calm working environment. “Blissed out office workers are more productive”.

Digital-age is making you sit longer than ever before

At least 12 hours a day we spent sitting on a chair. Majority of us start our day –studying on a study chair, breakfasting on a dining chair, balancing on a driving chair, working on an office chair and then back to the driving chair…dining chair.. study chair…endless loop!

Typical office goers may spend up to 15 hours per day sitting. On the other hand, a housewife may spend 4 hours a day or a farmer may get only 3 hours a day sitting.

These stats point out that an educated person with his fixed office hours spends more time sitting on the chair. So he is living a more sedentary life,  comparison to the other people, in a different working environment.

 Sitting limits the number of Calories one must Burn. On a more serious note, it may contribute to-  Severe Back Pain.

Extended sitting hours cause major professional risk in today’s information age

Even if you maintain a good body posture, your body needs some break to release muscle tension. Stress and stagnation in the joints may cause you to discomfort at the end of the day.

Luckily, we can get away with this problem efficiently by taking just 30 minutes of yoga break at our workplace. This yoga  Practice will revitalize and recharge you for the rest of the hectic day ahead. Also, When we’re happy, we can thrive in our work with better focus and awakening the mind.

yoga practices can also be very effective in reducing the effects of stress on our brains. It is well understood that stress is among the primary factors related to brain cell death and cognitive decline.

How  Office Yoga Accomplishes Pleasing all

• Sitting in your office chair, gazing the greenery outside, doing breathing practice and setting up for office yoga. This is a better choice than watching glare from the computer screen and souring your eyes and neck. Office yoga adds a sense of calmness, reduces stress
• Mindfulness activities and concentrated meditations-Sharpen your focus, improve overall wellbeing
• A pleasing office atmosphere is more an inviting place for employees hence refraining from being absent.
• A happy employee returns home happily! leading a good family life.

 Explanation – why office yoga is important?

Office Yoga …, What?

Everyone around is pretty familiar with different forms of yoga such as -Hath Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Iyengar Yoga ..and more. But Office Yoga...(wide eyes expressions!)?

After all” Yoga is a morning ritual to be performed on empty stomach” then-

Why yoga in Office..? The answer is but simple—

The need for office yoga arises out of the following situations-

• Totally out of “early to bed and early to rise” routine
• Lack of time in the morning especially for moms
• Laziness in some form

To understand better the situations why office yoga could be a more popular choice lets perform two  obvious case studies:

Case Study 1:

Hema is a teacher in a renowned school in the city. Her school timings are from 7 am to 3 pm. Before leaving for work, she has to send her children to school, prepare lunch boxes for each family member. It is really too difficult to snatch out even 15 minutes for yoga. But, she gets a 30 minutes lunch break in the school and 2 free periods. Here she can optimize her time to get benefits from yoga.

Case Study 2:

Rishab is employed in a corporate office set up in a metro city. He has to leave home at 8 am to reach his office at 10 am. It takes a minimum of 2 hrs to commute between home and office, in a busy city full of traffic jams. So in the morning, he can’t concentrate completely on his yoga session because of the anxiety to reach office on time. But during lunchtime in the office, he is half done with his work and quite relaxed. At this time he can practice office yoga.

The two scenario study is simply to make you understand that the need for office yoga is a demand in the modern culture. The emphasis is on keeping yourself happy and stress-free living.

How to Prepare for the office yoga

1. You may need to customize your surroundings a bit, to get a yoga-friendly place, either oneself in your chamber or with your like-minded colleagues at some common well-ventilated place.

2. Principally, yoga practice is to be performed on the almost empty stomach, but in the office, you can relish something healthy like banana and yogurt…but some gap is needed in any case.

3. You can feel more freshen up and relax with a splash of cold water on the face.

4. Bring awareness and be present. Randomly check the atmosphere- Is it clean!  smells good!! calm!!- just notice. Make everything a part of your practice—even the noise and discomfort too!

             Master the Skills of Office Yoga and Be Successful

Get ready to get rid of the –stiff shoulders,  neck, itchy eyes, sour back, jammed hips, and knees. These lightweight yoga poses are designed to be performed with your desk and chair as a prop. You can switch to its Mat-version too. Also, you don’t require special skills to perform these amazing yoga poses in your office.

Watch the video on YouTube –20 Minutes Chair Yoga Sequence For Your Neck,Back  And Joints

1.Breath Awareness-Core Awakening

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• Come forward to sit on the edge of your chair.Sit erect so that your ears, shoulders, and hips are in proper alignment.
• Now position your feet flat on the ground.
• May place a block beneath the feet to make your thighs parallel to the ground.
• Place hands on your legs comfortably
• Inhale up to 10 counts, now let it exhale gradually.
• Focus on the rise and fall of the stomach.

Do 5 sets of inhale-exhale. As you feel relaxed now, move to the following simple stretches specially designed for office yoga.

2.Neck Releases

• Drop down your chin to touch the chest.
• Let your neck pivot for 360 degrees, clockwise and anti-clockwise.
• Try to do smoothly and slowly not to strain your neck.
• For a beginning,5-sets are sufficient. Gradually you can increase the number of sets as per your time.

3.Shoulder Rolls

• Place your fingers on the upper part of the shoulder joints.
• Now rotate clockwise then anti-clockwise in the same posture.
• Keep breathing sustained and progressive.

4.Seated Twists

• Very simple and fun doing, can be done an time
• Simply assume looking someone behind you.
• Just sit erect and mind your breathing.
• Twist from your left-hand side.
• Switch to another side.
• Take help of your chair handles and back to pose more perfectly.

5. Seated Backbend

• Raise your hands and bend back while inhaling.
• Bend nicely, keeping your balance.
• Come back to your starting point as you exhale.

Stand up at your place for a standing backbend to give your body a full stretch.

6.Seated Forward Bend

• Create enough space between your table and chair so that you can bend forward safely.
• Keep your feet flat on the floor, while seated.
• Stretch your arms behind your back, join both the hands to interlock your fingers.
• Bend forward from the waist, raise your interlocked hands over your back.
• Rest your chest on your thighs and keep your neck relaxed.

7.Side Bends

Side Bend

• Sit erect on your chair to raise your hands above your head.
• Bring both of your palms together to press each other.
• With a deep inhale bend your body to the left-hand side to get the half moon position.
• Exhale while coming back to your initial central position.
• Repeat the process for the right-hand side bends too.

You can do side bends in the standing position to get a nice body stretch.

 

8. Wrist Release

 

 

Your wrist, elbow and shoulder joints are the silent sufferer in the process of typing. When you spend long-long hours typing on your keyboard, these joints too, need your care. So give them a nice stretch in the following way-

• Fist your fingers, spread your hands, rotate, rotate and rotate from the wrist joints- clockwise-anticlockwise. and.. so on.
• Roll your hands from your elbow joints -back and forth as much you like.
• Perform shoulder rolls in between you working on your PC to relax shoulder and neck both.

 

 

9.Seated Eagle Pose

 

• While sitting on the edge of your chair, spread your arms on the sides of your body and push them back to bring your shoulder blades together.
• Be more gentle initially, now slowly bring arms forward, in front of you and twist both arms with each other. Try to bring both the palms together.
• Keep breathing normally.

 

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10.Shoulder opener

 

 

 

• There are many many ways to open up your jammed and stiff shoulders.
• Place your both the hands on the table while standing near it. You may want to give your chair a back push to make a room for your stretch.
• You need to bring your head down between the two arms until you feel a nice shoulder stretch.
• Keep breathing nicely.

Start with 5 sets and go further.

Alternatively,

• Grab firmly the frame of a door and move forward! (slightly), until you feel a good stretch in the shoulder.

 

11.Eyes Rolls

 

Eyes being the softest body organ, need some special care. Just 5-10 minutes in a day are enough to keep this precious body organ healthy and happy. Good night sleep is the best way to give your eyes a beautiful and relaxed look. To optimize your eyesight, cold or normal temperature water is all needed to be splashed on your eyes.

These few steps will make your eyes sparkle-

• Cup your palms to cover your eyes from the screen glares and harsh light. Let them rest for a minute or so.
• Take 10 fast blinks, while still covered to replenish the natural eyes fluids.
• Now, look at some point -the farthest and the nearest one to maintain the flexibility of your eyes. Repeat 10 times.
• Roll your eyes ,clockwise ,anti-clockwise ,at least 5 times.Try to keep your neck stable.

 

 

12.Temple Massage

 

 

Temple massage is a quick stress buster. Temple massage is known to increase the blood circulation in the area where a number of nerves meet together. It also increases the level of soothing hormones like dopamine and serotonin.

• You can place your elbows on the table or on the handle of your chair.
• Use the fingertips of your hands to give a nice temple massage-clockwise and anti-clockwise both.

Conclusion

 

First of all thanks for accompanying till the end! I know it’s a bit too much description on the topic of OFFICE YOGA. But believe me, if you can follow even 60% of the poses advised above you can revolutionize your professional and personal life. The reason behind this assurance is that I personally follow most of the yoga poses at my workplace, and find them very- 1.easy 2.wonderfull and 3.refreshingly healthy. So why can’t you?

 

In case,  you find it too much of the work and decide not to pay attention to my highly trusted office yoga routine simply go for these alternatives-

• Always sit upright on a chair with proper back support.
• Desk height should be compatible with your sitting posture. One -third of the monitor screen should be above the level of your eyes.
• The golden rule for your seated pose is rather simple. Just go for 90-90-90-180 degree rule:

Ankle joint- 90 degrees, Knees joints- 90 degrees, Hips joint- 90 degree, Neck joint- 180 degrees

• Just avoid elevators.
• After every half, an hour or so, leave your place and walk up to the window or meet your tired peers. Don’t forget to inspire them with your new skills in office yoga.

And last but not the least, please share office yoga on all of your social media platforms with the help of the share buttons provided at the end of your screen. 

So all the very best for your “Happy Office Health Routine“.

Check here – A complete book on office Yoga

A Book to Let You Thrive in Your Professional Life

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You may like to read on yoga by anatomy-science of yoga:

• Yoga and Digestive System-Miracle Human Body
• Yoga and Circulatory System
• Yoga and Skeletal System
• How to avoid yoga injuries

 

The post Can Office Yoga Lead You Professional Success!! appeared first on yogarsutra.

How not to get hurt by yoga

So you enrolled in yoga classes. Or maybe, a tv show instructor is doing a good job of teaching you different types of yoga poses.

Everyone is focussed on how to get into a certain yogasana. In the process, the safety part is compromised quite often, while the focus is on achieving that perfect pose or asana.

An extra effort to get into a perfect pose may lead to yoga injury.

Causes of Yoga injuries

• performing yoga in a hurry
• trying to get into a so-called perfect posture
• lack of proper support
• too many repetitions of a pose
• getting wrong/incomplete instructions
• the age factor

To sum up, yoga injuries can result when you push yourself too far and too soon. Some of the most common yoga injuries include pulls or strains in the neck, spine, low back or hamstrings.

Although stats of yoga injuries are 1%, it may increase further as more and more people are now enrolling. it may affect you in two way.

Firstly, if the injury is not serious you will soon return to your normal practices.

Secondly, a serious injury may drive you away from yoga practices for rest of the life. Which is certainly not good for your well being.

Most affected body parts from yoga injuries

The most common yoga-related injuries, found worldwide, include injuries to the lower back, shoulder, neck, wrist or hand, and knee.

A national survey of yoga practitioners of various styles in Australia asserted that 21% of respondents reported experiencing an injury that may have been attributable to their yoga practice, such as minor strains and recurrences of pre-existing injuries.

In an exclusive survey of Ashtanga Vinyasa (involves difficult poses) practitioners, 62% reported having had at least one injury lasting longer than 1 month (e.g., hamstring, knee, and low-back) with some practitioners reporting more than one injury. (As published in International yoga journal)

Milestones of minimizing yoga injuries

So what should we do in order to minimize yoga injuries?

First, the most important step should be not to get discouraged when such situation arises. After all, nothing comes without side effects, however good it be!

But injuries in no way be considered as a side effect of yoga. Yoga has only one side effect, which is an improved lifestyle.

When we incorporate yoga into our life we say goodbye to osteoporosis, high blood pressure, thyroid, irregular blood sugar, heart diseases etc.

Experience healthy and purposeful aging. We become an improved version of ourselves.. more kind, more compassionate, calmer, smarter with increased flexibility. Also an elevated brain for overall well being, all win-win…

Therefore, with so many pros, yoga cannot be missed out of our life. So should we go gently with yoga poses? If yes, then how?

Gentle yoga

Going gently and hence oversimplifying the yoga poses is not recommended as this will minimize the very benefits yoga offers.

Suppose, if you start to minimize the stretch, twists involved in yoga poses, your muscles groups and related bones will lack the advantage of increased blood circulation hence stopping the abundance of oxygen supply. This oxygen is a key to rejuvenate each cell in our body.

Yoga twists make our core more flexible by providing strength to our spinal cord and the muscles. Spinal cord strength is of utmost importance. As Joseph Pilates famously said, “We are as young as our spinal cord “.

A weak and misaligned spinal cord leads to a bad body posture and an imbalanced body structure. Hence maintaining the mobility of the spine is important to any well-rounded yoga practice and becomes even more important as we get older.

The spine is both structural and energetic center of the body and we need to take great care of it. Since our spine is capable of moving in 5 different directions – forward, backward, sideways, slightly upwards and rotate – a balanced yoga practice is needed in a combination of forwarding bends, backbends, lateral bends, axial extension and twisting.

So what are other options?

Restorative yoga

A restorative yoga sequence typically involves only five or six poses at a time or in a yoga session, supported by props that ensure you to be completely relaxed and safe.

The restorative poses include light twists, seated forward folds, and gentle backbends. Most restorative practices are based on the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar.

Props used in restorative yoga:

Find here my recommendations for yoga supports

Sivan Health and Fitness Yoga Set 6-Piece– Includes 1/2 Ultra Thick NBR Exercise Mat, 2 Yoga Blocks, 1 Yoga Mat Towel, 1 Yoga Hand Towel, and a Yoga Strap

Disclosure:

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These are cushioned supports, having different shapes and sizes. These could be blankets, pillows, blocks stretchable straps or belts and others. We can use these supports for a pose single or in combination, as needed.

Props help you to get into a pose more creatively besides providing a sense of freedom and stability. They have endless uses. Yoga props also seem to help brain simulations if used in playful and creative manners.

Now, as we understand our expectations from yoga,  we can train ourselves for the following goals:-

• Maintaining the mobility of the spine 
• Strengthening the core
• Developing the ability to balance
• Bringing the joints through the full range of motion
• Flexible enough to play with your kids
• Other functional flexibility

Thus, to summarize and compliment the above-discussed points, we reach to the conclusion that while practicing yoga, we should not overstretch our joints. Knees, ankles, wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, and waist joints are more prone to yoga injuries.

Stretching the joints beyond the limit may cause micro-tears to the ligaments. Further,  wrong actions repeated over a long time may lead to severe injuries.

Hence, to be on the safer side, always start practicing 70% of a posture.This will help to strengthen our body and make it more flexible in addition to avoiding yoga injury.

You must always listen to your body. Always perform at your own pace, strength and flexibility.Two persons may not perform a yoga pose in the same way.

Must read on yoga by anatomy-science of yoga

• Yoga and Digestive System-Miracle Human Body
• Yoga and Circulatory System
• Yoga and Skeletal System

The post How to avoid yoga injuries ? appeared first on yogarsutra.

Yoga and Skeletal system- The Interdependence

In order to bring a clear understanding of yoga and skeletal system, it is crucial to know the harmful side effects of the digital age on our overall bone health.

When we switch from a physical model of working to the digital mode, our body responds differently. Ignoring our body stress signals may emerge in the form of a disease and distress. Peeping into a fraction of my life story will explain the things more clearly.

Being Ambitious and Competent

I am a happy and satisfied human being normally. You may ask how come? Are you very smart and competent? Or you have all your ambitions fulfilled and wishes granted? My reply is a firm NO.

I can explain in a few words that you can believe. The very first thing I did to remain in peace was to withdraw myself from any kind of rat-race in my workplace. To say in a more simple way is that I stopped thinking to be superior than my colleagues. So I remained out of my boss’ GOOD LIST.

Also, I avoided working extra hours in order to save some quality time for my family, at the cost of losing some remuneration.

Sounds so unconvincing? Yes, not everyone has the liberty to live like this. It is possible only when you have good financial support and a mindset which can set your ways to live your life. This definitely makes you believe in “Happiness comes from within”.

Life is unpredictable

So while living with all the inner happiness with my perspectives, life took an unexpected turn. Roughly four years back due to the recession and some unknown reasons we had to face severe salary cuts.

Suddenly I lost all my perception of inner happiness!! This made me realize that those rejected remunerations were not needed because I had handsome earnings. My tranquillity with myself lost the sight.

Also the opportunity of earning extra remunerations from working extra hours vanished.

“The problem has many companions and always approaches you with all of them”.

So what should I do now in order to achieve my earlier tranquillity? Do I have some talent which could earn me money to meet out losses from the salary cuts?

After a lot of trials and errors reply came to me was online teaching and problem-solving assignments. It was a nice, fulfilling, and money- yielding job. So I went to Physics lab simulations with ‘Colorado’ and solving maths assignments.

All this made me sit in front of my laptop for 5 to 6 hrs a day. I had two results. First was a decent earning, a pleasant feeling and another was a horrible experience.

The body always signals overuse

It all happened when I was about to complete a very long Maths assignment. I felt severe pain in my back. It was near around the intensity of damaging a bone or muscles. Something terrible happened to me I thought. My this fear had a quick confirmation of a severe headache and head spinning. There was a feeling of numbness in my arms and limbs. Even balancing myself felt a tough task. An obvious visit to the doctor resulted that I was a patient of  *Cervical Spondylitis. These were the **Side Effects Of Digital Age. And the cure was physiotherapy and medication.

The conclusions of my story are:

• It is not bad to be ambitious.
• It is not bad to have extra talent.
• And, It is very good to engage in many ways of earning extra money.
• But, It is too bad to make your body work extra without proper nourishment and relevant form of exercise.
• Prolonged seating in one posture in front of my laptop resulted in bone-related serious health issues.
• If I had an in-depth knowledge of my body and of the skeleton system it was hard to abuse it.

Our Skeletal System: Bonafide Bones

Our skeletal system is a series of long and short bones connected to each other by *joints. The skeletal system defines our body structure.

It also supports the body movements in combination with the Muscular system and plays an important role in protecting our soft, delicate and very important internal organs.
This system has approximately 300 bones at the beginning which remain around 206 after reconstructions and joining. Bones are very crucial body element because the Blood Cells are produced in the bone marrow.

Bones are also the storehouse of important minerals like calcium and phosphorous. They also release hormones that help to regulate our blood sugar level.
Bones are hard from outside and soft in inside. The soft part is porous. Bones are living tissues like that of other body tissues. These tissues are growing and reshaping much faster in a young body.

This process depends majorly on individual lifestyle, i.e. on the nutritional intakes, physical activities, stress level, and relaxation patterns.

Joints:

Let us know our joints in detail. Our skeleton joints are majorly classified as-
1.Synovial Joints: These joints have cartilage and some fluids at the end of the bone. These fluids lubricate the joints and prevent them from the friction. Synovial joints are named after their name and nature of the operation, viz

• Hinge Joints(knee, elbow): These joints ensure180 degrees of movement between the joining bones, which is analogous to a hinged door! having just a single direction movement.
• Ball and socket joints(shoulder, hips, wrists): These joints ensure 360 degrees of rotation between the joining bones, which is analogous to the rotation of a ball on a socket!

2.Saddle Joints: These joints are found in thumbs, middle ear.
3. Fibrous Joints: These joints have no fluids and bones have solid tissues. Our pelvis and spine have these joints.

• RELATED: THE HUMAN BODY IS TRULY A MIRACLE

We have a wonderful body which is clever and a miracle as well. Our bones charge and discharge according to the weight and response to the “weight and efforts” they bear.

So if we are a very active person doing our daily chores and follow some exercise and body relaxation techniques, complemented with nutritious food, our body and bones will be in good condition. With all this, we are helping our bones and joints and resulting in increased bone density and flexibility.

On the other hand, if we have a sedentary lifestyle which means less physical movements, we are making our bones to suffer badly.
This can be a result of a serious injury causing restrictions in movements of a single body part or the whole body itself. This will again result in depleted bone density.

Yoga And Bone Health

Yoga is recommended in all the situations, in recovery from an injury and regain bone strength-gentle, restorative yoga poses should be considered first. Gradually more challenging one can be switched to.

Yogasnas works quite differently from the high impact exercises like jogging, aerobics, and weight training. If not supervised properly may cause harm to joints and contribute to bone fracture.

Yoga, on the other hand, improves the joints health by stimulating the release of lubricating fluids thus reducing the frictional pain and the effects causing tears and wears responsible for osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.

A thoughtfully designed yoga program, consisting of various yoga poses, applies bone strengthening body weight to tone and strengthen the bones in the hands and wrists, arms, spine, neck, head, and feet.
Yoga poses should be adapted and modified within the limit to suit all age groups and body structure.

Stress and bone health

Unavoidable stress may be a cause of our bone-decay. A prolonged stressed body releases a hormone called adrenaline, causing depletion of calcium from our bones hence making them more brittle and prone to osteoporosis.

Body posture and skeletal system

one common problem related to our lifestyle is compression and misalignment of the spinal cord. Yoga plays a crucial role in maintaining the correct body posture. T

he stretching, twisting and bending yoga poses help us to maintain an upright and balanced body posture.
Yoga postures also minimize the risk of collapsing which becomes prominent after a certain age. Collapsing occurs due to the weakness of bones and muscles and inappropriate body posture.

Best selected yoga poses for the healthy skeletal system

1. Slow and complete yoga breath 
Five sets of “inhale and exhale” three times a day are the most recommended and doable method to achieve the relaxation hence aligning and soothing our spinal cord. Setting an alarm, say at 9 am, 1 pm then 6 pm will definitely get the job done.

• Sit down in lotus or half lotus. This can be done by sitting on the chair.
• Keep your core upright straight.
• Release tension from all the joints and muscle groups, one by one.
• Deep inhale, count to five.
• Slow exhale, count to ten.
• Repeat five times

 Related- Meditation for Beginners

2. Spinal twist

Seated twists do wonder to our core, by aligning our vertebrae and spinal cord. It rejuvenates the bones after a long working session. It opens our hips and ribcage.

• Sit down upright with leg-spread in front of you.
• While inhaling fold one leg giving your body a horizontal twist. Position your hands as shown in the picture to achieve the complete pose.
• Release the pose slowly while exhaling.
• Repeat with other leg and opposite side twist.

3. Cobra Pose

As we walk, sit or even lie down, we tend to lean forward. This habit contributes to a bad posture. The cobra pose helps to revert this kind of forward curvature of our core.

• • • Lie down flat on your stomach.
    • While inhaling raise your face and then chest.
    • Keep both hands in supporting position as shown.
    • Stay there for a few breaths.
    • Return back to initial position while exhaling.

4. Boat Pose

The simple looking, but not so simple doing a pose. The boat pose requires some patience to achieve the balance. Its benefits include simulations of thyroid and prostate glands. It does wonder to improve your waistline. It gives a nice stretch to your hamstrings. The most important changes it brings to the posture by strengthening your spine and hip flexors.

• • • Sit upright with leg spread in front of you.
    • While inhaling, apply pressure on both hands to lift your legs up.
    • You need to bend back a bit to achieve that perfect V shape.
    • Spread your hands as shown to stay in the pose for few breaths.

5. Cat and Cow Pose

The cat-cow pose is a combination of two poses, the cat pose, and the cow pose. It prepares us for most activities as a warm-up session does. It does wonder in relieving lower back pain. This pose strengthens our bones also works well for neck and shoulder pain.

It is recommended for the prevention of severe ailments like osteoporosis and osteopenia, arthritis or stiffness of the hips and spine. 

However, if you are already suffering from any kind of bone-related disease please consult your doctor first. Researchers reveal that forward bends may harm the weak bones further. So yoga poses involving a forward curvature should be avoided. A backward curvature is found to be safe and rewarding.

• • • Start from the knee and hand pose.
    • While inhaling open your chest, push your ‘head and back’ to get a back curvature of cat pose as shown.
    • Exhale to switch dynamically into a forward bend of cow pose as shown.

If cow pose is causing any kind of discomfort, instead of bending forward, stay on table pose/plank or on the beginning position i.e. knee and hand position, then switch back to cat pose.

Thank you so much! I hope this article helped in knowing your bones and skeletal system altogether. In case you are in a job that demands a lot of your time glued with a chair, it’s time to be awaken. Take some active rest and do some yoga poses in the office itself. Don’t know how? Learn Here.

For more detailed information on the topic of OFFICE YOGA, Please check my book “A Complete Book on Office Yoga”. 

The book comprises 12 Chair Yoga Tutorial, Healthy Office Lunch Recipes, Sleep Guide for Millenials.

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