Basic Sitting Postures with Benefits

JANU SIRSASANA: Correct foot placement

Sit up straight with legs evenly extended in front. Bend the right leg at the knee and place the foot so that the heel is in the right groin and the front of the foot touches the left thigh. Turn the foot so that the bottom of the foot is facing upward and press the knee back to form an obtuse angle with the body. This position will be difficult at first; don't force it. Put a folded blanket under the knee and also under the hips. Gradually the knee will move farther back. Just keep the foot correctly positioned.

JANU SIRSASANA: Correct, perfect posture

Having positioned the foot and knee correctly, stretch the left leg out, keeping the leg firmly on the mat. Settle the heel firmly and stretch the toes up. (The heel should pull gently away from the ankle.) Now inhale and bend forward over the straight leg, catching the foot with both hands if possible. Beginners should bend only as far as they can without rounding the back. When this posture is done correctly and completely, the body will roll forward over the extended leg, absolutely flat from the tail bone to the head. Stay there breathing normally for as long as you can. Inhale, release the handhold, come up smoothly, straighten the bent leg and relax. Repeat on other side.

JANU SIRSASANA: Wrong posture

The heel is not positioned against its own thigh. The knee has not been pushed back as far as possible to form an obtuse angle. The back is humped and curved because the pelvis is jammed and unable to lift properly. Instead of a smooth, complete stretching of the spine, the lumbar is over-stretched and the rest of the spine constricted. The left leg is not flat on the floor.

TRIANG MUKHAIPADA PASCHIMOTTANASANA: Sitting, forward-bending pose over one leg

This posture generally follows the previous one. Sit with your legs stretched in front. Bend the right leg so that the right foot is near the right hip. The toes should point back. The right calf presses against the right thigh. The body will tilt in this position so put a small folded towel under the left buttock to keep the hips level and the forward stretch even and extended. Hold the left foot with both hands, inhale and bend forward, keeping both knees together as you stretch forward over the straight leg. Many students will find it difficult in this position to even take hold of the foot of the outstretched leg. Do not despair. Just hold the knee, shin or ankle, and sit, breathing deeply, in whichever position represents your best extension. If the back is tight and the spine inflexible, this will take time. Release the hold and straighten the bent leg. Repeat on the other side.

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Yoga for Women: Basic Yoga Lessons for Women

If a woman wants a healthy way of life devoid of any strain and stress, she should start her day with yoga.

First things first, when you roll out of your bed, sit onto a mat on the floor and hug your knees to your chest. Then raise your legs in the air and stay bottoms up until your head clears. Next stand up and drop your forehead to your shins until you feel ready to tackle the toothbrush and get on with your day.

Waking up doesn't have to consist of pouring coffee down your gullet to shock yourself alive.

Many women pile up an array of small violences against themselves from the moment they wake up - caffeine, cigarettes, abrasive exercises or no exercise at all. Lots of faddish fitness programs today have this violent approach - do 50 leg raises or pound your body jogging on the pavement or jump around to a rhythm not of your own making.

Your approach to fitness and well-being and to life in general should be nonviolent one - working smoothly with concentration and determination at your own pace without competing with anyone else. Don't be ruthless with yourself and you won't be ruthless with other people.

Your routine should ideally center on 28 postures drawn from the 5,000-year-old technique whose name comes from the Sanskrit for sun, moon and join together. The exercises should range from deep breathing to pretzel-like stretches.

Yoga is strenuous, but not painful, and it gives every inch of your body a terrific workout.

Yoga proves particularly helpful in strengthening a body plagued by injury.

Yoga helps you maintain flexibility, build strength and muscle definition and even. Try spending 60 to 90 minutes on your yoga routine, before breakfast, five to six days a week.

Follow the basics mentioned here to have a healthy and balanced life:

Avoid the big seduction to only go with your strong points - like weight-lifting if you've got great muscles. It's the thing that's hardest for you that you need to work on the most

Don't space out during workouts. Use that time to have a private conversation with yourself: 'How do I feel physically, mentally.' 'How is my balance and coordination today.' 'Is there something I should pay special attention to.'

Practice yoga in the early morning or early evening at least one hour after a light meal or three to four hours after a main meal. If you are hungry before practice, try tea, milk or fruit juice.

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Basic Yoga Props

These props help you achieve the proper alignment, balance and make the pose a bit

easier. The use of props also minimizes the strain and supports your muscles, thus

allowing you to save your energy by exerting less effort on a pose.

Yoga props help people with Medical Ailments and the Elderly to cross their

limitations. The props provide support, enabling them to do the poses that their

ailments or old age prevent them from doing.

As you might imagine, not much gear is needed for yoga. It is generally practiced in

bare feet or socks. You might want to consider a comfortable pair of shoes. Clothing

should be loose enough to allow for bending and stretching

Yoga also has its own small set of apparatus. Called "yoga props," they help make

the yoga poses more comfortable, create resistance or give the body something to l

ean on or bend over.

But to start with yoga you can just have these basic equipments:

Clothing: Comfortable, breathable clothes are recommended for yoga. You probably

want to wear a shirt that is a little bit form-fitting, since in many yoga poses your

head comes below your hips and your shirt can slide down.

Any exercise pants or shorts will do, although it’s best not to have super slick lycra-

type pants since in some poses this may cause you to slip.

Shoes: Yoga is most often done barefoot, which is great news for those of us tired of

carrying a bulky pair of athletic shoes around for after work trips to the gym.

Yoga studios will often request that you leave your shoes near the entrance.

Mats: In gyms and yoga studios, its commonplace to use a yoga mat, also called a

sticky mat. The mat helps define your personal space.

But more importantly, it creates traction for your hands and feet so you don’t slip,

especially as you get a little sweaty.

The mat also provides a bit of cushioning on a hard floor. If you are just getting

started with yoga, you may not want to buy a mat right away. Most studios have

mats for rent, usually for a dollar or two per class.

The disadvantage to these mats is that lots of people use them, and they can get

smelly between washings. Yoga mats can be purchased for as little as $20, and

many studios will allow you to store your mat with them if you become a regular.

Blankets: Yoga studios often have stacks of blankets available for students to use

during class. Grab yourself one or two blankets at the beginning of class.

The folded blankets are props to sit and lie on during class. For instance, when

sitting in a cross-legged position, it’s nice to put a blanket under your sit bones to

elevate the hips above the knees.

They come in handy for all sorts of things during class, and if it’s chilly you can use

them to cover yourself during final relaxation at the end of class.

Blocks: Like blankets, blocks are props to make yourself more comfortable and

improve your alignment. Blocks are great for standing poses in which your hand

doesn’t reach the floor.

Straps: Straps are particularly useful for bound poses if your hands do not reach

each other, and for poses where you need to hold onto your feet but cannot reach them.

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