13 Best Yoga Asanas For Everyday Workouts

Ever wonder how it would feel to relieve all your little to not-so-little physical pains? You can soothe your body and nerves with a rejuvenating session of yoga. Add a relaxing routine of yogasanas to enhance your spiritual well-being and quality of life. Yoga helps you heal your body, mind, and mood. Several transformative benefits of yoga ensure an enhanced quality of life. Enjoy the practice of health-reinforcing movements through these exercises, and you will find yourself easing, soothing, restoring, and strengthening your physical being. It becomes an essential part of our life with prolonged practice, working as a reviving and rejuvenating habit. You must have a yoga mat and wear comfortable clothes before beginning your session. So to start an enlightening journey toward life, here are 13 different types of yoga asanas that can be done at home or outdoors.

1. TADASANA – Mountain Posture

Tada means a mountain. It implies a posture where one stands firm and erect as a mountain. Stand tall and straight with the feet together with the heels and big toes touching each other. Distribute the body weight evenly on your feet, raise the arms over the head, interlock the fingers and face the palms upward to the sky. You must breathe in and stretch the arms upwards. While your hands stretch upwards, you must rise on your toes to give your entire body a nice stretch. Stay in this position and breathe, stretching the entire body from top to bottom. On an exhalation, come down onto the feet. Repeat this in a cycle of a few sets to feel relaxed. Due to faulty standing posture and uneven distribution of body weight, one tends to acquire specific deformities that hamper spinal elasticity. Tadasana improves body alignment and posture, helping in mastering the art of standing correctly and relieving you from back pain.

2. TRIKONASANA – Triangle Posture

Stand in Tadasana, inhale and spread your legs apart sideways, about three feet. Raise your arms sideways along the shoulders, palms facing down. Exhale and bend your trunk sideways to the right while bringing the right palm near the right ankle. You must stretch your left arm up and bring it in line with your right shoulder. You must turn your head and gaze at the thumb of the left outstretched hand. Stay in this pose from half a minute to a minute. Keep inhaling and exhaling deeply and evenly. Lift your right palm from the floor. Inhale and bring the body upright to the previous position. Exhale and come back to Tadasana. Repeat on the other side. This exercise or asana tones up the leg muscles, remove stiffness in your hips and legs, corrects any minor deformity in your legs, and allows them to develop and get healed. It relieves any strain on your spine and neck, strengthens the ankles, and gives your arms and chest a nice stretch.

3. VRIKSHASANA – the Tree Pose

Vriksha means a tree. Start with a pose in Tadasana. Proceed to lift and bend your right leg, anchoring the right heel at your left thigh. Your toes should point downwards. This pose is ideal for testing your balance on one leg. You must proceed to join your palms and raise your arms straight over the head. Stay still in this pose for a few seconds, breathing deeply. Then lower the arms, separate the palms, straighten the right leg, and stand again in Tadasana. Repeat the pose on your alternate leg. It improves focus and concentration, strengthens the leg muscles, and improves alignment, improving your balance and poise.

4. PADMASANA – Simple Cross-legged Pose

Stretch your legs and sit on the ground. Bend your right knee, take your right foot, and place it on the left thigh, bringing it as close as possible to the naval. Follow the same procedure with the left leg, placing it on the right thigh. Both knees will come in contact with the ground so that the soles are positioned upward, and the spine is held straight. Padmasana calms the mind, helps in concentration, is a type of kundalini yoga awakening, and ultimately provides relaxation, offering natural balance throughout your body and mind.

5. SUKHASANA – the Lotus Posture

The ‘Simple Cross-Legged Pose’ is intended to be comfortable and calming. Those who find Padmasana difficult can start with Shukhasana. It strengthens the back and stretches the knees and ankles. Shukhasana also opens the hips, groin, and outer thigh muscles. Sit upright with your spine straight to reduce stress and anxiety. It calms the mind and is known to be therapeutic for stress.

6. MAKARASANA – the Crocodile Pose

Lie on your belly on the ground, face down, and both legs stretched out. Cross your arms under your head and let your body relax. Press your belly to the floor with every inhalation of 7 to 10 breaths. Exhale and let your body relax further. Bring your palms under your shoulders and push yourself to a table pose. You can then gradually sit down or stand up to complete the pose. It is useful for people with back and shoulder problems. This exercise or pose can be done as a relaxation pose between other asanas or when you are tired. You can be in this asana for a prolonged period if you are tired after a workout. It relaxes the spinal nerves, allowing for a natural realignment of the spine.

7. BHUJANGAASANA – the Cobra pose

Lie down flat on your stomach. Keep your hands on either side of your chest next to the shoulders, inhale and lift the chest. Then lift the chin upwards, bend your back, and feel your chest stretch. Start inhaling when you rise. Your lower ribs and groin must touch the floor while you stay in this pose. You can then breathe out and lower your chest back to the ground. Repeat the same posture two or three times and relax. The posture is a cure for the injured spine. In a few cases, the practice of this pose replaces the discs in their original positions. The spinal region is toned, and the chest is fully expanded.

8. ADHO MUKHA SVANASANA – Downward Dog Posture

Start by sitting on all four limbs. Place your hands and knees shoulder width apart. You must slowly shift your weight by curling your toes. Move to bend your spine and move your chin up for a nice stretch while inhaling. Proceed to move by lifting your back upward. You can lower your head, push with your hands, straighten the legs, and slowly raise the hips, making your body into an inverted V. Hold for three full breaths. This pose stretches hamstrings and the chest and lengthens the spine, providing additional blood flow to the head, leaving you energised.

9. ARDHA SHALABHASANA – Half Locust Posture

Lay on the ground with your stomach and your chin touching the ground. Keep the hands on the side and bring them close to the legs for support. Breathe slowly and deeply and lift your right leg upwards, without bending the knees, as much as possible. Maintain this position for some time. Slowly release the position by bringing the right leg back to the original position. Exhale during this process. Rest for a few seconds and breathe in and out. Repeat the same steps with your left leg. Alternatively, this process can be done between the right and left leg a few times. It helps to stretch the back and is one of the best yogasanas for strengthening the back muscles.

10. SALABHASANA – The Grasshopper or Locust Posture

Lay on the ground on your stomach and your chin touching the ground. Keep the hands on your side and bring them under the legs to support them. Inhale slowly and deeply, and lift your legs as high as possible. You can bend backward or stretch your spine using the strength of the upper and middle back. Improve your flexibility and coordination, increasing your strength and stamina. You have to lift your lower and upper body off the ground alternatively while staying still on your abdomen as the fulcrum. It helps you stretch the spine and is one of the best yogasanas for strengthening the back muscles.

11. VAJRASANA – Thunderbolt or Diamond Posture

Kneel on the ground with a straight posture and upright spine, kneeling with your back lowered and the buttocks resting on your heels. Focus on your breathing. This asana works on the thighs, legs, hips, knees, back, and ankles. In Vajrasana, you intentionally obstruct the blood flow to the lower part of your body to enhance the blood flow to your pelvic region and stomach, improving bowel movement and digestion. It aids liver function as well.

12. SASHANKASANA – The Rabbit Pose

Sit in the Vajrasana pose and inhale while standing on your knees. You can now exhale while bending forward and shifting your weight on both your palms on the floor. You can bend and place your head on the floor while exhaling. You can then breathe in and hold your heels while the forehead touches the knee. You can stay in this pose for 20 seconds and slowly release. This pose stretches your spine and helps release tension between the neck, back, and arms. This can be repeated around five times. It relaxes the pelvis, improves reproductive health, aids digestion, and relieves constipation.

13. ARDHA MATSYENDRASANA – Lord of the Fishes Asana

Sit with legs crossed on your yoga mat. Keep your right hand on your left knee and twist your upper body in the opposite direction. You must lift your left leg and place the soles behind your right knee while twisting your upper body towards your left. Your entire torso must move around while the spine stays straight. Do this while breathing in and twist to the right, bringing the left arm by the right leg. Place the right hand on the floor behind you and gaze over the right shoulder. As you inhale, straighten the spine and exhale, twist even further. Repeat on the other side. It massages the liver and kidneys, stimulating detoxification and stimulating the spinal cord.

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Conclusion

Yogasana acts as a guiding light and helps us explore the various layers and depths of our being and unleash our full potential. It reaches and replenishes our body, mind, and soul in its entirety. It is like music – creating the body’s rhythm, the mind’s melody and the soul’s harmony, and the symphony of life. Likewise, it boosts your metabolism and improves strength, balance, and flexibility.

FAQs

Can people with abdominal operations do these asanas?

Bhujangasana, Ardha Shalabhasana, and Shalabhasana should be avoided by pregnant women or people who have had any abdominal operation in the recent past or have serious spinal injuries.

Can any of these asanas be done on a full stomach?

Vajrasana is the only exercise or asana that can be done with a full stomach, and it is done right after having a meal.

Can a person with injuries practise these asanas?

Asanas are to be avoided by persons having the below-mentioned analogous injuries 

What is the best time to do yogasana?

The best time to do yogasana is either early in the morning or late in the evening. In the morning, it makes one work better throughout the day by keeping you charged and active. In the evening, it removes the fatigue of the day’s strain and makes one fresh and calm. An evening yogasana promotes relaxation, allowing you to unwind and get a good night’s sleep.

What kind of persons should avoid doing Downward Dog Posture and Sashankasana?

Downward dog posture should not be done by a person suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, high Blood Pressure, shoulder dislocation, or detached retina. Sashanksana should be avoided by persons with spinal disc herniation, vertigo, and high blood pressure. You can instead do simple breathing and stretching yogasanas to enable blood flow and stay active.

Read more:

How Exactly Does Yoga Help Seniors Be Fit & Healthy?

Strong as a Mountain – Tadasana Yoga

8 Most Recommended Forms Of Yoga For Seniors