Yoga is a form of exercise ideal for people of all physical abilities and ages. Adding online yoga classes to your exercise routine can help improve your flexibility, balance, and muscle tone. Learning basic poses can help you quickly grow your practice and dig deeper into yoga.
Here are the types of yoga that you can learn online:
Cat-cow Pose
Cat-cow yoga stretches comprise two positions that help with flexibility by loosening the back muscles. The pose helps to ease back pain and awaken the spine, shoulders, chest, and neck. The cat-cow pose softly strengthens and stimulates the abdominal organs by stretching and contracting the torso. Cat-cow yoga pose also helps to open the chest, encouraging breathing to become deep and slow. Coordinating your movement with your breathing when performing the stretches can help to calm the mind and relieve stress. While on your hands and knees, inhale into cow pose by arching your back so your belly slants towards the mat, lifting your chin and chest. Exhale into cat pose while pulling your navel in as you round your back and let gravity pull your head towards the floor.
Easy Pose
The easy pose is ideal for beginners in online yoga classes. Sitting cross-legged on the floor with your palms facing up helps to boost back flexibility and relieve stress. The sitting position helps to open your hips, calm your mind, and strengthen your back. You should feel at ease to enjoy the benefits of the easy pose. If you cannot sit straight or you feel your knees are too high up, you can sit on some blocks or a cushion to raise your hips. This pose strengthens abdominal and back muscles and stretches the groin and hips.
Downward-facing Dog Pose
The downward-facing dog yoga pose helps to stretch the glutes, arms, core, hamstrings, and calves. This pose assists with core strength and back pain and enhances flexibility from your head to your toes. Downward-facing dog generates traction in your lower back, taking pressure off your spine. When performing the pose, you can keep your heels flat or raised and knees straight or bent while focusing on lifting your hips and lengthening your spine. During this pose, your body forms an inverted v shape. For a modified version of this pose, place your hands on the floor and create a 90-degree angle with your knees, keeping your knees on the ground, directly below your hips.
Child’s Pose
Many online yoga classes incorporate the restful and refreshing child’s pose. The child’s pose is among the most comfortable and healing yoga postures. This pose can help to stretch the arm, hip, and back muscles and calm the nervous system. It can also help to awaken the link between the body and breath, providing calming energy throughout your muscles. To get into this pose, sit back on your knees, tucking your feet beneath your bottom. Then bend forward, reaching your hands out to touch the floor above your head. If your hip or knee joints feel tight, place a pillow or rolled-up towel between your calves and the bottom of your thighs.
Tree Pose
The tree pose involves stretching your feet, hips, and ankles while strengthening your abs, calves, ankles, and quads. The posture entails standing on one leg with the opposite foot placed against the inner thigh, which can help enhance your balance. Tree pose focuses more on the stabilizing ankle muscles than the thighs to improve balance and blood circulation. While standing straight on one foot, bring your hands together in front of your chest in a praying position. You can then lift them over your head to intensify the pose. Switch legs and repeat the same process to stretch your body, improve your posture, and build stability.
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Find the Best Online Yoga Classes
Look for online yoga classes that offer various yoga poses and modifications that match your skill level. The classes should be easy to follow with a helpful instructor that teaches you how to get the most out of your yoga practice. Give priority to classes that you can follow at your own pace and that allow room for growth as you keep learning. Look for online yoga instructors that are certified and experienced in leading participants through safe, healthy poses and routines.
