Make your mornings happier: Alleviate the stiffness discomfort by practicing these yoga poses

Tightness in muscles and joints can make your 'Good morning' a bad morning. Yoga can be a great way to increase flexibility and reduce pain & stiffness.

These asanas will help you stretch and open up your muscles, relieve stiffness, and improve blood circulation in the body.

Seated Side stretch

The seated side bend is a soothing yoga pose that benefits arms, shoulders, chest and can be included in a various yoga sequences. You’ll also experience improvement in the range of motion of the hips while performing the side bend.

It also relaxes the mind and releases stress and anxiety.

STEPS

1. Sit cross-legged and just lean over to your right.
2. Put your elbow down if you want to or just place your palm on the floor
3. As you bend towards right, you’ll realize you’ve already started feeling a stretch
4. If you have a lower back issue, you could use a yoga block or brick (if you are taking support of your elbow)
5. Now bring your left arm up and stretch it along with the bend
6. Repeat the same process on the left side with right arm up this time
7. Regulate your speed however you want to but a little hold while ending can be effective

Cat-cow stretch

We spend most our time sitting in front of our computers now a days that we forget to move our spine enough and cat-cow stretch is a very effective way to relieve stiffness and get relief instantly. It targets upper as well as lower back effectively.

STEPS

1. Start by coming in a kneeling position
2. Go down on all fours position, essentially your knees should be directly under your hips and the hands should be under the shoulder
3. Start by bringing the head forward and moving the back upwards such that a hump is formed. This is the cat position as if you are stretching up like a cat.
4. You’ll feel a good tuck at your pelvis, expansion of shoulders while keeping your head down.
5. Now move downwards, drop the belly, and bring your head backwards. (Cow position)
6. Perform cat and cow position alternatively, and repeat the process nice and slow for 10 times.

90-90 Hip Lubricator

An amazing yoga to strengthen hips and groins as well as stretching spine extensors and trunk rotators is the- 90/90 stretch. It improves the overall hip mobility and is also good after a workout or warm up.

STEPS

1. Begin by sitting on floor
2. Place the front leg out in front of you, bent at a 90 degree angle
3. The knee should be flat on the ground lined up with the heel
4. Do the same to position the leg behind you, also bent at a 90 degree angle
5. Place hands on the floor on each side of the lead leg (the one in front)
6. Slowly bend your chest towards your knee but avoid dropping the elbows
7. When legs are in proper position, lean forward and extend the back. While doing so you’ll feel a deep stretch in the lead leg.
8. Hold this stretch for a 4-5 seconds and then switch legs
9. Repeat 10 times both the side

The muscle that is being stretched during this yoga is called the ‘gluteus minimus muscle’.

T Twist

If you have stiffness and pain in your back, shoulders, or neck, T twist is a shoulder-releasing yoga that can provide relief! It provides a good stretch through the chest and shoulders and since there is a slight twisting motion involved, it can loosen the muscles in the low back.

1. Make sure your palm is in line with your shoulders and your knee is in line with the buttocks.
2. Now inhale and stretch your right arm upwards, and slowly bring it down, and pass it like a thread in needle, from between your left palm and left knee.
3. Drop your shoulders down, if you can, then take your left arm upwards. Be in that position for few breaths.
4. If you want to raise the level, bring your left hand down and keep your left hand in front. Stay in the pose for 10 seconds.
5. Come up slowly and repeat the same process by changing side.

Downward Dog to Cobra

Downward dog to Cobra is one of the most effective yoga poses as it is a full-body workout. It strengthens your arms, shoulders, low-back, glutes, and also ignites the core.

Apart from building total-body strength, it also helps increase circulation and eases stiffness in the lumbar spine.

STEPS

1. Go onto your fours.
2. Exhale while elevating your hips up, straightening your elbows and knees. Create an inverted V-shape with your body.
3. Keep your hands parallel to your shoulders and feet parallel to your hips.
4. Press your hands down steadily, widening your shoulder blades. Keep your neck lengthened ensuring your inner arms touching your ears.
5. Hold the pose while breathing deeply. Look at your navel.
6. Now go down on your stomach with your toes touching the ground and your head resting on the floor.
7. Place your legs together close to your heels and feet slightly touching each other.
8. Place your palms under your shoulder, and elbows parallel to your shoulder, close to your torso.
9. Inhale while slowly uplifting your chest, head, abdomen, keep your navel on the ground. Try to put equal pressure on both of your palms.
10. Curve your spine vertebra while breathing normally. If possible, try to straighten your arm while curving your back as much as possible; move your head up and look at the sky or terrace.
11. Keep your shoulders relaxed and try to intensify your stretch by aligning your elbows straight.
12. Make sure your feet are close, touching each other. Smile, inhale and exhale like smiling cobras.
13. Do not stretch too much or overstrain yourself.

In a nutshell

Yoga can easily be practiced in the comfort of your own home. These poses are some of the most beneficial ones that you’ll find in yoga flows. Head to the Wellness TV for guided videos curated by fitness experts and turn your goal visualization into reality by enrolling for a personalized fitness plan on The Wellness Corner.