FIRST BREATHING EXERCISE
Standing Deep Breathing
Benefits: Standing Deep Breathing teaches you to use up to 100 percent of your lung capacity and in so doing it helps prevent respiratory problems such as bronchitis, emphysema, asthma and shortness of breath. Over time, as the lungs become more elastic and capable of greater expansion, they can actually change the structure of the rib cage that surrounds them, expanding it as well. Like all pranayama, Standing Deep Breathing also teaches you to control the breath and to sustain your inhales and exhales rather than gasp. By expanding the lungs, Standing Deep Breathing stimulates circulation, so it wakes up the muscles and the entire body.
POSTURE #1:
Half Moon | Ardha-Chandrasana
Benefits: Half Moon Pose strengthens every muscle in the body's core, especially in the abdomen, and flexes and strengthens the latissimus dorsi, oblique, deltoid and trapezius muscles. It increases the flexibility of the spine comprehensively, from coccyx to neck; promotes proper kidney function; and helps to cure enlargement of the liver and spleen. Half Moon also firms and trims the waistline, hips, abdomen, buttocks and thighs.
POSTURE #2:
Hands to Feet | Pada-Hasthasana
Benefits: Hands to Feet Pose stretches the spine and increases flexibility, as does Half Moon. Both poses firm and trim the lower body, where many problem areas, especially for women, reside. Pada-Hasthasana works the muscles, ligaments and tendons of the legs and improves circulation there as well. It also strengthens the glutes, and though this might not be as obvious, it strengthens the upper body and back: the obliques, deltoids and trapezius muscles.
POSTURE #3:
Awkward Pose | Utkatasana
Benefits: Awkward Pose will tone and shape your legs like nobody's business. And quickly: The definition and strength you gain here are among yoga's fastest results. This posture is such a great warm-up in part because it stimulates circulation, sending blood roaring to your lower extremities. If you suffer from chronically cold feet, that will be over. It also helps relieve rheumatism and arthritis in the legs, and helps to cure slipped discs and other problems in the lower spine. Awkward Pose also promotes laser-beam concentration.
POSTURE #4:
Eagle Pose | Garurasana
Benefits: Eagle is the only posture that opens up the 14 largest joints in the skeletal system (seven on each side of the body) in such a short time-just 10 seconds! Beyond improving flexibility in the hips, knees, ankles and the rest, Eagle also supplies fresh blood to the reproductive system and sex organs, plus the kidneys, which increases sexual vitality and helps clear up reproductive problems. It tones the calves, thighs and hips, while in the upper body it strengthens the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, and deltoid muscles.
POSTURE #5:
Standing Head to Knee | Dandayamana-Janushirasana
Benefits: When you learn to lock the knee properly, this posture improves the flexibility of the sciatic nerves and strengthens the hamstrings and leg muscles. Plus it works the muscles of the back, the biceps and the triceps. When you touch your forehead to your knee, you create front-side compression, so you are also squeezing and flushing out the internal abdominal organs, such as the gall bladder, pancreas and spleen, as well as the uterus and ovaries.
POSTURE #6:
Standing Bow Pose | Dandayamana-Dhanurasana
Benefits: Only the Standing Bow moves all the blood from one side of the body to the other, then back again. It uses the compression and extension, and then the release, systematically bringing fresh blood and oxygen to all the organs and glands. It develops balance, increases the size and elasticity of the rib cage, firms the abdominal wall and upper thighs, tightens upper arms, hips and buttocks and improves the flexibility and strength of the lower spine. Mentally, Standing Bow builds patience, determination and concentration.
POSTURE #7:
Balancing Stick | Tuladandasana
Benefits: The forward tilt of your torso sends high-speed blood pouring into the heart, especially the neglected lower region, cleaning out the veins and all the arteries, strengthening the heart muscle. The same rejuvenating flood rushes into the brain as well. It is also one of the best exercises for bad posture. And by perfecting body control and balance it strengthens your powers of concentration.
POSTURE #8:
Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose | Dandayamana-Bibhaktapada-Paschimotthanasana
Beneftits: This posture is like kryptonite for sciatica! That's because it stretches and strengthens those poor crushed and shriveled sciatic nerves, as well as all the tendons in the legs. Standing Separate Leg Stretching also massages the internal abdominal organs and the small and large intestines, and gives you added flexibility in the pelvis, ankles, hip joints and especially in the last five vertebrae of the spine.
POSTURE #9:
Triangle Pose | Trikanasana
Benefits: What doesn't Triangle do? It improves every single bone, muscle, joint, tendon and internal organ, and it revitalizes nerves, veins and tissues. No other pose increases strength and flexibility in the hips as well as this one, and you can easily feel how it tones the muscles on the sides of your torso, including the obliques and the intercostals. Flexing and strengthening the last five vertebrae in this posture can alleviate crooked spines, as well as rheumatism and lower back pain. Triangle also benefits the heart and lungs, forcing them to work together like an arranged marriage in India. They may not want to be together at first, but they have to be. No choice.
POSTURE #10:
Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose | Dandayamana-Bibhaktapada-Janushirasana
Benefits: Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose trims the abdomen, waistline, hips, buttocks and thighs. It massages and compresses the thyroid gland, which helps to regulate the metabolism and the immune system.
POSTURE #11:
Tree Pose | Tadasana
Benefits: The Tree Pose improves posture and balance and increases the flexibility of the ankles and knees as well as the hip joints. By strengthening the internal oblique muscles, it prevents hernia.
POSTURE #12:
Toe Stand | Padangustasana
Benefits: Toe Stand strengthens the knees and is therapeutic for rheumatism of the knees, ankles, and feet. It also opens up the knee and hip joints, and helps cure hemorrhoid problems. As noted earlier, it develops mental strength as well.
POSTURE #13:
Dead Body Pose | Savasana
Benefits: Savasana facilitates powerful blood flow, then lets circulation return to normal, creating internal cleansing and greatly magnifying the benefits of the postures that precede it. And in Savasana we begin to learn complete relaxation.
POSTURE #14:
Wind-Removing Pose | Pavanamuktasana
Benefits: By pulling the right leg down, you are compressing and massaging the ascending colon. With the left leg, you do the same for the descending colon, and when both legs are glued to the chest you massage the transverse colon and compress the entire digestive system. In addition, this posture strengthens the arms, prevents flatulence, improves hip flexibility, and firms the abdomen and thighs.
POSTURE #15:
Cobra Pose | Bhujangasana
Benefits: Cobra strengthens the lumbar spine, relieving pain and combating slipped or herniated discs, scoliosis and arthritis in that region. But it is also one of the best all-around conditioners we have for the entire body. Other important benefits include improved digestion, relief from menstrual disorders, improved appetite, and raising low blood pressure. Cobra also improves the functioning of the liver and spleen and strengthens the deltoids, trapezius, and triceps muscles in the upper body.
POSTURE #16:
Locust Pose | Salabhasana
Benefits: The Locust pose has many of the same benefits as Cobra, but it is even better for slipped discs and sciatica. It strengthens the upper spine, and the uncomfortable stretching of the arms can actually relieve tennis elbow. Locust can also help with varicose veins in the legs.
POSTURE #17:
Full Locust Pose | Poorna-Salabhasana
Benefits: Full Locust increases strength in the middle spine; it is good for scoliosis, kyphosis, spondylosis and slipped discs. Like the Standing Bow pose, it opens up the rib cage and increases elasticity there. It also firms the abdominal muscles, upper arms, hips and thighs.
POSTURE #18:
Bow Pose | Dhanurasana
Benefits: You'll feel instantly how Bow Pose opens up the rib cage, which allows the lungs to expand more fully. This 360-degree flexion of the spine revitalizes all the spinal nerves by increasing circulation, and strengthens the spine along its entire length. Be-sides helping with all manner of back problems, Bow aids digestion, fights constipation, and combats bronchitis and diabetes while improving the functioning of the large and small intestines, the liver, kidneys and spleen. It also stretches and strengthens the abdominal wall.
POSTURE #19:
Fixed Firm Pose | Supta-Vajrasana
Benefits: Fixed Firm Pose strengthens and improves the flexibility of the lower spine, hips, knees and ankle joints. It increases circulation to the lower limbs, and is therapeutic for lower back pain, sciatica, rheumatism and varicose veins. It also strengthens the psoas muscles and helps prevent hernias. It's beneficial for the spleen-the filter for the lymphatic system-which helps the liver as well as strengthening the entire immune system.
POSTURE #20:
Half Tortoise Pose | Ardha-Kurmasana
Benefits: Aside from enhancing longevity, Tortoise is great for tense necks and shoulders. It also increases blood flow to the brain, which enhances memory and mental clarity. This posture also stretches the lower part of the lungs, which is therapeutic for asthma, and counters indigestion, flatulence, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome. Plus, it increases flexibility of the hip joints.
POSTURE #21:
Camel Pose | Ustrasana
Benefits: Camel Pose creates maximum compression of the spine, which stimulates the nervous system. It also improves flexibility of the neck and spine, relieves backache, and helps degenerative spinal problems such as kyphoscoliotic deformities and cervical spondylosis. By stretching the abdominal organs, Camel helps constipation, and it also stretches the throat and thyroid and parathyroid glands. Like Bow Pose, it opens narrow rib cages to give more space to the lungs. Camel also firms and slims the abdomen and the waistline.
POSTURE #22:
Rabbit Pose | Sasangasana
Benefits: Maximum extension of the spine increases its mobility and elasticity, and does the same for the back muscles. Spinal stretching also expedites the feeding of the nervous system with fresh blood and oxygen. Rabbit Pose relieves tension in the neck, shoulders and back. It helps alleviate colds, sinus problems, and chronic tonsillitis and, through compression of thyroid and parathyroid, rejuvenates those glands as well. Rabbit Pose can also be therapeutic for insomnia, diabetes and depression.
POSTURES #23 AND #24:
Head to Knee Pose and Stretching Pose | Janushirasana and Paschimotthanasana
Benefits: Besides all the stretching I describe above, the combination of Head to Knee Pose and Stretching Pose is also excellent for the immune and lymphatic systems, and increases circulation to the liver, spleen, pancreas, thyroid, thymus and intestines. It improves digestion and is good for allergies and arthritis. Stretching Pose also relieves chronic diarrhea by improving the circulation in the bowels.
POSTURE #25
Spine-Twisting Pose | Ardha-Matsyendrasana
Benefits: This is the only posture that twists the spine from top to bottom, which increases circulation to all the spinal nerves, veins, and tissues, and improves the elasticity of the spine (it also helps open the hip joints). Spine Twisting relieves lower back pain and helps prevent slipped discs, rheumatism of the spine, kyphosis, scoliosis, cervical spondylosis and arthritis. It also calms the nervous system.
SECOND BREATHING EXERCISE AND POSTURE #26:
Blowing in Firm Pose | Kapalbhati in Vajrasana
Benefits: Besides the benefits to the lungs described above, Kapalbhati also strengthens the abdominal organs and increases circulation to them. Blowing in Firm stimulates the digestive system as well.
