The beauty of yoga is that there is a whole myriad of poses to suit everybody out there. We’re all unique and need something different on any given day coming to our mat.
But there are some poses that are just so delicious that the team at LIV would recommend incorporating them into your everyday life.
So whether you’ve got time to change into your jazzy activewear and find space to roll out a mat in your makeshift self-isolation yoga studio, or whether you’ve just snuck five minutes out of your workday to make time for your physical and mental health, try these five beauties out and see how you feel at the end of the week.
Remember – if you have any pre-existing injuries or conditions you should consult your healthcare professional before trying yoga and if you feel any pain, come out of the pose straight away.
You can click on the links below to take you through to Yoga Journal, who have amazing descriptions of how to safely come into and out of each pose in case you’ve never tried them before. Don’t be afraid to modify any of the poses to suit your body. Props like cork bricks and blankets can always help if certain parts of you are feeling a bit tight or uncomfortable to start with.
Research has proved yoga is amazing for the mind, body and soul so take a deep breath and dive right into some well-deserved you time.
A gentle forward fold which is great for when you want to feel grounded and a tasty stretch through the back and hips.
2. Cat (Marjaryasana) / Cow (Bitilasana)
Move from cat into cow and back again as you wake up your spine and feel energised. You can even bring in some hip circles if you’re feeling a bit tight from sitting down all day.
3. Seated forward bend (Paschimottanasana)
This can be super nice for an aching back and you can bend or straighten your knees as much as you want to increase or decrease the stretch through the backs of your legs too.
4. Legs up the wall (Viparita Karani)
A wonderful inversion to rest the heart and get the blood flowing in a different way. It might ease some lower back pain and will most probably make you feel rested and relaxed.
5. Reclining bound angle (Supta Baddha Konasana)
A lovely alternative to Corpse Pose (Savasana) if you want to open up your hips and groin while lying back relaxing on the floor and letting the calming energy wash over you.
If you are new to yoga and want to learn more at home, there are some great online resources out there. LIV recommends Yoga International as your first port of call (they usually offer a free trial period so you can try out some of their classes and see if you like them first).