5 Yoga poses -Combating sedentary life style

For most of us a sedentary life style is sometime the order of the day, at-least for me. I spend my good 8-9 hours sitting at my desk.  Have you heard sitting is the next smoking. We don’t realize it now or may be realize little bit, when we feel that acute back pain.Does that mean our jobs are slowly killing us? Can be, I can’t change the way I work, at least for now.So why not follow a set of poses once back from work or during work (if you have that cabin where nobody bothers you).

Before practicing the poses, the rules of the game remain the same:

• A gap of 3-4 hours before practice
• Pregnant ladies should avoid these poses
• High blood pressure people should practice asana under guidance of Yoga teacher

Once you reach home, you can have your cup of tea and then hit the yoga mat. Don’t have a mat yet then hit your living room’s carpet.

Here are the 5 poses to combat the sedentary life style

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Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Adho: Downward
Mukha : Face
Svana :Dog
Combine together: Downward-Facing Dog

A holistic yoga pose that stretches your entire body especially shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches, hands. It relieves from the back pain. It rejuvenates your body and calms the mind. It increases circulation towards the brain.Also, best for sedentary life style people. 

How to perform:

• Sitting on your heels, lower your head on the mat, now stretch your arms forward. Try to come on your fours making a table pose.
• You can also directly start with coming to your fours and then making a table and then inverted V pose.
• Now push your hands and straighten your legs.
• Now extend your pelvic bones up and heels down.
• Looking at your navel, take deep breaths, hold the pose for 30-60 seconds.

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Mountain Pose(Tadasana)

Tada : Mountain
Asana : Pose
Combine together: Mountain Pose

It is also called Samasthiti in Sanskrit. Sama means upright, straight and Sthiti means still.

This asana helps in reducing the back pain. It tones and strengthens knees, back, arms, and thighs. Also works on our core stomach muscles.

How to perform

• Stand erect with feet together, heels and toes touching together. Stretch the toes flat on the floor.
• Pull the knee caps up and tighten the knees. Contract the hips. Pull up the muscles at the back of the thighs.
• Pull out the chest forward, spine stretched up, stomach in and neck straight.
• Try to distribute the whole body weight evenly on both the feet.
• You can keep the hands at the sides of the legs, keeping the fingers together and pointing downward or can raise them up over the head.
• In case you raise your hands, then inhale while doing so.
• Breathe normally (slow and deep) while in the pose.
• Maintain the pose as long as you can with slow and deep breathing.

 Click here to get a detailed view of the asana.

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Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana)

Ut :Powerful, intense
Tana :Upright
Asana: Pose
Combining both Uttana means “intense stretch”

It is one of the perfect asanas to stretch yourself. It stretches your hamstring and back. It calms your mind, improves your digestion, helps in relieving headaches.

 How to perform

• Stand in Mountain Pose or Tadasana.
• Inhale and raise your arms taking them over your head.
• Exhale and gently bend down from the hips.
• Bring your arms forward so that they can touch the floor. If possible, you can bring your palms to the floor or hold your heels from behind. .
• In case you are not able to touch, you can slightly bend your knees.
• Stay there for 30 seconds to a minute.
• While in pose, gently inhale and exhale.
• Come out of the pose by inhaling as you go up and stand in Tadasana or Mountain Pose

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Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

Bhujang :Cobra or Snake.
Asana : posture or pose.
Combining together Cobra Pose

This asana has got its name from the posture snake makes while raising its hood.

Cobra pose tones abdomen. It strengthens the entire back and the shoulders. Best asana to reduce stress.Also, best for people with sedentary life style.

How to perform

• Lie on your stomach (face down),your toes should be flat touching the floor and your chin touching the ground
• Make sure your legs are close together and heels and feet should be touching each other
• Now place your palms near to your shoulders, close to your body
• Inhale and slowly lift your head, then chest and finally abdomen while keeping navel on the floor
• Pull your torso backwards and try to use mostly in your back to lift you.
• Now tilt your chin upwards and lift your chest towards the ceiling.
• If possible, you can straighten your hands.
• Try to hold the pose for five full breaths if possible.
• Otherwise do as much you can or release the pose and bring back your head, chest and abdomen.

Click here to get a detailed view of the asana.

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Half Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)

Eka : One
Pada: Leg
Raja : King
Kapota: Pigeon
Asana : Pose
Combining together : One Leg King Pigeon pose

It helps in removing the lower back pain. It helps in improving the flexibility of the hips.

How to perform

• Start on all fours (legs + arms) in a squared table pose.Now Slide your right knee forward between your hands. Now try to slide your right foot slightly towards the left.
• Now slowly move your left leg towards the back. While doing this, your hips will move towards the ground.
• Now press your palms on the ground. All fingers touching the ground.
• Inhale, stretch your spine and try to look at the roof(slightly head up)
• Exhale and try to press your hips to the floor. Keep your chest straight and drop your shoulders down and pull them back.

Click here to get a detailed view of the asana.

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Try these asanas either in morning or in evening. These  will help you relieve from your back pain. A healthy body is a promise to a healthy life. Let me know what tips you follow to combat your sedentary life style.

 Till then Happy Practicing.