Weight Loss
Yoga poses twist the body, and twisting massages the pancreas and adrenal and thyroid glands, boosting blood flow and improving organ function.
But maybe you don't want to relax. You want an intense workout.
One session of Bikram yoga — the equivalent of exercising in Death Valley — will leave even the toughest guys whimpering.
Studios heat up so you can sweat the pounds off. A person can burn up to 600 calories during a 90-minute session.
But Bikram needs a caveat, says Kristen Dollard, editor of iyogalife.com. You're primarily losing water weight and might overstretch in the warm temperature. Repeating a series of the same 26 poses will make you good at them but also ignore some muscles. Make sure to combine yoga with cardio or resistance training.
Use these poses as complements to your workouts.
Triangle Pose
Stand with legs wide. Open arms so they are parallel with the floor. Turn right foot to face forward and turn back foot to a 45-degree angle. Reach down and grab right shin, bringing left arm up. Arms should stack in one vertical line. Stack entire body on one plane (as if you're between two glass panes) to engage upper thighs. Breathe slowly before coming up. Step with your left foot forward, then repeat on the other side.
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Bow Pose
Lying on belly, bend knees and bring them hip-width apart. Reach back and grab the tops of feet or ankles. When you inhale, press back through legs as you lift your thighs and chest off the floor. Press feet back into your hands, drop chin to your chest, and breathe deeply. Release and repeat. (adapted from iyogalife.com)
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First and foremost, straighten up! Hunching over when you run makes you lose up to 30 percent of your lung capacity. A simple backbend will ease breathing and improve posture.
Yoga also loosens chronically tight areas, like hamstrings and hips. Realign your body and release tension from connective tissue with these stretches.
Fish Pose with Legs in Cobbler
Reverse natural forward curvature and open up your throat and chest. Your airways will thank you for it.
Lie on back and slide arms behind the back, palms down, and rest hands under buttocks. Press forearms into floor and keep elbows together. Arch chest up and look forward. Tilt head back and gently rest it on the floor. Lift out of lower back and push breastbone up.
To stretch your inner thighs with Cobbler, bend knees, bow legs out to your sides, and place the soles of feet together.
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Hero Pose
If you've got bad knees, prop yourself up for a gentler version to stretch your thighs.
Kneel on a mat or blanket. Bring knees together and spread heels slightly wider than hips,keeping the tops of feet on the floor. Exhale and lower butt to the floor between heels, using your arms for support. If this is uncomfortable, sit on a yoga block or folded blankets. Place hands on thighs and hold for up to 20 breaths. (from Women's Health)
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Strengthen Your Core
Develop abominable abdominals — crunch-free. Making your core more powerful means your posture and balance benefit. Try these moves.
Boat Pose
Sitting on the mat, with sit bones grounded, press ankles together, lift shins parallel to the floor, and lean back at a 45-degree angle, keeping back straight. Straighten legs all the way without collapsing your belly. Extend arms forward, palms up. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths. (from YogaLife)
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Twisting Prayer Lunge
From a lunge position with right knee bent and stacked over right foot, extend left leg behind you. Bring hands, with palms in prayer position, to the center of chest. When you inhale, slowly twist to the right, resting your left elbow on your right thigh. Do not collapse the side of the body onto the thigh. Pull the belly in but continue to breathe. Stay for 5 breaths before switching sides. (adapted from iyogalife.com)
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