Knees Poses
Stretch! An Illustrated Step-By-Step Guide To 90 Slimming Yoga Postures by Nika Florek
Child’s Pose
Instructions:
- kneel on the floor, touch your big toes together and sit in between your heels, (you can separate the knees)
- inhale, look up and stretch the back
- exhale, bend forward bringing the chest to the thighs and forehead on the floor
- bring your hands to the back and lay them down on the floor next to the hips (option: you can bring the hands in the front of the body as far as you can reach)
- hold this position for 5 long breaths, relax
- inhale, raise your head and trunk up
- exhale, release the pose
Precautions:
- People having diarrhea or knee injury should avoid this pose.
Benefits:
- gently stretching the hips, thighs and ankles
- itʼs a restorative posture, it helps you relax, calm down, relieve stress and fatigue
- restoring balance in the body and releasing tension in the back, shoulders, and chest
- practice it after Sun Salutations and in between sequences
Cat Stretch
Instructions:
- sit down in Thunderbolt Pose, raise the buttocks and stand on the knees
- lean forward and place the hands flat on the floor beneath the shoulders with the fingers facing forward
- the hands should be in line with the knees; the arms and thighs should be perpendicular to the floor
- do not bend the arms at the elbows, keep the arms and thighs vertical throughout
- inhale, raise the head and depress the spine
- exhale, arch your back, bring the chin to the chest
- repeat this movement for 10 times
Precautions:
- Be careful with your knees and neck
Benefits:
- improving the flexibility of the neck, shoulders and spine
- toning the digestive system muscles
- massaging to the spine and abdominal organs
Alternate Leg-Hand Balance
Instructions:
- sit down in Thunderbolt Pose, raise the buttocks and stand on the knees
- lean forward and place the hands flat on the floor beneath the shoulders with the fingers facing forward
- the hands should be in line with the knees; the arms and thighs should be perpendicular to the floor
- inhale, raise the left hand and right leg up, parallel to the floor
- balance the body, look forward
- hold the pose for 5 breaths
- exhale, release the left hand and right leg
- repeat on the other side
Precautions:
- People with knees or lower back problems should avoid this practice.
Benefits:
- improving the flexibility of the spine and lower back
- toning and shaping the abdominal muscles
- slimming effect on thighs, buttocks and arms
Tiger Pose
Instructions:
- assume the starting position for Cat Stretch and look forward
- inhale, depress the back, straighten the left leg, stretch it up to the back and look upwards
- exhale, bend the left knee and swing the leg forward, bring the knee as close as possible to the forehead
- repeat the movement 5 times
- practice on the other side
Precautions:
- People with recent or chronic injuries of the back, hips or knees should avoid this posture
Benefits:
- exercising and loosening the back by bending it alternately in both directions, toning the spinal nerves
- relieving sciatica and loosening up the legs and hip joints
- stretching the abdominal muscles,
- promoting digestion and stimulating blood circulation
- reducing weight from the hips and thighs
Downward Facing Dog
Instructions:
- assume the starting position for Cat Stretch and look forward
- inhale, raise your hips up and lower the head between the arms so that the back and legs form two sides of a triangle
- keep the knees and hands straight, gaze on the floor
- push the heels and head towards the floor
- hold the pose for 5 breaths
- release the pose, relax in the Childʼs Pose
Precautions:
- People with diarrhea, headache, high blood pressure or carpel tunnel syndrome should not practice this posture
Benefits:
- calming the brain and relieving stress
- energizing the body
- stretching the arms, shoulders, hamstrings and calfs
- slimming effect on arms and legs
- improving digestion, relieving headache, insomnia, back pain and fatigue
Raised Leg Downward Facing Dog
Instructions:
- from the Downward Facing Dog inhale, raise your left leg up, as high as possible, keep it straight
- press the palms evenly into the floor, keep the elbows straight and move the chest towards the right thigh
- push the right heel towards the floor, look down
- hold the posture for 5 breaths
- exhale, release the left leg to Downward Facing Dog and repeat on the other side
Precautions:
People with high blood pressure, diarrhea, headache or back condition especially slipped disc should not practice this asana.
Benefits:
- strengthening the nerves and muscles in the limbs and back
- stretching, toning and shaping leg muscles and ligaments
- slimming effect on arms and legs
- improving digestion, relieving headache, insomnia, back pain and fatigue