How can you start doing yoga at home?

You can do yoga at home by finding a space in which to practice, getting the necessary equipment, learning basic poses and setting aside time every day.The only equipment needed for yoga is a yoga mat. A block, a strap and a blanket can also be used. 

There are many ways to learn the basic yoga poses and stretches, including online, through books, DVDs or live instruction. The yoga practitioner can create his own routine or follow along to a video or audio routine. Consistency is the most important aspect of practicing yoga at home. The practitioner should set aside a realistic amount of time every day. Yoga is a good activity to start the day as it is relaxing.

A beginner should start with short sessions of 10 to 15 minutes. The amount of time can be increased as the practitioner settles into a routine and discovers his inner rhythms. As he progresses, he can tailor the routine to his specific needs. Occasional live yoga classes are a useful addition to a home routine, as a qualified instructor can correct mistakes and teach new poses. Adding a friend or family member to a home routine helps keep both people motivated.

What are the benefits of prenatal yoga?

According to the Huffing ton Post, prenatal yoga not only lowers stress levels but contributes to an overall healthier pregnancy. Prenatal yoga relies on gentle exercises that focus on building strength, stamina and flexibility in preparation for childbirth. Many exercises also help to relieve tension, in the lower back, that builds up due to the growing weight of the infant.

The primary benefit of prenatal yoga is to reduce stress and teach awareness of the body. Focusing on deep breathing exercises and meditation helps expectant mothers decompress. As Fit Pregnancy points out, prenatal yoga reduces the risk of prenatal depression, improves sleep and decreases back pain and nausea. Prenatal yoga has also been shown to reduce the risk of preterm labor and intrauterine growth restriction. The Mayo Clinic also points out that prenatal yoga classes can be used as a social outlet to meet and socialize with other expecting mothers.

The Mayo Clinic recommends avoiding more intense yoga styles like Bikram which can cause hypothermia, instead advising pregnant women to focus on yoga specifically designed for them. As always, it is important to stay cool and hydrated while exercising. Pregnant women should also avoid certain poses that put pressure on their abdomens, asking instructors to provide modifications of poses if necessary.

Paschimottanasana (Forward Bend Pose) Benefits

“Paschima” means your “back” and “Uttana” means “stretching“. This asana covers the stretching of the whole body from head to heels so it is called as Paschimottanasna.

Benefits of Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend Pose)

1. It acts as a stress reliever.
2. Reduces fatty deposits in the abdomen.
3. Remove anxiety, anger and irritability.
4. Calms the mind.
5. Stretches the spine and brings flexibility.
6. Good for constipation and digestive disorder.
7. Useful for increasing height.
8. Regular practice cure impotency and enhance the sexual power.
9. Tones the abdominal pelvic organs.
10. Balance the menstrual cycles.
11. This asana is recommended especially for women after delivery.

Steps for Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend Pose)

1. Sit down straight with your legs together by stretching in front of you. keep your head neck and spine erect
2. .Place the palms on your respective knees.
3. Now bend your head and trunk slowly forward to catch the toes with the thumb, index and middle fingers without bending knees.
4. Take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Try to touch your head to your both knees as shown in above image.
5. Bend the arm and try to touch the elbow on the floor.
6. Exhale completely and holding out your breath stay in this posture for a few seconds.
7. After few seconds slowly return to your starting position.
8. breathe normally.
9. Repeat this for 3-4 times.

Precautions for Forward Bend Pose

1. Pregnant women should not practice Paschimottanasana.
2. Person suffering from slip disc or sciatica problem, asthma should avoid Paschimottanasana.
3. Ulcer patient should not practice.

Dhanurasana – Bow Pose Yoga Benefits

Dhanurasana is very effective in weight loss program. It is a basic posture of Hatha yoga. In this exercise our body pose look like the shape of the Dhanush (bow). So it is called as Dhanurasana in Sanskrit. It helps to reduce belly fat fast. It Strengthens ankles, thighs, groins, chest and abdominal organs and spinal cord.

Steps for Dhanurasana (Bow pose)

1. Lie on the ground (on stomach) facing downwards.
2. Relax completely with 2-3 breaths.
3. Inhale slowly and starts bending your legs backwards and catch the ankles with the hands as shown in the above image.
4. You will see that your body is now in the shape of a bow.
5. In this position your whole weight will come on your abdomen. Only your stomach and pelvic area will touch the ground.
6. Hold this position for few 15-20 seconds and continue taking a deep breath. You can increase the time after practicing this.
7. Now after 15-20 seconds exhale slowly and come back to starting position.
8. Repeat this cycle for 4- 5 times daily.

Benefits of Dhanurasana

• Effective in weight loss.Improves digestion and appetite.
• Helps to cure dyspepsia (obesity), rheumatism and gastrointestinal problems.
• Cures constipation.
• Improves blood circulation.
• Gives flexibility to the back.
• Strengthens back muscles.
• Improve the function of liver, pancreas, small intestine and big intestine.
• Act as a stress reliever.
• Strengthens ankles, thighs, groins, chest, and abdominal organs.
• Cure menstruation disorder.
• Improve function of kidney and liver.
• It improves posture.
• Releases back pain.
• Cures respiratory disorder like asthama.
• Helpful is stimulating reproductive organs.
• Improve function of the pancreas and it is beneficial in diabetes.

Precaution for Dhanurasana

• The person suffering from high blood pressure, back pain, hernia, headache, migraine or abdomen surgery should not do practice dhanurasana.
• Ladies should not practice yoga during pregnancy and in periods.

Supta Vajrasana (Reclined Thunderbolt Pose), procedure and benefits

In Sanskrit, supta (सुप्त) means ‘reclined‘, Vajra means ‘thunderbolt‘ and asana means ‘posture’. This is mainly useful in improving the digestive system and boosting our stamina.

Although there are 14 variations in this supta vajrasana, practicing one and mastering it is enough to tone your body.

Supta Virasana is a reclined version of Vajrasana where the upper body reclines backwards, so that the back rests on the floor. The arms rest on the floor to either side of the trunk, with the palms facing up.
Its is also known as ‘Supta Virasana (Reclined Hero Pose)‘ and has minor variations like Eka Pada Supta Vajrasana (One-Legged Reclining Fixed Firm Pose) or Ardha Supta Vajrasana (Half Reclined Fixed Firm Pose) involves one leg folded under the body while the other is being streched.
It is also practice in combination with ‘Pavan Muktasana‘ for improving the complete digestive system and intenstines.

Steps to practice Supta Vajrasana

• Sit in vajrasana. Placing the palms on the floor beside the buttocks, fingers pointing to the front
• Slowly bend back, placing the right forearm and the elbow on the ground and then the left.
• Bring the crown of the head to the ground while arching the back. Place the hands on the thighs.
• Try to keep the lower legs in contact with the floor. If necessary, separate the knees.
• Make sure that you are not overstraining the muscles and ligaments of the legs.
• Close the eyes and relax the body. Breathe deeply and slowly in the final position.
• Release in the reverse order, breathing in and taking the support of the elbows and the arms raise the head above the ground.
• Then shift the body weight on the left arm and elbow by sliding the body, then slowly coming to the starting position.
• Never leave the final position by straightening the legs first; It may dislocate the knee joints.

Breathing: Deep, slow and soundless breath.
Concentration: On the lower back, abdomen or breath.
Repeat the above process for 3-5 times and increase it to 8-10 times as you master it.

Health Benefits of Supta Vajrasana

• It massages the abdominal organs alleviating digestive ailments and constipation.
• It tones the spinal nerves, makes the back flexible and realigns rounded shoulders. The nerves in the neck, the thyroid and parathyroid glands are particularly stimulated.
• The ribcage is stretched and expanded fully, which helps to fill the lungs to its piaximum capacity and bringing more oxygen into the system.
• It enhances courage and confidence level in the personality.
• It is beneficial for those suffering from asthma, bronchitis and other lung ailments.
• It loosens up the legs and strengthens them in preparation for sitting in meditation asanas.
• It enhances creativity and intelligence as it increases the circulation in the brain.
• This asana stretches the back muscles and separates the individual vertebrae from each other, releasing pressure on the discs.
• Often nerve connections emanating from the spinal cord are squeezed by these discs, giving rise to various forms of backache. This posture helps to relieve this problem and encourages the discs to resume their correct position.
• It regulates the functioning of the adrenal glands.
• It tones the pelvic muscles and the sciatic nerves and is beneficial for women who have an underdeveloped pelvis.
• It helps to alleviate disorders of both the male and female reproductive organs.
• Regular practice relieves constipation.
• It helps to eliminate anger, aggression and relax the mind, similar to Shashankasana (Rabbit Pose)

Precautions : 

Should not practice in case of very high blood pressure, slipped disc or those who suffer from vertigo.

Pregnant women or undergoing mestruation cycle or if having knee injuries or surgery, should avoid supta vajrasana.

Yoga after Pregnancy to reduce Tummy and for Weight Loss

Giving birth to a child is the most memorable moment in a woman’s life.
But, most mothers spend all their time in taking care of the baby and neglect their own health.The most neglected part is their tummy, which was stretched during 9 months of pregnancy and doesn’t go back completely.

There are few Yogasanas, which can take you back into your pre-pregnancy form.

Check with your physician and start practicing these asanas 3 months after delivery.

Yoga Asanas to reduce tummy and fat after delivering a child

Tiger Pose (Vyaghrasana) :

Come down to all fours on yoga mat.
Fold one leg in crouching position (with knees bent and upper body forward and downwards). Now, straighten the leg and then bring it back in the folded position.
Repeat this process by folding other leg.
On each leg, perform this Asana 10 times.
Benefits of Vyaghrasana : It helps in toning the lower body (below waist)

Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) :

Refer to Trikonasana article and practice it 10 times.
Benefits of Trikonasana : It removes fat deposits from the waist and hip areas.

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) :

Refer to Bhujangasana article and practice it 10 times.
Benefits of Bhujangasana : This cobra pose cures back pain caused by carrying weight during pregnancy and also strengthens spine.

By practicing the above yogasanas everyday, new mothers can regain their body shape back within a month or two.
Most important is that they don’t have to go on a crash diet to reduce post-pregnancy tummy and fat.
They can take all nutritious food needed for their recovery and baby’s milk and still lose fat.
These asanas even help tighten the skin and remove post-pregnancy stretch marks (singular stria).

Ardha Matsyendrasana Benefits and Precautions

Ardha Matsyendrasana (Sanskrit: अर्धमत्स्येन्द्रासन), Half Lord of the Fishes Pose, Half Spinal Twist Pose or Vakrasana is an asana that usually appears as a seated spinal twist with many variations, and is one of the twelve basic asanas in many systems of Hatha Yoga.

This asana is named after the great yogi Matsyendranath (9th century Yoga guru who founded Hatha Yoga).
The name comes from the Sanskrit words ardha meaning “half“, matsya meaning “fish“,eendra meaning “king“, andasana (आसन ) meaning “posture” or “seat“.
The name Vakrasana comes from the Sanskrit “Vakra” (‘twisted or reverse‘).

This is one of the few poses in the Basic Session that rotates the spine. Most bend the spinal column either backward or forward, but to become truly flexible it must be twisted laterally as well. The movement also tones the spinal nerves and ligaments, and improves the digestion. The Half-Spinal Twist or Ardha Matsyendrasana, taught here, has similar benefits, and prepares the body for the Full Pose (Sukhasana).
Keep your spine erect and your shoulders level in the position and breaths steadily, twisting a little more each time you exhale. Twist first to the left, as below, then repeat the sequence twisting to the right.

Ardha Matsyendrasana Pose Steps :

• Kneel down with your legs together, resting on your heels.Then sit to the right of your feet as illustrated below.
• Lift your left leg over your right, placing the foot against the outside of the right knee. Bring your right heel in close to your buttocks. Keep the spine erect.
• Stretch your arms out to the sides at shoulder level, and twist around to the left.
• Now bring the right arm down on the outside of the left knee and hold the left foot in the right hand, placing your left hand on the floor behind you. Exhaling, twist as far as possible to the left. Look over the left shoulder.

Ardha Matsyendrasana Benefits and Precautions : 

Benefits :

• Increase hips and spine flexibility.Removes the wastes and improves digestion
• Stimulate heart, kidneys, liver, spleen and lungs.
• Open the neck, hips and shoulders.
• Relieve fatigue, sciatica, backache and menstrual discomfort.
• Clean the internal organs.
• Releases excess toxins and heat from tissues and organs.
• Energizes and stretches the backbone.

Precautions :

• Should be avoided during pregnancy and menstruation due to the strong twist in the abdomen.
• People with Heart, abdominal or brain surgeries should not practice this asana.
• Care should be taken for those with peptic ulcer or hernia.
• Those with severe spinal problems should avoid and those with mild slipped disc can benefit but in severe cases it should be avoided.