Ananda Balasana – Happy Baby Pose.

Ananda Balasana or the Happy Baby Pose is a good hip opener and gives relaxation to the mind. In Sanskrit, Ananda means bliss or happiness, Bala means child and Asana means a pose. Ananda Balasana is a beginner’s pose and can be done by any age group.

How to do Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby Pose)?

1. Lie down on your back and fold your knees. Bring the knees to the belly.
2. Take a deep breath and hold your two feet with your two hands from the outside. If you have difficulty doing this, you may use a strap around your feet.
3. Now slowly push your feet against your hands and try to straighten your legs. You should be able to feel the stretch on your arms. During this process, you can exhale slowly with force.  The lower leg should be at right angles to the thighs. In case you are using a strap, you can get the additional length to further straighten the legs.
4. Bring the thighs together and try to make the tailbone touch the floor. Also, the slight stretch and lower your neck towards the floor as if to make the entire spine to lie in a straight line. If you have difficulty in bringing the thighs together, you may also try this with the legs slightly apart in the beginning.
5. Remain in this position for as long as you are comfortable. Usually, half a minute to a minute is sufficient.
6. To release the pose, bend your knees and lower your legs, releasing the tension in the arms. Remove the hands from the feet and place on the floor on the sides. Lower and bring your legs to the floor and rest in Shavasana. 

Benefits of Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby Pose)

1. This pose can help to open your hamstring muscles.
2. Ananda Balasana is a good hip opener.
3. It gives a good stretch to muscles around the hips and the groins.
4. It can correct minor postural defects of the lower spine as the tailbone is pushed down to touch the ground.
5. After the pose is released, it gives a general sense of relaxation to the lower back and also relaxes your mind.

 Contraindications for Ananda Balasana

1. Avoid this pose if you have any injury to the knees or the hips.
2. Pregnant women should not do this asana.

Anahatasana – Heart Melting Pose.

Anahatasana or the heart-melting pose is soothing to the heart. In Sanskrit, Anahata means the heart and Asana means a pose. It is also known as the half-dog pose and opens up the shoulders. It stimulates the heart center or the Anahata chakra.

How to do Anahatasana (Heart Melting Pose)?

1. Start with the kneeling position or Vajrasana, sitting with hands on the thighs.
2. Exhale and bend forward touching the head to the ground. Slide the hands on the floor in front of you. Move the hands above the head with the palms facing downwards and touching the floor. The entire forearm can be in contact with the floor for support.
3. Raise the hips, while slightly arching the back backward. Try to keep the thighs at 90 degrees to the lower leg as much as possible. This will create a nice arch of the spine.
4. Let the forehead touch the ground.
5. The upper chest can rest on the floor if possible but it is not essential. Do not strain. Remain in your comfort zone while performing asanas.
6. Breathe normally and slowly in this final position. Remain in this position for as long as you are comfortable.
7. To release the position, slide the hands back and come to the child’s pose or Balasana by lowering the hips. You can remain in Balasana, which is a good resting pose for few moments. Come back to the kneeling position and take few slow deep breaths.

Benefits of Anahatasana (Heart Melting Pose)

1. Anahatasana expands the chest and gives a soothing effect on the Anahata Anahata chakra is associated with feelings and emotions. It can release some our blocked emotions and we can feel free of the burdens of the heart.
2. It releases the tensions and creates a sense of well-being in the mind.
3. It opens up the chest and is good for respiratory function.
4. It can make the spine flexible and improves posture.
5. Upper back and the lower back gets a gentle stretch.
6. Anahatasana also helps to open up the shoulders.

Contraindications for Anahatasana

1. Those suffering from any neck, shoulder or knee injury should not do Anahatasana.
2. Those who had any of recent surgery on the back, thighs or knees should avoid this asana.
3. If you have severe knee pain, do not do this pose.
4. Practice this pose preferably on an empty stomach as much as possible. Avoid it after a heavy meal.

Agnistambhasana – Fire Log Pose.

Agnistambhasana or the Fire Log Pose is a good hip opener. In Sanskrit, Agni means fire, Stambha means statue and Asana means a Pose. Agnistambhasana is an easy pose and can be used to improve the flexibility of the hips and groin muscles.

How to do Agnistambhasana (Fire Log Pose)?

1. Sit in any comfortable position on the floor. Keep the legs stretched out.
2. Bend the left knee and place the left leg in front of you.
3. Bend the right knee and place the right leg on top of the left leg. The two legs will look like two logs of wood piled over one another from the front. The two legs will form a triangle along with the hips.
4. Sit straight. Inhale deeply and lengthen the spine. Keep the back and spine straight. Now relax and breathe normally.
5. The hands can be placed on the knees or it can assume a prayer position or Namaskara position with the two palms together.
6. This is the final position. Remain for as long as you are comfortable.
7. There are many variations which use this as the base position. For example, bending forward and placing the hands on the floor is one such variation used for stretching the hip muscles. It is used by practitioners to create a flexible hip and groin muscles. 

Benefits of Agnistambhasana (Fire Log Pose)

1. Agnistambhasana stretches the hip and groin muscles.
2. It can be a good aid for those who want to practice meditative postures like Padmasana for long durations. Forward bends, after assuming Agnistambhasana is used as a preliminary practice to loosen up the hip joints for sitting in Lotus posture. The key point while sitting in Padmasana is that the knee joint should not be stressed. All the bending and flexing should happen at the hips. Else you can injure the knee joint. Hence, Agnistambhasana and its variations are used for creating this flexible hip joints.

Contraindication for Agnistambhasana:

Those who suffer from any hip or knee injury should not do this asana. Also, those with any recent surgeries of the hip or knee should not attempt this pose.

Advasana – The Reverse Corpse Pose.

Advasana or the reverse corpse pose is one of the relaxation asanas in yoga. Advasana is one of the several relaxations poses in Yoga, the practice of which can give deep rest to the body, make your breath steady and in turn calm your mind. The most commonly practiced relaxation asanas are Shavasana, Makarasana, Advasana, Jyestikasana and Matsya Kridasana. This article covers the practice of Advasana.

How to Do Advasana?

1. Lie flat on the stomach with legs straight.
2. Stretch both your hands forward and place it on the ground, touching both sides of the head.
3. Relax all muscles and breathe in a natural and rhythmic manner.
4. Remain in this position for 2-5 minutes or as long as you feel comfortable.

 Benefits of Advasana

1. It is effective for slipped disk and stiffness of the neck.
2. It is a good relaxation pose, especially for correction of stooping back.
3. It can be used a resting pose between asanas.
4. Advasana relaxes the shoulders.

Adho Mukha Svanasana – Downward Facing Dog Pose.

Adho Mukha Svanasana or the downward facing dog pose stretches and straightens the spine. In Sanskrit, Adho means down, Mukha means face and Svana means a dog. This asana or pose has been created by observing dogs. They perform this several times in a day. If you observe your pet dog, you will see how he does this to stretch and relax his spine. Adho Mukha Svanasana is an easy pose that can be done by most practitioners.

How to do Adho Mukha Svanasana?

1. Start with the kneeling position and place your palms on the floor in front of you.
2. Keep the palms spread out on the mat. The knees should be preferably behind the tailbone to get a good stretch in the final downward facing dog pose.
3. Slowly raise your knees and straighten it out. At this point the legs are straight and the weight of the body is supported by the two palms and the feet.
4. Stretch your heels and the thigh muscles while straightening the legs.
5. Tuck your belly in and push the chest slightly towards the floor while straightening the spine.
6. Make sure the heels are touching the floor. This gives a good stretch to the hamstring muscles. If your heels don’t touch the floor in the initial stages, don’t worry. You will definitely be able to do it after few practice sessions.
7. Place your head between the inner-side of the upper arms and look down towards the floor. This is the final pose. Breathe normally in this position. Maintain the position for as long as you are comfortable.
8. To release the pose, come back to the kneeling position and relax your back and arms.
9. Bend forward and assume Balasana or the child’s pose where you are resting on the floor with the arms spread out in front of you. Do this resting pose after performing Adho Mukha Svanasana. Adho Mukha Svanasana is an inverted pose and increases the blood flow to the head region. Balasana is performed to normalize and redistribute the blood in the body.

Benefits of Adho Mukha Svanasana

1. Adho Mukha Svanasana is an inverted pose. It reverses the flow of blood to the head and upper chest region. It nourishes the brain with ample blood supply and can relieve headaches and migraine. It can improve cognition and other brain functions.
2. It gives a good stretch to the spine and the leg muscles. It can relieve pain in upper and lower back.
3. It helps to loosen the hamstring muscles for more flexibility. Make sure the heels touch the floor during the practice. It stretches the hamstring muscles.
4. Adho Mukha Svanasana strengthens the arms and the shoulders.
5. It can relieve anxiety and depression. It is a good relaxation pose.
6. It relieves fatigue and relaxes the whole body.
7. It creates a sense of well-being and boosts confidence.
8. Adho Mukha Svanasana is one of the easiest of the inverted poses. Those who cannot perform the harder inverted pose like the headstand and the shoulder stand can get similar benefits from this simply inverted asanas.

Dandasana – The Staff Pose.

Dandasana or the Staff Pose is a simple sitting pose which forms the starting position for most other sitting yogic postures. In Sanskrit, Danda means a stick or staff and Asana means a pose.

How to do Dandasana (The Staff Pose)?

1. Sit on the floor and stretch your legs in front of you.
2. Place the hands on the sides on the floor.
3. Bring the two legs together with both the feet touching each other.
4. Put slight pressure on the floor with your palms and raise your spine up. The back and the head should be held straight and gaze forward.
5. Flex the feet back so feel a slight tug on the legs muscles.
6. Broaden the chest so that the two shoulder blades are pulled towards each other in the back. If you have a weak back, you may use the support of the wall to do this pose.
7. Push the thighs to the floor and make sure the legs are straight. If your hamstrings are tight, then you may use a blanket under your legs.
8. Breathe normally and maintain this position for as long as you wish.

Benefits of Dandasana (The Staff Pose)

1. Dandasana is a starting pose for most of the other sitting postures. For example, if you want to perform Paschimottanasana or the forward bend pose, you have to start with this asana.
2. It helps to strengthen the muscles of the back and corrects minor postural defects.
3. Perfecting this asana gives you the strength and steadiness to do more advanced yogic poses.
4. The muscles of the chest and abdomen are stretched and strengthened.
5. Maintaining the pose for longer durations can remove stiffness of the lower back muscles.
6. It can improve digestion.
7. It can remove fatigue in the leg muscles.
8. It increases the flexibility of the lower back and hips.

 Contraindications for Dandasana (The Staff Pose)

1. Dandasana is a beginner’s pose. It does not have any known contraindications for a normal healthy person. However, those who suffer from the weak back should try to do this with the support of the wall.
2. Use a blanket under the legs if your hamstrings are too tight.

Mandukasana – The Frog Pose.

Mandukasana or the Frog Pose tones all the organs in the abdomen and is excellent for diabetes. In Sanskrit, Manduka means frog and Asana means a pose. In the final position, the posture resembles a frog. Mandukasana has many variations, but here we mention the most popular version.

How to do Mandukasana (The Frog Pose)?

1. Sit in Vajrasana or the thunderbolt pose. This is the simple kneeling posture.
2. Make a fist with both hands with the thumb tucked inside the four fingers.
3. Place the two fists on the abdomen on both sides of the navel.
4. Exhale and pull the abdomen slightly inside. Slowly bend forward and press the navel with both the fists.
5. Keep the back as straight as possible and look forward in the bend position.
6. Keep the breath outside in this position and maintain it for as long as you are comfortable.
7. To release the pose, inhale and slowly raise the trunk up to kneeling position, bring the hands back to the sides and relax.
8. Repeat this for about 3 – 5 times.

Now let us talk about the benefits of this asana.

Benefits of Mandukasana (The Frog Pose)

1. Mandukasana tones all organs in the abdomen including the stomach.
2. It is good for the pancreas and has beneficial for diabetes.
3. It can relieve constipation.
4. It can reduce extra fat in the belly, waist, and thighs and helps in weight reduction.
5. Mandukasana improves digestive and excretory functions.
6. It gives a good stretch to the back muscles.
7. It can relieve pain in the knees, legs, and ankles.

 Contraindications for Mandukasana (The Frog Pose)

1. Those who have back pain should avoid forward bending asanas in general.
2. Those who have any injury to the knees or hips should avoid doing Mandukasana.
3. Mandukasana should not be done by pregnant women.
4. If you had any recent surgery of the abdomen, chest, knees or legs, then avoid doing this pose

Meditation...

Vakrasana – The Twisted Pose.

Vakrasana or the Twisted Pose makes the spine flexible and removes fat from the waist. In Sanskrit Vakra means twisted and asana is a pose. In Vakrasana, the trunk is twisted to either side and is practiced in the sitting position. It is a good twisting pose for beginners. Those who cannot perform Ardha Matsyendrasana can perform Vakrasana to get similar benefits.

How to do Vakrasana (Twisted Pose)?

1. Sit on the floor with legs stretched out and hands resting on the floor by the side.
2. Bend your left leg with the sole of the feet resting on the floor. Let the right leg remain straight on the floor.
3. Twist your trunk towards the left and bring your right hand over your left leg.
4. Place the right hand over the left toe or you can hold the left ankle with your right hands. Place the left hand behind, to support the weight of the body. The neck is twisted to the left, in line with the trunk.
5. Breathe normally in this position. Maintain this final position for 30 seconds or as long as you are comfortable.
6. To release the pose, release the hands, twist to the right and assume the normal forward-looking position. Bring the hands to the side of the body, resting on the floor. Lower the left leg and let it rest on the floor.
7. Repeat these steps on the right side as well. Do as many rounds as you feel comfortable.
8. Rest in Shavasana after the practice for few minutes.

Benefits of Vakrasana (Twisted Pose)

1. Vakrasana tones all the organs in the abdomen.
2. It improves digestion and removes constipation.
3. It is also good for the liver.
4. It improves the function of the pancreas and is good for diabetes.
5. It gives a good twist to the spine and makes the spine flexible. Those who cannot practice Ardha Matsyendrasana should practice Vakrasana, which is an easier twisting pose.
6. Vakrasana helps to remove the fat around the waist.
7. It improves the functioning of the adrenal glands.
8. Vakrasana helps to remove chronic back and shoulder pain.

 Contraindications for Vakrasana (Twisted Pose)

1. Those suffering from any injury of the hips, shoulders, and neck should not do this asana.
2. Vakrasana should not be attempted by those who have undergone any recent surgery of the thorax, abdomen or the hips.

Air Squats.

1. Place your feet at shoulder width apart while keeping your chest up and your abdominals braced.
2. Begin the movement by swinging your arms up towards your shoulders. At the same time, bend at the knees and drive your hips back like you’re sitting in a chair.
3. Once your upper thighs are parallel to the ground, pause, then drive your hips forward to return to the starting position.

Clamshell Exercise – For Stronger Gluteus Medius Muscle.

Clamshell Exercise – For Stronger Gluteus Medius Muscle

A great exercise to strengthen your glute medius for everyone is the clamshell exercise. 

The keys to doing this properly;

1. Make sure that the bottom of your feet and your butt are in line.

2. Slowly raise the top leg and lower the top leg while keeping your feet together.

3. Stack your hips directly on top of each other. Focus on your glute medius while doing these.

Perform this exercise 20 reps on each side.

Short Foot Exercise.

About the Short Foot Exercise

The short foot exercise is a technique recommended by Czech physiologist and postural expert Vladimir Janda, MD to build strength and endurance in the muscles that support the arch.

The short foot exercise primarily strengthens the abductor hallucis muscle, an important dynamic stabilizer of the foot. Research has shown that the abductor hallucis muscle is also a dynamic elevator of the medial arch, meaning that strengthening the muscle may reduce or eliminate the collapsing of the arch associated with flat feet.

While the original exercise was described as being performed in a sitting position, a recent study demonstrated that muscle activity of the abductor hallucis is much greater than when the exercise was performed from a single-leg standing position as measured by EMG.

Observe if your arch flattens out and if the foot becomes longer. The weaker the intrinsic muscles (a group of muscles located deeper in the foot), the more action you will see. The main idea of the exercise is to make your foot shorter through a higher arch. Do not curl your toes or turn your foot outward! You will be very tempted to do so when you feel that you have no control over the correct muscles. Focus and look for them. Once you find how to control them, practice any time you have a moment of standing. Shorten your foot, elongate. Shorten, elongate. Always keep your metatarsals down on the floor.

How to perform the short foot exercise:

Step 1: Sit in a chair with both feet placed flat on the floor

Step 2: Raise the arch of your foot by sliding your big toe toward your heel without curling your toes or lifting your heel

Step 3: Hold the position for 6 seconds then relax and repeat for the recommended number of set and repetitions. Variations can be performed by moving the feet farther away from you or turning the foot inward or outward to challenge the muscles from different positions.

Step 4: Once you feel comfortable performing the short foot movement you can gradually progress to performing the exercise while standing and then eventually from a single-leg standing position.

When mastering this exercise:

You will improve the control over your intrinsic feet muscles, which will help to create a more stable base of support for your legs, hips and the entire body. The exercise can be difficult in the beginning, because you won’t be able to find or control those muscles. With little practice, you will be able to do it any time and in progressively more difficult exercises.