Body & beauty

Yoga poses for stress

Try this yoga flow to build inner and outer strength

Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

It’s important to feel relaxed from the word go, so when you’re ready, step your feet together at the top part of the mat with your toes and inner heels touching or as close together as possible. Ground down through all four corners of your feet to make a true connection with the floor, engage your thighs and smoothly roll the hips forward. Take this opportunity to draw your belly in towards your spine and with your arms resting alongside your body. Relax your shoulders, make sure your chin is parallel with the floor and send your gaze forward. You are now ready to begin to your gentle practice of yoga.

Warrior 1 simple variation

On a deep inhalation, step your right leg back as far as it will go comfortably, placing your heel on to the floor and opening your toes towards the front corner of the mat. Your back leg should be straight and your front knee should be bent to a 90 degree angle. Ensure your hips are facing forward, parallel with the front of the mat and your belly is drawn in towards your spine. Place the hands in prayer at the centre of the chest, thumbs resting onto your chest and relax your shoulders away from the ears. Exhale to ease into the lovely posture.

Warrior 1

If and only when, you feel comfortable, one option following the ‘simple’ variation of Warrior is to extend both of your arms up slowly alongside your ears, palms facing inwards with the fingertips reaching towards the ceiling. Stretch as much as is comfortable and this move will open up your chest and core area. It’s a wonderful position if you feel like you have been hunched over your desk all day or if your posture hasn’t been the greatest. You will feel the benefits immediately and the light pressure on your legs will help to strengthen them without too much weight bearing down.

Triangle transition

1. On an inhalation, straighten your front leg, open your body to the side, bringing your arms slowly down and in line with your shoulders.

2. At this stage, your chest will be fully open and flexed fingertips should be reaching towards opposite directions.

3. Your hips should be beautifully opened, facing the long edge of your mat and your heels should be in one line.

4. Ensure your toes of the front foot are pointing towards the top of the mat, while the toes of the back foot are opened towards the long edge of the mat.

Triangle pose

1. Inhale as you hinge your body forward from the hip to create some extra length and exhale to place the front hand on to your shin and gently reach your back hand towards the sky revolving the chest open for triangle pose.

2. Make sure the shoulders are stacked in one line and if your neck allows it, send the gaze towards the fingertips. It’s important to modify this move so that it suits you and your body.

3. Listen to what your body is telling you, and if you can’t make the move, stop and try again tomorrow. Ensure that calm breathing is practiced throughout.

Triangle with block (optional)

1. If you’re new to yoga and feeling stiff and uncomfortable, triangle pose is absolutely still an option, but choose to use a block if you need extra support.

2. In this picture you can see that a block has been used underneath the palm to support the alignment of the body so that the correct posture for triangle pose is achieved. Finish this sequence by uncurling and going back to mountain pose.

Antonia Hruscovschi from Myga-Yoga.com takes Natural Health magazine through some easy postures that flow perfectly together and can be done each day – whether as a novice or practicing yogi.