Category Exercise

It may seem absurdly contradictory for the word “warrior” to be associated with a gentle fitness discipline like Hatha Yoga. However, it is not the extreme belligerence or even ferocious cruelty that is connected to a fighter that is advocated or implied in the Warrior Pose.

In Hatha Yoga, we have the Warrior Pose, also known as Virabhadra’s Pose (Virabhadra is a “super-being,” a Spiritual Warrior), to remind practitioners of the need to cultivate a strong dislike for self-ignorance.

Of the Hatha Yoga poses, it can be said that the Warrior Pose is among those which strongly nurture the importance of having a clear mind and a strong body to achieve a high spiritual level.

Qualities of the Warrior Pose

In the article that discussed the four basic yoga poses, it was clarified how there is nothing even remotely threatening about the warrior pose…

Does this sound more like what you were expecting, or does the sound of this basic Hatha Yoga pose raise your hackles? Whatever your initial reaction may be, you will find out once you practice this pose that there is nothing even remotely threatening about it. As far as basic yoga poses go, the Warrior pose is meant for making your arms, shoulders, thighs, muscles of the back, as well as your ankles, stronger, thereby putting you in the right groove for further fitness development.

The truth behind this statement can be proven in the extensiveness of body parts toward which this pose can prove beneficial, from the head to the feet:

• Neck
• Shoulders
• Lungs
• Chest
• Back
• Abdomen
• Groin
• Thighs
• Legs
• Ankles

The Warrior Pose takes care of the body’s welfare, to allow you to be able to concentrate more fully on your main task at hand; the arousal of knowledge and wisdom, and the strengthening of your spirituality.

Demonstration of the Hatha Yoga Warrior Pose

Benefits of the Warrior Pose

• Mental – fuller concentration and higher levels of determination
• Physical – expands chest and lungs, stretches neck and shoulders, develops back muscles, and makes the thighs, legs and feet stronger
• Spiritual – develops endurance of spirit

Safety Alert

The Warrior Pose is not recommended for people who have cardiovascular problems, hypertension, and preexisting shoulder and neck problems. Preexisting problems should be cleared only upon the advice of a medical doctor. Of course, that goes for any of the poses discussed in this Hatha Yoga guide.

That wraps up this section on the “Warrior Pose” so be sure to head over to our home page and subscribe to the MyFitnessNut.com Newsletter to get access to the video above as well as 69 other Hath Yoga pose videos and get started with these postures. Next, we’ll dive into doing “Chair Yoga Poses” and open your mind to obtaining more stability in your life.

There’s a natural high that comes from dedicated running, and this is due to the production and release of endorphins that can alter your mood and make you feel extremely happy. That’s why many runners push themselves to the limit, and even beyond, to fully enjoy the highly pleasurable effects that come during and after exertion.

But the thing is, too much pushing can lead to physical problems – pulled muscles, cramped nerves, exhaustion, to name but a few. That’s where yoga for runners can step in to prevent such problems from occurring.

Yoga for Runners: The Need for Speed

While not all runs are competitive, runners for the most part, often feel a need for speed. That’s why there are runners who ask how something that’s relatively slow and gentle like Hatha Yoga can benefit people like them who thrive on the adrenaline rush that comes from a strenuous and fast-paced activity like running.

The fact is, there isn’t really much of a contradiction to begin with. That’s because even the most well-conditioned and professional runners still have to contend with the limitations of their physical bodies.

Everything involved in running, every part of your body that receives an impact when you run can get damaged over time by such a demanding activity. Your neck, shoulders, arms, elbows, spine, thighs, knees, legs, ankles, and even the soles of your feet have to put up with the pounding rhythms of a run.

Yoga for Runners: A Therapeutic Exercise

In that regard, think of yoga for runners as a therapeutic break from all the jarring that your body takes each time you go on a run. Yoga deep breathing exercises are good for the lungs and the cardiovascular system. Yoga stretches can promote flexibility and endurance. Yoga meditation can improve focus which leads to steady thought processes. All of these contribute hugely to fine-tuning your runner’s body.

The videos that are an integral part of this guide will guide you on which poses are best to practice on. Familiarize yourself with poses such as the Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana in Sanskrit) and keep on practicing to gain the full benefits of using yoga for runners.

Below is a demonstration video with the yoga pose “Low Runners Lunge”. When doing this runners pose, be sure to work on both your right and left side. You wouldn’t want to be running in circles would you?

Video Demonstration of the Low Runners Lunge – Right:

If you’ve been reading our other Hatha Yoga articles then you already know that you can get access to our full set of yoga poses on video when you subscribe to the MyFitnessNut.com Newsletter. Next we’ll work on helping you learn the “Warrior Pose” which like the Runners Pose, cultivates strength and endurance.

Sometimes, there exists a small, yet niggling, level of confusion regarding the difference between a yoga pose and a yoga style. This has been specifically evident when it comes to discussing Flow Yoga.

Is flow yoga a pose under Hatha Yoga, or are they two radically different styles? To understand better, let’s first familiarize ourselves with the nature of each.

Hatha Yoga vis-à-vis Flow Yoga

As you have previously read, Hatha Yoga is all about the union of two disparate or dissimilar elements, specifically the mind and the body. When both are working in harmony, a greater level of spiritual equilibrium is achieved. Overall fitness then results.

Meanwhile, Flow Yoga, or Ashtanga Vinyasa in Sanskrit (ashtanga = eight limbs of yoga, vinyasa = breathing), refers to the action of connecting breathing with each yoga pose’s movement, as it transitions from one to the other. Flow or vinyasa yoga has six poses, each one flowing or transitioning gently to the other.

Hatha Yoga’s poses are mostly static and timed. Transitional breathing is not a major feature, unlike in vinyasa or flow yoga.

Flow yoga is derived from Hatha Yoga but they have certain noticeable differences:

• Hatha Yoga is more deliberate or slower in execution, compared to flow yoga that is slightly faster, because of the transitory poses that appear to the uninitiated as one flowing posture
• vinyasa or flow yoga does not involve solitary postures, but a series of poses that flow smoothly
• the gentler and slower pace of Hatha Yoga makes it perfect for those who are simply starting to learn yoga. In contrast, the fast pace of flow yoga makes it seem similar to an invigorating cardiovascular workout, particularly when you factor in the fact that rhythmic breathing is greatly involved. Rhythmic breathing refers to inhalation and exhalation that is timed and/or synchronized with the start or release of a pose (the “flow) into another pose.

Video Demonstration of Flow Yoga:

Eight Limbs of Yoga

Yoga is not simply about posing this way and that, as a form of exercise. There is a whole philosophy behind yoga, and that is why it is important to know at this point the eight limbs of yoga – characteristics that point towards the fulfillment of life, in terms of physical, mental and spiritual fitness.

Yama – ethical guidelines or moral directions that you need to observe, as far as relating to your fellow humans is concerned.

These yamas include:

• ahimsa or non-violence in actions, words, and thoughts
• satya or truthfulness
• asteya or not stealing/taking what is not yours
• brahmacharya or purity (some interpret this as sexual abstinence, while others believe it to be about abstaining from acting out on impure sexual impulses)
• aparigraha or not coveting

Niyama – while the yamas are outward-directed, niyamas are directed towards the self: they are ethical guidelines or moral directions that you need to observe, in relation to how you regard yourself:

• saucha or cleanliness of body and thoughts
• santosa or self-contentment
• tapas or continued practice
• svadhyaya or self-study
• isvara pranidhana or yielding to a higher power

Asana – the yoga postures that need to be practiced:

• Pranayama – breathing exercises
• Pratyahara – ingress into your internal self, not allowing external distractions to take hold of you
• Dharana – total focus or concentration
• Dhayana – meditation or all-inclusive concentration
• Samadhi – transcendence or mastery of the self; total fitness of mind, body, spirit leading to enlightenment.

The sample demonstration video above gives you a look at Flow Yoga and the movement or transition into various poses. Be sure to subscribe to the MyFitnessNut.com Newsletter to get access to the Flow Yoga video above plus 69 additional demonstration poses. Next, we’ll investigate how “Yoga for Runners” can add value to your life.

Still on the matter of studying and taking inspiration from the natural actions of canines as introduced in the previous article, we’ll now continue with a specific pose that is once more derived from a position that dogs take – the Upward Facing Dog Pose.

In Hatha Yoga, we have the Upward Facing Dog Pose, or Urdhva Mukha Svanasana in Sanskrit (urdhva = upward, mukha = face, svana = dog), that is ideal for developing strength in the wrists.

This pose is one of those that form part of the time-honored Sun Salutation sequence, postures that are generally done in the morning for receiving energy, recapturing vitality, and preparing the body to manage vigor properly as the day goes on.

Qualities of the Upward Facing Dog Pose

The Upward Facing Dog in Hatha Yoga is reflective of the way canines look forward and upward to the sky, seemingly in anticipation of a good, if not better, day ahead. They “salute” the sun, basking in its rays, eager to start fresh.

Optimism and resiliency are key personality traits personified by this pose. Optimism, because the upward facing posture illustrates an expectation or readiness to receive the blessings that the day brings, and resiliency, because the pose connotes that no matter what challenges you may have faced earlier, you are still in control and hopeful about a good outcome.

Benefits of the Upward Facing Dog Pose

• Mental – the Upward Facing Dog Pose promotes clarity of thinking that comes with a stable sense of self, which in turn, happens when it is practiced.
• Physical – highly recommended for the alleviation of sciatica, a symptom that features shooting pain brought about by compression or pressure brought upon the sciatic nerve. When left unattended, such a condition can make standing and/or sitting close to impossible because of the pain. The Upward Facing Dog Pose provides relief for mild depression, reinforces the wrists, arms, and the spine. It can also be remedial for cases of asthma.
• Spiritual – when your optimism soars, the better you are equipped to handle the challenges of life, which accounts for a resilient outlook.

Video Demonstration of the Cobra Upward Facing Dog Pose:

The Upward Facing Dog is not recommended when you are pregnant, have a pre-existing injury of the back, or have been diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome.

While we have tried to sprinkle some of the Hatha Yoga exercise videos throughout a few of these articles, it would work best for you to watch and learn as you read along with this guide. When finished, you can subscribe to the MyFitnessNut.com Newsletter to get the full set of all 70 yoga video demonstrations pick and choose which yoga exercises you want to learn first. Next, we’ll take a look at “Flow Yoga” and how it can enshrine your consciousness toward enlightenment.

Even those who are not dog lovers will surely have noticed the comforting, easy way that canines fully stretch out with their muzzles close to the ground, rebounding with a graceful sense of purpose, as shown in the level lift of their spine and neck.

In Hatha Yoga, we have the Downward Dog Pose, or Adho Mukha Svanasana in Sanskrit (adho = downward, mukha = face, svana = dog), which is the human counterpart to the pose exhibited by dogs everywhere, no matter what the breed.

Qualities of the Downward Dog Pose

Also known as Downward Facing Dog, the Downward Dog Pose is a positive acknowledgment of the egalitarian or equality principle unknowingly advocated by canines all over the world.

Whether mongrel or pure bred, dogs perform and display several key mannerisms that are unique to their kind. For example, when they are feeling warm or they lack hydration, they breathe with their mouths open and tongue hanging out. All of them wag their tails in the same way to communicate friendliness. And of course, after being curled tight or after having slept balled up, dogs do their distinctive stretch to get rid of feelings of stiffness and feeling cramped.

The key difference between an ordinary human stretch and the Downward Dog Pose of Hatha Yoga lies in the fact that the former merely attempts to set loose muscles that are tense, while the latter aims to do that, too, as well as:

• have a helpful effect on the circulatory system
• restore alertness straight out of sluggishness or weariness
• serve as a “self-diagnostic” awareness method because by stretching properly, you get to notice which part of your body feels awkward, out of place, or otherwise cramped
• encourage fast recovery of a weary body and mind, in order to stave off the arrival of a dejected spirit

It’s no wonder then, that the Downward Dog Pose is highly popular among Hatha Yoga practitioners.

Dogs are known for being highly alert beings, sensitive to changes in their environment and vigilant in responding. It is this very same vigilance and clarity of mind that is advocated by the Downward Dog Pose in Hatha Yoga.

Benefits of the Downward Dog Pose

• Mental – at least 60 seconds of doing the Downward Dog Pose can restore nearly depleted energy levels (after a physically taxing activity) to levels that are near-average for you. Fatigue can severely affect mental processes. This means that when you are tired, you simply assume the pose and wait briefly to recover your sense of alertness and keen thinking.
• Physical – balancing on the arms while stretching during the Downward Dog Pose can strengthen the upper torso, as well as remove back pain and stiffness. The risks of having brittle bones are also minimized because the pose can help maintain bone mass. The pose also promotes good circulation, keeping blood pressure in check, helping the blood to remove contaminants, and preserving the integrity of your immune system.
• Spiritual – when you are alert, you are more attuned to your spiritual nature. There is less room in your inner thoughts for doubt, and the sense of vigilance initially developed in your mind, translates to tranquility in your inner self due to feeling secure that you can handle situations as they arrive.

Video Demonstration of the Downward Dog Pose:

Safety Alert

The Downward Dog Pose is not recommended without doing prior warm-up poses, such as the Child’s Pose. If you have weak or shaky knees, or you lack proper arm coordination because of a preexisting medical condition, ask for the advice of a yoga master about the best action to take.

Next we’ll move into doing the “Upward Facing Dog Pose” but if you haven’t already gained access to the 70 plus Hatha Yoga videos that are available to you by subscribing to the MyFitnessNut.com Newsletter, you should go do it now.

One of the biggest challenges faced by adults when getting older is the gradual lessening of the ability to be flexible. In Hatha Yoga, we have the Cat-Cow Pose, or Chakravakasana in Sanskrit, to help you deal with such stressful conditions by raising your levels of suppleness or flexibility.

Qualities of the Cat-Cow Pose

Notice the way your body tenses when you face a difficult or stressful situation. Your breathing becomes more rapid and shallow. Your muscles bunch up, forming hard painful knots. Your body gears up either to flee a stressful situation or go down fighting in self-defense. This is the “fight or flight response.”

Imagine that scenario having been repeated over and over in your life – you became upset and tense in school as you interacted with all kinds of people. Some were insufferable bullies, some were just annoying day in and day out.

You have also become upset and tense several times at work, or when out of work. At home, you also probably encountered difficulties that sent your levels of cortisol, your stress hormone, winging high and this resulted in you being burnt-out.

That’s just the tip of a rather huge iceberg, because when the body and mind are frequently subjected to stress, something is eventually going to give. That something is usually your inner self. Depression and a sense of futility may take hold of you.

The Cat-Cow Pose in Hatha Yoga promotes flexibility as a means of properly dealing with stressful conditions, whether externally or internally generated.

Benefits of the Cat-Cow Pose

• Mental – conditions the mind to view stressful situations not necessarily as high-danger threats always, but to see stress as being manageable, with the outcome being dependent on how you deal with it (calmly);
• Physical – gentle stimulation of abdominal organs, spurs adrenal glands and kidneys to regulate hormone production and encourage internal body cleansing, promotes proper spinal alignment to restore flexibility, encourages deeper and slower breathing for better stress management;
• Spiritual – when the mind stops regarding each instance of stress as being overwhelming, internal calmness and heightened energy ensue. The Cat-Cow pose is an effective weapon to stave off depression.

Video Demonstration of the Cat-Cow Pose:

Safety Alert

The Cat-Cow Pose is not recommended for pregnant women and those with existing neck injuries.

Next, moving on, we’ll discover a very popular pose among yoga enthusiasts named the “Downward Dog”. This pose is excellent for alertness and recovery and is also included, along side the Cat-Cow pose in the video library you get access to when subscribing to the MyFitnessNut.com Newsletter found at the top of the home page.

Have you ever observed how limber most children are? How are they able to assume positions that seem difficult?

At first glance, most of the postures assumed by children, especially during play, do seem slightly out of the league of most grown-ups. But when adults actually try to do them, it would turn out that not all of the positions assumed by children are that challenging after all.

In Hatha Yoga, we have the Child’s Pose or Balasana in Sanskrit (bala = child, asana = pose).

Warmly welcome the Child’s Pose as your first Hatha Yoga pose, because it is a major stress reliever and will greatly encourage you to go on and on with your Hatha Yoga lessons.

Qualities of the Child’s Pose

The Child’s Pose is simplicity personified. Children generally have an unaffected manner in facing life. They are mostly free of pretensions, and as such are able to direct their energies towards the pursuit of what they are really after. They don’t spend energy wasting it on cover-ups, an overblown sense of self-importance and other attitudes that can be obstacles to their quest for happiness and serenity.

The Child’s Pose has been named in honor of the down-to-earth and unaffected nature of children, as a whole.

Benefits of the Child’s Pose

• Mental – the Child’s Pose makes the mind settle down and detach from the worries of life.
• Physical – while the focal point of the Child’s Pose is on the thighs, it is also beneficial for the ankles and hips. When you assume the Child’s Pose, make sure that you have support for your trunk and head, in order to drive away the aches that affect your neck and back.
• Spiritual – the Child’s Pose requires the kind of breathing that makes the back of torso feel as if it is rising, with spinal widening and lengthening being achieved. These, in turn, lessen stress and fatigue, and give you a calmer inner balance.

Video Demonstration of the Child’s Pose:

Right now is a good time to subscribe to the MyFitnessNut.com Newsletter so that you can gain access to all 70 Hatha Yoga demonstration videos. You will also find 7 sets of 10 Hatha Yoga poses set up to show you some samples of yoga workout routines that you can use as is; or as an example to put together your own yoga workout routine using the individual yoga exercises on the separate videos.

Safety Alert

The Child’s Pose is not recommended for people who are pregnant or have digestive problems, specifically, loose bowel movement (diarrhea).

In the previous article you learned about how you can gain a pro-active advantage learning yoga at home. Now that you have a grasp on the Child’s Pose, let’s ease into the “Cat-Cow Pose” to enhance flexibility and your inner calm.

Have you ever experienced repeatedly going all the way to a yoga class, only to find it impossible to reach total Nirvana? While it isn’t really that easy to become enlightened, it can be a pain having to deal with packed studios, traffic and parking nightmares.

And of course, if you’ve taken up yoga only recently, it will take some time before you can stop comparing yourself to other practitioners who can practically balance off their noses, while you struggle to stand straight and hold a pose.

It’s great that the option to learn yoga at home is always a possibility for everyone.

To fully maximize and harness the power of the Yoga experience, you must be careful with preparations, including getting an easy-to-understand guidebook like this one, along with its accompanying videos.

Once you have your guide materials in hand, you can turn to preparing other requirements such as the ones listed below:

• Space

A dedicated space for your yoga exercises should be prioritized. It is your Zen, a place where you can relax. Just remember to move furniture away as they could be potential hazards.

• Props

Choose a mat with a sticky underside home yoga experience. Consider a blanket to keep you warm and fuzzy, with a secondary purpose of being rolled up to help you balance in different positions. A bolster would also be really handy.

• Instructions

Whether or not you prefer to watch the accompanying videos first, then try out the exercises or poses later, or do you skip the pre-watch and go straight into following the audiovisual dimonstations – that’s a matter of personal choice. What’s important is for you to feel at ease while going through the poses. Keep in mind that you are not competing with anyone. As such, you can be as focused or as relaxed as you want.

Learn Yoga at Home: Maximize Opportunities to Practice

When you have chosen to learn yoga at home, it doesn’t mean that you only have to be in your residence while doing the poses. Yoga is versatile, and for the most part, you can do some of the preliminaries on the go. For example, you can practice your deep breathing techniques while driving or taking walks.

Once you have familiarized yourself with meditation, embrace the tranquility of the discipline and be at one with yourself. During your break at work, you can sit with a straight spine and close your eyes, then focus on your breathing to meditate. Good meditation can lower your blood pressure and relieve stress, as well as improve your mood.

Learn Yoga at Home: Your Body, Your Temple

In sum, remember that yoga is a practice that lets you honor yourself and your temple – your body. Take the time to rediscover yourself and take away those stresses that’s been hounding you all day long. Feel the slight muscle burn as you flex and assume various poses, then feel the gentleness, and watch your spirit soar to new heights.

Overall, yoga doesn’t require any specific location, or any kind of environmental conditions. All yoga requires is a temperate location where you can be really focused. Whatever makes you relax or focused is what you would need, but don’t forget the importance of a smooth and level place to exercise on. These are all that matter when you are determined to learn yoga at home.

Integral Hatha Yoga Poses Overview

Now that we’ve gone through the basics of Hatha Yoga, it’s time to go much deeper and get acquainted with some of the most integral Hatha Yoga poses that you will need to practice on your way to becoming fit and maintaining your health and wellness.

Remember that Hatha Yoga poses will not only develop your physical fitness, they will also increase your capacity to be more understanding of what’s actually going on around you, instead of just seeing it and reacting to it from a surface level which could be stressful to you.

Relax and have fun while you are trying out the poses described in the articles that follow. Keep in mind that the accompanying videos of the Hatha Yoga poses can be referred to, as you go along. You can get the full set of Hatha Yoga poses on video when you subscribe to the MyFitnessNut.com Newsletter.

Remember to take your time and avoid rushing. Dedicated practice will lead you to perfecting your yoga exercises and attaining your fitness goals. If you’re ready to learn yoga at home, grab the videos and follow along with the “Child’s Pose” to begin your workout routine.

By now, you’re already aware that there are different poses and styles of yoga that you can practice. In preparing yourself for a beginners yoga class, it’s important to know which type you’d like to do and what you want to happen. You need to know your fitness goals and keep them to heart so that you’ll also know what poses or styles are good for you.

Here’s a quick introduction to the different styles consisting of the most common and popular types of yoga that can be incorporated in a beginners yoga class.

Popular Types of Yoga in a Beginners Yoga Class.

• Bikram Yoga – Start yourself with this very hot yoga stance. With 26 poses, you’ll have many opportunities to work on the alignment of your body. This is a very good style for beginners.
• Hatha Yoga – This is what we’re focused on in this guide and the accompanying videos. Hatha Yoga focuses on slow and gentle movements. This provides many very relaxing poses that are good for getting a good night’s sleep.
• Vinyasa Yoga – Also known as the “Vinyasa Flow” or just plain “Flow.” This entails move from one pose to another effortlessly, like the wind. Along with Hatha Yoga, this is one the most popular styles of yoga in America.
• Kundalini Yoga – Kundalini comes from the energy of the root Chakra, which surrounds the area around our lower spines. This hits your core area, and classes should be pretty intense. Great for lower and upper torso toning. Note, however, that there is plenty of controversy associated with Kundalini yoga, particularly because of the way it strives to unleash or awaken the “coiled serpent power” at the base of the spine. This type of yoga has been promoted more for spiritual purposes, rather than for fitness goals.
• Ashtanga Yoga – This is also known as the “Power Yoga.” This style is physically demanding and requires a highly reverential attitude concerning the poses. This is often preferred by people who want to push their bodies to their limits.
• Iyengar Yoga – This style uses a lot of props, from: blocks, harnesses, cushions, straps, and so much more. A great focus is emphasized on the alignment of your body, which makes this also great for physical therapy.
• Anusara Yoga – This is characterized by back bends, and is dependent on directions coming from the instructor of the class.
• Restorative Yoga – Would you like to unwind after a long day of work? Some peace of mind? This style focuses on deep breathing and relaxation.
• Jivamukti Yoga – This has very strong and obvious Eastern influences. It features a mix of “Flow” sequencing that is infused with a lot of chanting and a focus on a vegetarian diet advocacy.
• Prenatal Yoga – This is great for all excited mommies-to-be. A lot of people agree that this is the best type of exercise for expecting mothers, because it concentrates more on the core and breathing techniques, which are very reliable aids in giving birth.

When choosing to participate in a beginners yoga class, make sure that you understand the goals of the class before you sign up, to avoid any conflict with your own goals. Remember also that while a structured class ambiance could be helpful for absolute beginners, it is also possible to learn and practice in the comfort of your own home.

That’s what we’ll be discussing in the next article titled “Learn Yoga at Home” and before starting go get your subscription to the MyFitnessNut.com Newsletter to get the free set of Hatha Yoga videos. These videos will be of great value for doing yoga exercise at home without having to join a beginners yoga class.

Now, let’s talk about different kinds of fat burning yoga workouts. The great thing about these workouts is they are more fun than work. If ever “fun-out” gets to be accepted as a word that’s descriptive of truly engaging physical activities done in pursuit of fitness, yoga is going to be its synonym!

Aside from the four basic yoga poses mentioned earlier, here are some other beginner’s poses that you can study and perform. Again, remember that these poses can be found in the sample yoga workouts that are found in the more than 70 videos which serve as complementary audiovisual tools to this yoga guide.

When Yoga Workouts Equal Fun

Urdhva Hastansana or the “Raised Arms Pose”

This is your basic morning stretch! Focus on good alignment. Inhale, and bring your arms up and right over your head. You can look directly at your hands, a shoulders’ width apart, or with palms touching. Great for getting you in the proper frame of mind!

Uttanasana or the “Standing Forward Bend”

Fold over your legs into a forward bend, and don’t forget to exhale. Your hamstrings will feel a little tightness at first, but you can bend your knees to help your spine. Let loose and let your head hang heavy. Straighten your legs very slowly but don’t forget to keep your head hanging. Feet position can be hip width apart. This pose is ideal for letting negative energy flow out of you.

Malasana or the “Garland Pose”

Time to move your feet off the edges of the mat and start bending your knees coming straight up to a squat. Toes may balance you but if your heels do not reach the floor, you can always use a rolled up blanket for balance. This pose can be quite natural for kids to assume, but may be challenging for adults. This is great exercise for your hips and counteracts the effects of sitting on your butt all day long.

Seated Forward Bend

During exhalation, carry your torso over your legs in a forward bend. You should feel some tingling sensation in your hamstrings, but it should also feel warmer right after doing the standing forward bend earlier. Be at rhythm with your breath and feel the length of your spine on each inhalation. Then deepen your forward thrust fold on each exhalation. Stay for five breaths again and keep your feet flexed. This has the effect of relaxing your torso as well as your legs, and freeing your mind from clutter.

Head to Knee Pose

Sit and bend your left leg, having the sole of your left foot inside your right thighs. Use the same techniques from the Seated Forward Bend. After five breaths, sit and switch legs. This underscores the effects you derive from the Seated Forward Bend pose.

Happy Baby Pose

Lie on your back and hug your knees right into your chest, imitating a very happy baby. This position should be familiar to anyone who has kids. Separate your knees and have each ankle straight over its respective knee, your shins should be perpendicular to the floor. Flex feet and hold on to them outside as you draw your knees downward. Roll from side to side from your sacrum and see if it feels good, but please, resist the urge to put your toes in your mouth (not that a few have attempted to do so, but the “happy baby” feeling that arose was just too good to pass up). After five breaths, stretch your legs and you’re good with your sample yoga workouts.

In the last article of this Hatha Yoga Guide titled “Why You Need to Do Yoga Exercises” we showed you where to get the demonstration videos that goes with this guide. As you start to learn these yoga exercises you can begin to put together your own set of your favorite yoga workout routines. Next, we’ll take a look at signing up for a “Beginners Yoga Class” and some of the positives and negatives in doing so.