Flexibility is one of the key elements of good physical health. But over the time, your body may lose flexibility due to many unavoidable factors such as aging, stress, or improper posture and movement habits.
To maintain or even improve your flexibility, regularly practicing yoga may be one of the best ways you can do. Yoga is known as an exercise that can effectively increase the mobility in your muscles and joints. Other than that, practicing specific yoga poses or postures may also help you build muscle strength and reduce feelings of stress or anxiety.
In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of increasing your flexibility and walk you through the best yoga poses for improving flexibility.
Why Flexibility is Important?
Increasing your flexibility is good for you in many ways. Some of the most important benefits include:
- Better posture. Tight, tense muscles can lead to muscle strain and poor posture. Releasing this tension can help you sit up straight and ease the strain on your muscles.
- Wider range of motion. Increased flexibility makes it easier to move your joints with less effort.
- Lower risk of injury. Stronger and flexible muscles are less susceptible to injuries.
- Less stress. Releasing tension can help both your body and your mind feel more relaxed.
Best Yoga Postures for Flexibility
These following poses can be especially helpful for stretching many of your major muscles and boosting your overall body flexibility.
You can repeat each pose as many times as you like, as long as it doesn’t feel painful or too difficult for you. However, don't be in a rush to get through these poses. You won’t be a Yogi in just over a night anyway! It’s more important to focus on how the poses make your body feel instead of getting caught up in how you look.
1. Parsvottanasana
Parsvottanasana or Intense Side Stretch is a yoga pose that stretches your spine, legs, and hips. This pose is beneficial for your balance, posture, and even your digestion.
How to do it:
- Stand with your left foot in front of you, facing forward. Place the right foot back, with toes turned out at a slight angle.
- Square your hips to face forward.
- Put your hands on hips.
- Bend at your hips, working to keep spine and neck long as you fold forward.
- Drop your hands to the floor.
- Hold this pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute, and then come back up to standing.
- Switch the positions of your feet and repeat.
2. Janu Sirsana
This pose will help you improve the flexibility of your back, hips, and thighs. In addition to that, performing this pose can also increase the blood flow in your lower abdomen and can be a good stress reliever!
How to do it:
- Sit on the ground and extend your right leg forward.
- Press your left foot into the inside of your thigh.
- Breath in and raise your arms overhead.
- Exhale and bend at your hips to fold forward toward your outstretched leg.
- Place your hands on the floor, or hold on to your outstretched leg or foot. Hold this pose for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Switch your legs and do the opposite side.
3. Bitilasana Marjaryasana
This pose works well for improving your mobility and boosting flexibility in your neck, shoulders, spine, and core.
How to do it:
- Start this pose on all fours
- Make sure your wrists are beneath your shoulders and your knees are beneath your hips. Keep your weight balanced evenly across your body.
- Breath in as you allow your belly to fall toward the floor. Raise your chest and chin as your belly moves downward.
- Breath out as you press into your hands to round your spine up toward the ceiling, tucking your chin into your chest as you do so.
- Continue this movement for 1 minute.
4. Dhanurasana
This pose might look intimidating to perform, but it can effectively stretch many of your muscles we use when we are seated. If you have pain or discomfort in your neck, shoulders, or back, you can skip this pose.
How to do it:
- Lie on your stomach and place your arms alongside your body.
- Bend your knees so your feet float up. Hold the outsides of your ankles with your hands.
- Try to lift your chest and shoulders off the floor, keeping your head facing forward.
- Take a long, deep breath and hold it for up to 30 seconds.
- Release, and repeat 1 or 2 times.
5. Anjaneyasana
Anjaneyasana is a yoga pose that helps lengthen your spine, open your hips, and build muscle strength.
How to do it:
- Kneel on the floor on your left knee while bending your right knee, and place your right foot flat on the ground in front of you.
- Lengthen through your spine and out the crown of your head.
- Lift up your torso and arms or extend your arms to the side, perpendicular to the floor.
- Gently push into your right hip.
- Hold this position for at least 30 seconds.
- Switch legs and repeat on the opposite side.
6. Upavistha Konasana
This forward bend can help you to open up your hips and low back while also improving the flexibility in your calves and hamstrings.
How to do it:
- Sit on the ground or yoga mat with your legs open as far wide as you comfortably can.
- Extend your arms overhead.
- Fold forward from your hips and walk hands toward feet.
- Hold this position for up to 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Adho Mukha Svanasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana is a popular pose that will help you stretch your hamstrings, calves, hands, feet, and arms.
How to do it:
- Start on all fours, with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips.
- Push your hands into the floor and lift hips toward the sky
- Lengthen your legs so your body forms an inverted “V” shape.
- Let your spine lengthen as you hold the position.
- Hold it for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Repeat.
8. Ardha Matsyendrasana
This intermediate yoga pose will give your back, thighs, and glutes a great stretch. Performing this pose can also aid in digestion, improve posture, and strengthen your core.
How to do it:
- Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.
- Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor.
- Drop your left knee to the floor and tuck the left foot under your right leg.
- Place your right hand on the floor behind your hips.
- Inhale while raising your left arm overhead.
- Exhale and twist to the right, hooking the left hand to the outside of the right thigh.
- Press your hips down as you reach the crown of your head up to lengthen your spine.
- Hold for 5 breaths.
- Release and repeat on the other side.
Improve the flexibility of your joints and muscles with our Recovery Stretch and Mobility Training Class. Our stretching sessions introduce various techniques of flexibility training as well as techniques that are especially designed to improve your range of movement.
Class Schedule
Mobility Training : Monday (11AM - 12AM)
Recovery Stretch : Thursday (6PM - 7PM)
Contact our gym now to learn more about our classes and book a training session!