Yo-So Good: Simple Yoga Moves

If you needed an excuse for a health kick, you’ll be happy to know that many simple yoga moves have big health benefits for your body. Yogi DWI SISWIANTI, founder of boutique fitness studio Yogabar, takes us through a selection.

In Sanskrit: Vajrasana

Easy to do while relaxing at home or watching television, this pose aids digestion while also stretching the leg muscles. If you cycle or run regularly, holding this pose while up on your feet will stretch away any tightness in your plantar fascia area (the flat band of tissue connecting the heel bone to the toes).

In Sanskrit: Pavan Muktasana

This reclined posture helps to stimulate the entire digestive system, relieving constipation, bloating and flatulence. It also helps to ease any tension in the lower back or stiffness in the spine. A note: don’t try this pose if you have a spinal injury or are recovering from a hernia or any sort of abdominal surgery.

In Sanskrit: Padmasana

Though it may look relatively simple, this is actually considered an intermediate-to-advanced pose, and it may take awhile to master. While stretching and strengthening the legs, this pose can also help to ease menstrual cramps, or any pain caused by sciatica – that’s the compression of a spinal nerve root in the lower back, often associated with the degeneration of an intervertebral disc.

In Sanskrit: Baddha Konasana

Also known as the butterfly pose, this move gives your legs a good stretch and helps relax tight hamstrings. It is also a relaxing posture that’s ideal for pregnant women as it accommodates a growing stomach. If you’re trying it at home, place your palms down on the floor behind your back to relax into the pose.

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This article first appeared in the May 2016 edition of Expat Living Subscribe

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