10 Yoga Poses for Flexibility.

Can you imagine what your life will be like when you have a flexible body?

These 10 yoga poses for flexibility will effortlessly banish stiff joints and a poor posture fast.

It’s not surprising then, that yoga has become incredibly popular with men and women of all ages.

And these yoga poses for flexibility offer a goldmine of life-changing benefits.

You’ll enjoy:

• More energy
• Weight loss
• Inner peace
• Enhanced mood
• Soothed aches and pains
• Relief from a sore back

All this whilst toning and strengthening your muscles to boot!

It’s like a full mind and body MOT.

What’s more, these yoga poses for flexibility are perfect for beginners.

In fact, the main reason I took up yoga was to increase my flexibility and ease my back pain.

The result?

I’m no longer stiff as a board and feel great!

What’s more, inflexibility can lead to pain, injury and damage to the joint’s soft tissue.

Practice these poses each day.  Hold each pose for 30 – 60 seconds and remember to take deep, long breathes.

1. Forward Bend

The perfect pose for stretching hamstrings and calves.

Beginner’s Tip: Use a wider than hip stance if you have stiff hamstrings to make this easier.  Keep your feet parallel.

1. Begin by lifting your chest and lengthening your spine.

2. Next, hinge forward (don’t just collapse) into a half-forward bend (L-shape) so you keep that length in your spine (straight back).  Feel the strength in your thighs and rootedness in your feet.

3. Next, from this half-forward bend, grasp any part of your leg that feels right. Gently pull whilst keeping your knees bent.

4. Relax your shoulders away from your ears; don’t hunch.  Remember to breathe and constantly engage yourself in what you’re doing.

Note: try to keep the stretch in your hamstrings and calves rather than your lower back.

If you experience any discomfort, simply ease up or try bending more from your knees.

2. Standing Back Bend

This is great for opening up your chest and back.

1. Starting from a relaxed stance, root down through your feet, stretch up your fingertips to the ceiling.

2. Tuck your tailbone forward a little rather than arch your back.  From this position, you can start to bring your hands back, tucking your tailbone in even more.

Note: keep taking long, slow breathes (in all poses).

3. Next, interlace your fingers and cradle the back of your head.

4. Keep that tailbone tucked in and lean back and look up at the ceiling (This opens up your chest and upper back).

Beginner’s Tip: press your elbows down as you lift through your chest.

Related: 7 Yoga Poses for Beginners: Simple Poses…Powerful Results

3. Side Stretch

Good for stretching hip and torso.

1. Start by reach up with your fingertips up and tuck your tailbone in.  Drop one hand and let the other palm face forward.

2. Next, press the outer edge of the foot that’s aligned with your extended arm and slide the other hand down your leg.

3. Repeat on your opposite side.

Note: avoid bringing your stretched arm out in front of you.

Keep your body aligned (a proper yoga mat helps with this if you stand near the edge).

Related content:

• 11 Yoga Poses for Weight Loss
• The 7 Best Yoga Poses for Lower Back Pain
• 8 Yoga Poses for Depression

4. Triangle Pose

1. Step your feet wide so that your wrists are over your ankles.

2. Place your hands on your hips and bring your left foot in around 45 degrees and pivot your right foot to 90 degrees.

3. Keep your hips facing forward.  Feet rooted, thighs strong, knees soft.

4. Next, without collapsing the left side of your torso (keep it straight), slide your left hand down your leg.  Go slowly.  Stay present in your feet.  Find a spot where you’re challenging yourself but you don’t feel overextended.

5. Bring your other hand over your head and tilt your gaze to the sky.  Remember to keep your left torso long, not collapsed.

Beginner’s Tip: Keep your head over your knee so your body’s aligned.  Open up your chest by bringing your arm back a little bit but initiate this with your shoulder blade.

6. Take a nice deep breath and repeat on the opposite side.

5. Bridge Pose (Backbend)

A safe, healthy bridge pose is all about keeping the strength in your thighs.  This allows you back to really open up.

1. Align the tips of your toes with the edge of the mat, press through your feet and gently lay down.

2. Shift your butt up so your fingertips can touch your heels.

3. Next, go ahead and lift your tailbone by pressing through your feet.

Beginner’s Tip: press through your big toe and the ball of your foot below the big toe and heel.  This prevents your thighs from drifting outwards.

4. Avoid pressing through the sides of your feet.

5. To deepen this pose, interlace your fingers under your legs.  Start to walk your shoulders under to increase the back bend.  Always release slowly.

6. Back Twist

1. Start with your arms out (T-shape).

2. Then, bring your left knee up, hold the outer side with your right hand and gently pull over to your right.

3. keep your left arm down as you twist.

4. Slowly release and perform on the opposite side.

Note: You may hear a few pops from your lower back!

This is quite normal.  To increase the stretch, gaze towards the extended arm.

Related: 10 Surprising Benefits of Yoga

7. Downward Facing Dog

1. Spread your fingers on the mat, lift your butt up, tuck your toes under and reach your hips high and back.

2. Paddle out your legs to warm up your hamstrings and press your heart towards your thighs for a long spine.

Note: The challenge of this pose is to keep your lower back straight and not arched.

Beginner’s Tip: walk your hand to the edges of your mat to expand your chest.

Related: 10 Yoga Asanas for Strength

8. Camel Pose

Great for opening up your chest and back.

1. Start in a kneeling position and bring your hips over your knees. Press down your toes and tuck in your tailbone.

2. Next, place your hand on your buttocks, lift up your heart and slowly start to lean backward. Keep going until your fingertips can reach your heels.

3. Keep your chin in to start and then release your head back, stretching your chin back.

Beginner’s Tip: if your knees are sensitive, try doubling over the edge of your mat.

Avoid compression in the lower back by keeping your front hip bones lifted, pull in your navel and keep length in your back.

9. Warrior Pose I

This pose develops strength and balance.

1. Step your right foot out about 4 feet from your left and pivot your left foot out about 45 degrees.

2. Your right knee should form a right angle and thigh parallel to the floor.

3. Next, reach your arms up and over your head, feeling your back, chest and pelvis all lengthening as you reach through your fingertips.

4. Perform on both sides.

Beginner’s Tip: Don’t align your feet…keep your right foot and left foot near the respective edges of the mat to help open up your hips.

10. Extended Child Pose

The child pose is a very satisfying and common pose to finish many yoga routines.

1. Begin with your knees wide and your big toes touching.

2. Walk your hands out lower your chest and forehead down to the mat.

3. Relax your shoulders, hips and all the muscle in your face.

4. Hold this pose for as long as you wish…it’s deeply relaxing!

Introducing: Yoga Burn for Women

If you’re really serious about improving your health with yoga and want a simple yoga strategy you can use in the comfort of your own home, then I highly recommend Zoe Bray-Cotton’s Yoga Burn for Women.

Yoga Burn for Women promises to help you:

• Shape and tone
• De-stress and relieve tension
• Manage your weight
• Gain flexibility
• Boost immunity and
• Generally become more happy and healthy

In fact, Zoe is so sure that you’ll love the results from Yoga Burn for Women that she offers a full, 60-day, no-questions-asked money back guarantee in the unlikely event that you’re not delighted with your results.

Not only do you get this RISK FREE money back guarantee, but if you act now, you’ll receive Zoe’s Limited Time Price Offer and access to her weekly BONUS videos designed to improve your overall experience and results with Yoga Burn for Women.

In this program, you’ll learn the secret to Yoga Burn for Women’s success – a technique known as Dynamic Sequencing.

This strategy forces your body to adapt, giving you a more shapely, feminine body that looks great.

What’s more, Yoga Burn for Women is designed exclusively for women from any walk of life who want to lose weight and get in shape, without trekking to the gym and spending countless hours performing fruitless cardio.

The program is specifically tailored to suit women of all fitness levels from the very new to advanced yoga students.

You’ll also learn how to optimize each pose to take advantage of your very own fitness levels.

Check out Yoga Burn for Women here!

If you loved this post, why not:

• Pin it!
• Share it!
• Tweet it!
• Stumble it!

It only takes a few seconds and the share buttons are right below: