Do You Have These Yoga Moves As Part Of Your Daily Routine?
With its origins dating back over 5,000 years, yoga knows a thing or two about healthy aging. One of the best things you can do to ensure your body ages strong is to incorporate a daily yoga practice. Whether you’re a seasoned yogi or just starting, these 20 poses are perfect for boosting mobility, improving posture, and supporting overall health well into your twilight years.
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1. Tree Pose
Tree pose is excellent for building stability and balance, strengthening your legs and back. Do it by standing on one leg with the sole of your other foot touching your thigh or calf and your hands in prayer position.
2. Downward-Facing Dog
Downward-facing dog is the perfect pose for tight calves and improving circulation. Starting on all fours, lift your bum into the air while straightening your legs and placing your heels as close to the ground as possible to feel a stretch in the back of your legs.
3. Cat-Cow
Cat-cow stretch is excellent for improving spinal flexibility and mobility. In all fours position, arch your back and lift your chin, then tuck your head and allow your back to round in the opposite direction.
4. Shoulder Stand
Shoulder stands are excellent for boosting circulation, strengthening the upper body, and the core. Start by lying on your back, then lift your legs and send them over your head, place your hands on your lower back, and lift your legs so they're at a 90-degree angle with the floor.
5. Warrior II
Warrior II is excellent for strengthening your legs and core muscles while opening the hips, an area that commonly gets stiff with age. Starting in a standing position, take one big step back and turn your back foot so it's parallel with the back of your mat. Bend your front leg so your knee is directly above your foot and extend both arms, hovering them at shoulder height.
6. Child's Pose
Child's pose is a great resting posture that gently stretches the back, hips, and thighs while relieving stress. Do it by kneeling on the floor, lowering your bum onto your heels, and rounding your back with your arms outstretched in front of you.
7. Savasana
Savasana is also called "corpse pose," but don't let that turn you off from incorporating it into your daily practice. It promotes deep relaxation, relieves stress, and can even make you sleep better. Do it by lying on your back with your limbs stretched out and your feet pointed slightly outwards.
8. Triangle
The triangle pose is great for strengthening your legs, knees, ankles, and core while stretching the hamstrings and hips. It can relieve back pain and may even help with digestion and sciatica. Start in a wide stance with your legs straight, extend and raise your arms to shoulder height, then hinge at the hips, keeping your back straight until one hand comes in contact with your ankle or foot and the other is pointed towards the ceiling.
9. Butterfly
Butterfly pose is one of the best, gentle hip openers. Just sit with your legs bent and the soles of your feet together and pull your feet closer in towards your body while keeping your spine lengthened.
10. Legs-Up-The-Wall
Legs-up-the-wall is a yoga pose that entails lying on your back with your legs extended vertically up a wall. It's excellent for circulation, relieving stress, and back pain.
11. Chair
Chair pose involves bending your knees and lowering your hips as if you're sitting in an invisible chair. It's great for improving your lower body strength as well as your core and balance.
12. Bridge
To form the bridge pose, lie on your back with your legs bent and slowly lift your hips off the floor. It strengthens your back, glutes, hamstrings, and core while opening your chest and improving spinal flexibility.
13. Cobra
Cobra is an excellent chest-opening pose that also stretches your spine. Start by lying on your stomach, then lift your head and chest off the ground, but your ribs still touching the floor, rolling your shoulders back, and holding yourself propped up on your elbows.
14. Side Angle
The side angle pose stretches and strengthens the legs, core, and shoulders while improving balance. Start in a standing position and step one foot far back, bend the front knee, and twist your body so your shoulders are facing the same side as your front foot. Then extend both arms.
15. Low Lunge
Low lunge is an excellent, simple yoga posture for stretching the hips and quads while strengthening the core. Get into a lunge position with your knee placed on the ground, your arms above your head, and lean back slightly.
16. Standing Forward Fold
Standing forward fold is perfect for stretching the hamstrings and lower back, and even helps relieve symptoms of menopause. Start standing with your arms over your head and hinge at your hips until your hands come in contact with your toes or your ankles.
17. Plank
Plank pose builds arm and core strength while improving posture. Starting in a tabletop position, extend your legs one at a time and hold your body in a straight line, either on your forearms or your hands.
18. Upward-Facing Dog
Upward-facing dog is an excellent heart-opening pose that strengthens the arms, wrists, and spine while stretching the abs and hip flexors. Start by lying on your stomach, then lift your chest and thighs off the floor, holding yourself up on your hands and the tops of your feet.
19. Mountain Pose
Mountain pose is a foundational yoga pose that, while it doesn't look like much, improves your posture, body awareness, and relieves tension in the body when done correctly. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and press down through all four corners of your feet, engaging your leg muscles.
20. High Lunge
High lunge is a wonderful exercise for strengthening the core, legs, and back while improving balance. Starting from a standing position, step one foot back and bend your front knee, extending your arms over your head.
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