The time-honored practice of yoga can enhance your calm and your flexibility. Some activities require that you have added mobility and strength in your shoulders. If you target your shoulders with yoga, you'll have a better tennis serve and knock them out in the batting cage.
Do Urdhva Dhanurasana Ashtanga Yoga Poses
The Urdhava Dhanurasana, otherwise known as the upward bow posture is an Ashtanga Yoga asana that stretches the back, abdomen hips and thighs while strengthening the hands and wrists. It is the Tantric twist to your modern day back bend that refreshes the nervous system while relieving feelings of fear and anxiety.
Use Utkatasana Yoga Pose to Build Leg Strength
Practicing the physical poses, or asana, of yoga can create many health benefits. Although yoga is traditionally not used for exercise, yoga does build leg strength in all standing poses, and this stamina serves us all.In the Ashtanga yoga system as designed by Sri Pattabhi Jois of Mysore, India, the sun salutations prepare yogis for the rigors of standing poses. By practicing these poses six days a week, you can improve balance and poise to temper the pure physical strength. Learn how to practice Utkatasana, Chair or Heron pose, to build the large muscles of the front of the thigh, the quadriceps. Utkatasana also strengthens the back of the thighs, the hamstrings.
Do the King Dancer Yoga Pose
The King Dancer is a standing pose, meant to challenge and improve the balance, strengthen and tone the legs, and stretch out the shoulders, which are a prime tension spot for stress.The pose should be eased into through the steps outlined below to optimize the benefits of strengthening your body and relaxing your mind. Start with the first step and stop wherever you feel comfortable, although, with practice and pacing, even a beginner should be able to eventually reach the most advanced step of the King Dancer pose, improving both balance and flexibility in the process.
Do Nidra Yoga
Yoga nidra is also known as the "sleep of the yogis." It is more of a set of relaxation techniques that are to be used in combination with meditation to help bring about a feeling of intense calm and restfulness. People that teach this technique believe that a half hour of yoga nidra is as relaxing as 3 hours of sleep, though it does not provide the required rest for the body. Yoga nidra works as a consciousness cleanser and is designed to bring peace to the practitioner.