The 7 most common yoga poses and what they are for

Yoga is an oriental practice which has become very popular among all of us, as we work the spirit through the body while we become physically stronger. These are three elements that work together: breathing (pranayama), postures (asanas) and posture sequences (vinyasa-krama).

There are different yoga practices but today we want to explain some of the yoga poses that are common in the different practices and what each one is for, because each asana or yoga posture has a reason for being for your mind, body and spirit.

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What are the benefits of yoga poses or asanas?

You should know that yoga asanas or postures are a way to achieve physical and mental well-being through concentration and not an end in itself as some think. It is more about achieve balance and concentration through breathing in that posture we are in.

Through each posture we listen to our body, we pay attention to it, we realize how our mind and body interact and evolve with the yoga posture that we are doing. We tell you about the benefits of some of the most common yoga postures among the different practices.

1. Tadasana or mountain pose

Although it seems that it is a very easy yoga posture to do, because at first glance it is simply stand with arms outstretched at your sidesIt is an asana that requires a lot from ourselves and our bodily self-knowledge.

To perform the mountain pose, the spine and arm muscles are involved without contracting the shoulders. It is an asana to become aware of the support of our feet and the imbalances that we may have in the hips or back, while inviting us to root ourselves in the earth.

2. Adho Mukha Svanasana or Downward Facing Dog Pose

It is one of the essential yoga postures to practice. It is a transitional and resting posture that takes us a long time within the practice of yoga so that our body can do it correctly. It works great for strengthening the muscles of the back, shoulders, arms, and legs.

It is an asana that energizes the body and helps you relieve stress, insomnia and fatigue. It can also help you with menstrual cramps and improve digestion. It is also a yoga posture to root ourselves, connect with the earth through the two supports we have: the hands and the feet.

3. Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose

This is another of the most used yoga postures throughout the practice. It is a very interesting asana because it helps you level the sexual energy with umbilical energy. It is also excellent for giving flexibility to the spine, reinforcing the lower back and undoing any tension that may be in this area.

Doing this asana constantly also helps you massage the female organs, give strength and vitality to the brain and improve your concentration helping to focus your mind. It will also improve your body's resistance to stress, as this pose mixes relaxation and tension in different intensities.

4. Balasana or child's pose

The child's posture it is a resting posture that returns you to harmony and balance and that helps you open your mind. It is usually practiced interspersed with other more intense asanas to extend the spine and relax. This is one of the yoga postures with which you can become more aware of your breathing and how your body, especially in the abdominal area, moves with each inspiration and expiration.

5. Chakrasana or wheel pose

Remember that wheel we used to do in gym class when we were kids? Well, it is a very similar asana that requires some strength in the upper body to achieve this stretch.

This is one of the most interesting yoga poses because it is stimulate all the chakras and invigorate your body and mind. It is also excellent for stimulating the circulatory system, strengthening the spine and toning the abdomen, legs and arms.

6. Sarvangasana or candle pose

Another of the yoga postures that will never be lacking in your practice, unless you are on your period. It is an asana that stimulates the whole body since being an inverted posture, the blood flow to the head is "reversed".

It is a posture that will help you calm stress and anxiety, to rest the mind, reduce fatigue and relieve insomnia. It is also excellent for toning legs and buttocks, it helps you improve digestion and stimulate the thyroid and abdominal cavity. It is also very energizing, when you are very tired, 15 minutes in the candle position will return you to your normal state.

7. Vrkasasana or tree pose

This is one of the yoga postures that is about balancing your body, making your feet the roots of the tree and your arms the branches. It helps us to work the balance between body and mind through concentration; strengthens the muscles of the ankles, calves, thighs, and spine while stretching the chest, shoulders, and groin.

If you suffer from flat feet, this asana helps you improve it, as with sciatica.

There are many other yoga postures that depending on the type of practice you have, you can use to improve the relationship between your body, your mind and your spirit, so don't wait any longer to start practicing yoga.

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