Yoga Workouts

Yoga originated in India many thousand years ago. Patanjali is seen as the founder of formal yoga philosophy as we see it today. According to Swami Vivekananda, "Yoga is restraining the mind stuff from taking various forms".

It is from the Patanjali Yoga Sutras (treatise on Yoga), that the Ashtanga Yoga was derived. Asthanga yoga is also known as 'eight limbed yoga'.

When we talk about yoga exercises, or yoga workouts, the names of exercises may change according to the different schools. In most cases, the basic yoga poses remain the same, though there can be slight variations in the pose, depending on the yoga school.

The benefits of yoga include increasing flexibility, toning of different muscles, weight loss, etc. There is stress relief yoga that can be practiced, as the name suggests, to release accumulated stress.

When a person practices yoga consistently for a considerable amount of time, he is able to develop awareness of an impending health problem, which enables the person to required precautions. This, according to me, is the best of all the yoga health benefits. Having understood the benefits of yoga, let's turn towards yoga workouts.

A yoga workout can be classified as beginner yoga poses and the advanced yoga poses. Only after practicing basic yoga poses can a person move onto the advanced poses, as the advanced poses are built onto the basic alignments from the beginner poses. In this write up, we will see the yoga workout routines for both beginner practitioners as well as the advanced practitioners of yoga.

Like is the case with any exercise routine, it is important to start yoga exercises with warm up as well. The yoga warm-up normally consists of some stretches. In some cases Surya Namaskars (sun salutations) can be a part of the warm up as well. We will start with the beginner yoga workout.

There are many yoga positions which are simple to practice. Such yoga exercises for beginners are:

Downward Facing Dog
This is a basic yoga pose that looks similar to an inverted 'V' in the final position. It helps in stretching the back of the body and also sends a fresh supply of blood to the brains.

Tree Pose
If you are looking for a basic pose to help you with concentration, this is the pose you will want to practice. It not only helps to concentrate, but is also beneficial in anchoring.

Cobra Pose
For a flexible spine, this yoga pose for beginners should be practiced regularly. It is a back-bend pose. It will not only help in increasing the flexibility of the spine, but it is also an exercise for back pain. If you suffer from back pain be sure not to push yourself too much while doing this exercise.

Bridge Pose
This pose is also a back-bend exercise. People suffering from thyroid problems should make it a point to include bridge pose in their yoga workouts, as it helps in normal functioning of the thyroid glands.

After having read about basics of yoga and the poses for beginners, it is time to turn towards yoga poses for advanced practitioners of yoga.

Monkey Pose
This advanced pose will help in strengthening the hamstring muscles. This position is similar to splits. There are different ways of doing this pose. In the initial days of practice, it can also be done against the wall. Eventually, it can easily be done on the floor.

Bird of Paradise Pose
This is one of the most difficult yoga poses. The bird of paradise pose has many benefits, which includes increasing flexibility, increasing lubrication to the tendons, joints and ligaments, toning the muscles, flushing toxins from the body, etc. It is important to be stay anchored while doing this yoga pose.

King Dancer Pose
One of the many standing poses practiced in advanced yoga is the King Dancer pose. It helps to strengthen the legs and also is great for improving balance. To be able to perfect the pose, it will have to be practiced regularly for a consistent period of time.

Forearm Stand
This pose works the upper body along with strengthening the back and the core. In the initial stages, doing this exercise without support can be very difficult, as it requires a tremendous amount of strength in the shoulders.

Yoga is beneficial for kids as well. Yoga exercise sets are helpful in promoting balance, coordination, flexibility, etc., in children. According to a research, with regular yoga exercises kids have not only calmed down, but they have also become more creative and imaginative.

Lion Pose
Most of the children like this pose. Imitating an animal is something which interests children. This exercise can be repeated several times a day as well.

Cobra Pose
Most of the children enjoy doing this pose. The hissing sound made while doing this exercise gets the children hooked onto this exercise.

Practicing yoga during pregnancy has proved to have numerous benefits. While doing prenatal yoga poses, it is important not to stress yourself too much. The yoga poses change according to the trimester of pregnancy.

Most of the common exercises that are included in yoga exercises for pregnant women are the mountain pose, triangle pose, butterfly, etc. It is important to practice yoga during pregnancy, under a trained yoga practitioner.

If you are doing yoga workout for weight loss, then it is important that you practice yoga exercises for weight loss. Several sets of sun salutations can also help in the weight loss process. You may want to include hatha yoga in your workout regime to further increase your chances of weight loss.

The P90X workout schedule also includes yoga exercises. The P90X yoga workout helps in increasing flexibility, coordination, strength, balance, etc. In other words, it strengthens the body.

In my yoga routine, I also make it a point to include meditation. In certain types of yoga, meditation should be practiced after the person has become comfortable with the different yoga poses. However, some types yoga workouts inherently include meditation practice as well. Depending on your fitness level you can choose an appropriate workout for your condition.