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Sitting Yoga Positions
People start yoga and look out for inspiration on which sitting yoga positions and poses can be practiced for better health. Yoga practice helps a person to maintain better physical and mental health.
It is interesting to know more about sitting yoga positions for beginners as awareness about yoga is beneficial for overall health.
There is no need for a yoga practice filled with high lunges and also chaturanga to be a yogi. If new to yoga, or even if not and looking for modifications or alternatives to one’s practice, practicing seated yoga poses on the floor or in a chair is indeed a great option.
Beginner Seated Yoga Poses
There is no doubt the endless number of yoga poses to be practiced on the floor.
Easy Pose/ Sukhasana :
This pose is actually not so easy if spending a lot of time sitting in chairs. Most yoga classes tend to start in this pose, so it is worth getting comfortable in this.
1. Bend both knees in order to come into a cross-legged position. If one’s knees do not touch the floor a person can place a blanket under one’s seat in order to make the hips slightly higher than the legs, thus making it easier to sit up straight and comfortably.
2. Place the hands on one’s knees, the palms can either face up or down. Close your eyes and then picture a string pulling the person up from the crown of one’s head, helping to lengthen the spine.
Staff Pose/Dandasana :
It may look simple, but sitting with one’s legs straight with a tall spine can actually be quite challenging on the core.
1. Start with one’s legs together and out in front of the person.
2. Flex the feet and press out through one’s heels. The soles of one’s feet need to be ideally flat as if they are pressing against a wall. Pull up toes back towards the body.
3. Place one’s hands next to one’s hips, pressing into the floor and straightening the spine.
4. If the spine rounds to compensate for tight hamstrings, sit up on a blanket or a yoga block or even slightly bend the knees.
Seated Forward Bend/Paschimottanasana:
Seated Forward Bend happens to be a classic seated posture that is ideal for stretching tight hamstrings. It is commonly taught at the end of classes as the person gets near Savasana.
1. Start seated in Staff Pose with one’s spine straight and one’s legs out in front of the person. The feet are flexed.
2. On an inhale, lift the arms over one’s head, and on an exhale fold forward with the spine straight. Try to picture the belly coming to touch the thighs.
3. The hands can rest on one’s knees, shins, or maybe on a particular day even one’s feet, but do not compromise the length of one’s back for a deeper fold.
Bound Angle/Baddha Konasana:
Baddha Konasana is indeed an amazing hip opener and is common in several restorative yoga practices.
1. Bring the soles of one’s feet together and as close to one’s groin as is comfortable for the person.
2. Hold on to the feet with one’s hands and try to sit up tall on an inhale, on an exhale fold forward with of course a straight spine.
3. The person might be surprised how hard it is to fold forward in this pose. Avoid worrying if not able to get very far, or if the person is not able to fold forward at all. If the person feels a stretch in one’s hips, then the pose is correct.
4. Another version of this stretch is to bring the feet further away from one’s groin in order to create a diamond shape with one’s legs. Hold on to one’s feet once again and then fold forward on an exhale. This time the spine can round a lot and the person’s head can even touch the feet. This stretch does target a different area of one’s hips but is just as beneficial.
Conclusion:
Sitting yoga positions are indeed worth trying.