YOGA - Prevention Is Better Than Cure

The practice of Yoga Exercises means practicing both your body and your mind. It takes willpower and perseverance to accomplish each Yoga Pose and to practice it daily. But the prize for your perseverance is really worth all the hard work. The practice of Yoga Exercises or Asanas can improve your health, increase your resistance, and develop your mental awareness. Doing the Yoga Poses requires you to study each pose and execute it slowly as you control your body and your mind.

Standing yoga mudra improves mental functions, harmonizes the connection between the heart and mind, opens the shoulders, stretches the upper back and legs.

Yoga offers many benefits. While the ultimate goal of this age-old philosophy is to realize our divine nature, the positive effects on physical health and mental well-being are impressive.

The breathing techniques in yoga improve respiration while producing a cognitive quiescence, or “mental stillness,’’ and an associated decrease in central nervous system activity.

Mountain pose is the foundation for all of the standing postures and improves posture, groundedness, stability and confidence.

1. Stand up straight with both feet at hip-width.
2. Turn your heels a little outward and let your weight rest on your toes.
3. Your arms hang downwards along your body and the palm of your hands point towards your body.
4. Now make the back of your pelvis move away from your lower back. You can do this by drawing in your ribs a little in the direction of your belly.
5. Breathe in and out a few times with full concentration. Through your breathing place your neck straight over the upper back. It would then feel as if you stretch your body upwards from the neck.
6. The shoulders feel broad and are relaxed.
7. Your breathing is free and relaxed.
8. Look straight ahead of you at a spot within your vision and try to stand motionless with as little effort as possible.
9. Whenever you do this exercise, do it with care and always try to increase your focus and your relaxation.


Many people do this asana as a moment of rest during the Yoga Exercises which results in a decrease of focus and concentration. Try to prevent this and do your best to maintain and to deepen the stilling, the alertness and the meditative character of Yoga in Tadasana. The paradox is that in Tadasana, people can increase or regain the meditative feeling of relaxation and alertness, which sometimes disappears during difficult Yoga Asanas because they cause feelings of discomfort, difficulty or pain. If you focus on the stilling effect achieved by Tadasana, you will discover that you begin to do other Yoga Exercises with greater relaxation and attention, which results in greater effectiveness.

In this exercise, you build up strength in the lower back and upper legs while you remove tension from the lower and upper back, the hips and the hamstrings through both the twist and the stretching. The exercise is good for your sense of coordination and sense of balance. You need a lot of concentration and precision to be able to carry it out correctly.


STEP 1: Start with the Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana).

STEP 2: Move your left foot forward for about 1 meter.

STEP 3: Put your left hand beside your foot and carry your weight with the lower back and on the heels of your foot in front. Raise the upper part of your body until the lower back is straight. You can recognize this by a groove in the middle of the lower back. The right foot (the one at the back) rests on the floor.

STEP 4: Stretch the leg which is in front without bending the back or twisting your body. With your back straight and your right hip stretched backward, look at a point on the ground and breathe in and out quietly. Press your left hand against the heel and twist your chest to the left. Let the twisting motion involve only your upper back while your hip, lower back, legs and head remain stationary. When you cannot twist any further, stretch your right arm upward.

STEP 5: Then twist your head to the left, look upward along your outstretched arm and stretch out your neck. When you stand well aligned in this position, it will feel light. The better you do this exercise, the bigger will be the triangle between your legs, arms and side are.

Step back towards the Downward Facing Dog Pose and repeat the exercise with your right leg in front.



In this Asana, it is important that you keep the lower back straight. Aside from that, remember that when you are twisting, the hips do not twist along. Otherwise, the right hand side becomes active and the lower back gets "locked up" as it were which results in tension in the lower back. Prevent this by actively tightening the left hand side and let it even help carry the position so that you can keep the hip in its place when twisting. This dynamism in your side also helps you to keep the dynamism in the hip active through the right leg as a result of which the hip is mobilized as much as possible.

This posture strengthens your legs, back, shoulders, and arms, building stamina. It opens your hips and chest, and improves balance. It is called the Warrior in reference to the fierce warrior, an incarnation of Shiva. This is an excellent exercise to start a number of backbends with. The lower back gets relaxed, the leg muscles are stretched and you build up strength in your legs. You also improve your coordination and concentration.

STEP 1: Kneel and keep your back straight.

STEP 2: Step forward with your right foot until the foot is a little in front of the knee and your upper leg is parallel with the floor. The left foot (the one at the back) rests on the floor with its toes and your lower leg on the mat. You can increase the stretching of your leg muscles in the front part of your left hip by bending your front leg more and more.

STEP 3: Raise both arms, and hook both thumbs together. At the same time you stretch your arms upwards and you pull the thumbs slightly apart. Then you raise your knee at the back so that your weight is now equally divided between the leg in front and the leg at the back. Look forward and focus your attention on one point. This helps you to maintain your balance. If you find this easy, you can also look upwards or even backwards instead of looking in front of you.

It is important that your chestbone remains low and that you do not make your lower back too hollow. By stretching your arms you also stretch your back. When doing that, try to maintain dynamism from the sacrum to the hip.



At first you can also do the asana without raising the hind knee from the floor. That makes the exercise less hard for the leg muscles and easier for your balance. Extend the hindleg fully and be careful not to compensate by bending the knee.

Make the most of the exercise by bending deeper with your front leg, by stretching your hind leg even further, by making your breathing as relaxed as possible and by stretching your arms as much as possible.

This posture strengthens your legs, back, shoulders, and arms, building stamina. It opens your hips and chest, and improves balance. It is called the Warrior in reference to the fierce warrior, an incarnation of Shiva. Learn how to do the second Warrior Pose in this section.


STEP 1: Start with the Mountain Pose.

STEP 2: Jump so that your feet are around four feet apart.

STEP 3: Raise both arms parallel to the floor. Turn your head to the left.

STEP 4: Turn your left foot 90 degrees to the left and bend your left knee. Keep the hips in the same angle (180 degrees) as for the arms. Stay in this position for 30 seconds to one minute.



This is a powerful Standing Pose which provides numerous benefits such as increase in stamina and improved strength in the legs and ankles. Just make sure to perform it correctly. You can ask your Yoga instructor for assistance so he or she will be able to tell you how to do it the right way.

This is the third and last variation of the Warrior Pose. Virabhadrasana III improves your balance and stability and strengthens the ankles, legs, and shoulders. Learn how to do the Warrior Pose III in this section.


STEP 1: Start with the Mountain Pose.

STEP 2: Raise both arms overhead, perpendicular to the floor. Your palms should be facing each other.

STEP 3: Move your left foot backward. Slightly lean forward, keeping your back straight and your arms stretched overhead. Your left foot, back, and arms should form a diagonal line.

STEP 4: Lift your left foot and straighten your right leg simultaneously, keeping your arms parallel to the floor. At this point, your raised leg, upper body and arms should be parallel to the floor. Give length to the entire spine by stretching your arms and your legs. This results in stretching from two sides of the back: stretching from the legs and from the arms. Keep on breathing through the belly and be careful not to bend your lower back.


This is a powerful Standing Pose which helps increase stamina and improve strength in the legs and ankles. As with all other poses, make sure to perform it correctly to achieve optimum results. You can ask your Yoga instructor for assistance so he or she will be able to tell you how to do it the right way.

This is a good stretching exercise that reduces the stiffness, tiredness and tension in the muscles in your hind legs. At the same time, the muscles of the back and the neck are thoroughly stretched and you learn to deal with possible stretching aches.


STEP 1: Start with the Mountain Pose.

STEP 2: Jump so that your feet are around four feet apart. Slightly turn your heels outward while you look forward.

STEP 3: Bend forward until the upper body stands halfway parallel to the ground. Place your hands right under your shoulders on the ground and see to it that your lower back is straight and still supports your position.

STEP 4: Push, as it were, your pelvis upward, look to the ground and stretch from the neck towards the ground.

If you can do this easily, you can grab the outsides of your feet and slightly pull at them so that the front part of your body feels long and you can stretch even further.

The stretching should be the result of relaxation, letting loose, gravitation and the stretching motion itself and not the result of pulling your hands with force.


When you come back, stand straight up again and then you jump back to Tadasana.

Try to maintain the feeling of stretching and giving length to the back and the chest at all times in the forward bend. When the back sinks down the chest and your breathing get oppressed and you lose a major part of the stretching.


Remember that you do this forward bend in a relaxed manner and never through pulling your feet with force. When you pull too hard, the body stiffens, your thinking and breathing become unquiet and you run a risk of injuring yourself.

This exercise provides you a complete stretch of the upper back and lower back, as well as the leg and calf muscles. In this exercise, you literally stretch stress, tiredness, and stiffness from your body. At the same time, you learn how to rest and relax in case of discomfort and effort. Uttanasana also increases the flow of blood to the brain.


STEP 1: Start with the Mountain Pose.

STEP 2: Bend your knees, support your upper body with a straight lower back, and slowly bend forward so that your belly touches your upper legs. Maintain the position of your lower back or else your chest will sink. Move your pelvis, taking the back as the starting point, relax your groins, and keep your weight on the front parts of your heels.

STEP 3: Keep breathing correctly through your belly and slowly stretch your chest to the knees without losing the support of your lower back. Stretch your legs everytime you exhale. Your pelvis moves upward from the back until your legs are eventually stretched. Touch the ground or grab your ankles. Stretch downward from your crown and when you have grabbed your ankles, use a slight stretching force to lengthen the body.

Important! If you lose the supportive power of the lower back during the exercise, you lose a major part of its effect. As a result, your chest will sink, making your breathing irregular. Also, stretching will not be effective.

Now, stand up straight again and jump back to Tadasana.


Bear in mind that you perform this forward bend through relaxation and not through force by pulling your feet with physical strength. When you pull too hard, the body stiffens, your thinking and breathing will be affected and worst of all, you run a risk of injuring yourself.

In the Downward Facing Dog Pose, you build up strength in the upper arms and you give space and opening in the back, neck, chest, hips and shoulders. If you let your ankles sink nicely to the floor in this asana, you stretch the calves at the same time. In Yoga, this pose is often used as an exercise in between other exercises, but it is in fact an exercise in itself.


STEP 1: Stand up on your hands and knees. Stretch the elbows and relax the upper back between the shoulder blades, which gives you the feeling that the arms fall into the shoulder blades.

STEP 2: Lift your knees and draw your back backwards from the pelvis, so that your arms and back form one line.

STEP 3: Stretch your legs in such a way that you get the feeling that someone behind you is pulling your legs and hips backwards from the top of your upper legs. Let your head hang down in a relaxed sort of way.

STEP 4: When you have placed your back and your legs correctly, stretch out your arms. This results in a stretching from two sides of the back: a stretching from the pelvis and a stretching from the arms. When the back and the chest are placed correctly, you will notice that you can quietly breathe in and out through the belly. You should not let your chest hang downwards or make your back extremely sunken. In this asana, the back should be lengthened along its entire length. Take your time to work out the stretching further and further.


Many people experience the Downward Facing Dog Pose as a moment of rest between difficult Yoga exercises. However, when you are doing this, try to remain focused, both physically and mentally, and continue working out the technique further to get the maximum benefit from this exercise and from Yoga in general.

The combination of stretching and twisting in this Asana makes the spinal column straighter and freer. It also mobilizes parts of the back and the hip, which in daily life do not move a lot. The twisting motion trains the nerves and the sinews in the spinal column and improves digestion.

STEP 1: To start off, put your right foot forward, bend your knee at 90 degrees, and kneel with your left knee.

STEP 2: Bring your left elbow or left upper arm over your right knee. Move your right hand close to your hips.

STEP 3: Place both palms in the prayer position. Make an upward motion out of the lower back so that the elbow slightly presses upward against your right knee and you no longer lean on your leg.

STEP 4: Put some counter pressure with your arm against the knee, stretch your back, move your shoulder blades backwards, and turn to the right with your upper body. Straighten your left leg backwards.

STEP 5: Put your left hand on the floor and align your right arm with your left leg. At this point, your right arm and left leg should form a diagonal line. Try to stretch your neck, breathe towards the breast bone and twist from the lower shoulder blade which steers on the twist. Repeat the exercise on the other side.

You can take steps 3, 4, and 5 as separate exercises. For beginners or for warming up, steps 1 to 3 are good enough. A more advanced variation is step 4 where you can also lift your other knee without changing the position of your lower back, hip, and upper leg. As a result, you will stand on both legs. It is better to perform steps 3 and 4 properly than to rush into step 5 with less concentration and relaxation. Steps 1 to 4 are also great warm-up poses for step 5. '''''

The Tree Pose helps strengthen your thighs, calves, ankles and back. It can also increase the flexibility of your hips and groin. Your balance and concentration can also be improved with constant practice. This Yoga Pose is recommended for people who have Sciatica and flat feet.

STEP 1: Start with the Mountain Pose.

STEP 2: As you exhale, place your left foot on the inside part of your right leg, close to the groin area, with the toes pointing downward.

STEP 3: As you inhale, stretch your arms sideways to form a T, palms facing down.

STEP 4: As you exhale, bring your palms together in prayer position.

STEP 5: Raise your arms overhead, keeping your palms in prayer position. To maintain balance, it helps to focus your eyes on one point in front of you and keep on breathing through the belly.


In the beginning, you may use a back brace against a wall to help you keep yourself steady. People who are suffering from headache, insomnia, low blood and high blood pressure should take extra caution in doing this pose.

Practicing the Stand Spread Leg Forward Fold can strengthen and stretch your inner and back legs and your spine. It is also good for toning the abdominal organs and calming the brain. Doing this pose can relieve mild headaches.

STEP 1: Start with the Mountain Pose (Tadasana).

STEP 2: Jump so that your feet are around four feet apart. Slightly turn your heels outward while you look forward.

STEP 3: Bring your hands together in the prayer position against the chest bone.
STEP 4: Bend your upper body from the hip until halfway parallel to the floor. Without causing tension in the chin, stretch out your neck, which causes the back to be lengthened. The chest bone is moved slightly in the direction of the belly. The breathing goes through the belly or towards the chest bone, against which the hands have been placed. Look straight downwards at a spot on the floor.

Build up the exercise quietly and remain focused on a correct position of the back and the chest.

People with lower back problems should avoid doing the full forward bend. For beginners, you may use props like a folding chair to support your forearms. '''''

The Sun Salutation Pose, also known as Salute to the Sun and Surya Namaskar, is a flowing series of 12 poses which help improve strength and flexibility of the muscles and spinal column. This pose also warms up the body and tones the abdominal muscles. Learn how to perform the Sun Salutation Pose with the help of our animation and easy-to-follow steps.

STEP 1: Start with the Mountain Pose. Bring your palms together in prayer position. Exhale.

STEP 2: As you inhale, raise your arms overhead, keeping your palms together.

STEP 3: Exhale and then bend forward until your hands touch your feet.

STEP 4: As you inhale, step the right leg back, arch back and lift your chin.

STEP 5: Exhaling, step the left leg back into plank position. Keep your spine and legs in a straight line and support your weight on hands and feet.

STEP 6: Retaining the breath, lower your knees, your chest and then your forehead, keeping your hips up and toes curled under.

STEP 7: Inhaling, stretch forward and bend back. Keep your arms straight.

STEP 8: Exhaling, curl your toes under, press down into your heels, and lift your hips.

STEP 9: Repeat Step 4 using the left leg. As you inhale, step your leg back, arch backward, and lift your chin.

STEP 10: Exhale and then bend forward until your hands touch your feet.

STEP 11: Inhaling, stretch your arms forward and over your head. Slowly bend backward from the waist.

STEP 12: Exhaling, gently come back to Tadasana.


As with all other poses, make sure to perform the Sun Salutation Pose correctly to achieve optimum results. You can ask your Yoga instructor for assistance so he or she will be able to tell you how to do it the right way.