They’re easy to do and a brilliant home based exercise solution. When doing these postures, make sure your focus is always on your breath.
Flexibility of the body increases flexibility of the mind.
1. Stand up straight, stretch your arms out to the side. Look at your left shoulder. Spin yourself around to the left in a circle 21 times. Focus on alternate shoulders on alternate days. This exercise will teach you to be balanced. You will find that after a few weeks you won’t experience any dizziness.
2. Lie flat on the ground, make sure your lower back is pressed into the ground. Stretch your arms out to the side and press them on the ground. Raise your legs from the hips up to the sky making sure to use your stomach muscles to lift you and not putting pressure on the back. It helps to press the arms on the floor as leverage. Breathe in as you raise the legs, lift the head off the floor, lower the head, breathe out and lower the legs to an inch off the ground. Repeat 21 times.
3. Kneel on the ground, place the hands on the hips. Throw the head and shoulders back, breathe in and move the trunk of the body in a straight plane back towards the feet. Put the head forward (chin on chest). Hold the breath for a count of 10. Release the head, breathe out and come up.
4. Sit on the ground with legs stretched out in front of you. Place the hands next to your hips on the ground beside you. Breathe in and use your feet and hands to lift your hips up off the ground. Hold. Breathe out and come down to your starting position. Repeat 21 times.
5. Put your body in an inverted ‘V’ position facing the ground with your hands and feet touching the ground, and your butt hoisted up in the air. Legs and arms are straight. Push your ankles down to the ground. Breathe out, and with control, push your hips down to the ground, allowing your back to arch. Breathe in and come back up. Repeat 21 times.
Tip: Dive into a regular practice of yoga in Cape Town by joining one of the many wonderful studios in and around the city.
