Morning Yoga For Beginners: A Quick And Simple Routine

Child’s Pose in Sanskrit (‘Bala’, means ‘child’, 'asana' means 'pose'). Balasana or Child’s Pose is generally practiced at the end of an intense yoga sequence where the connection of the breath and the movement of the body would have been lost. The practice of Balasana concluding such a sequence, allows one to come to peace with the body with the connection of the breath. No doubt all yoga poses should lead to the connection of the breath and the body, but certain poses are challenging where the chest and the abdomen are compressed or pulled, creating uneasiness with the breathing. With Balasana, the spine remains relaxed in a forward fold and forces one to focus on breathing with the compressing of the abdomen and the chest towards the tummy. On the other hand, Balasana can be used purely as a restorative pose to heal patients with severe backaches, and insomnia, treat blood pressure, or just simply bring stress levels down. Child Pose is considered a base pose as child pose variations can be derived from this pose. Child Pose helps boost energy in the body and hence can be included in different yoga sequences. Child Pose is considered a warm-up and restorative yoga pose to prepare or restore the body before or after more intense yoga poses.

Cat-Cow Pose or Marjaryasana-Bitilasana in Sanskrit ( ‘marjari’ meaning ‘cat’, ‘bitila’ meaning ‘cow’, and 'asana' means 'pose') is a combination of two poses practiced together to gently warm up the spine and the abdomen for more challenging postures or is sometimes also practiced as a simple restorative pose. Coming on all fours, gently moving the back in a rhythmic way, and taking the position like that of a cat or a cow, releases the tensions around the spine and shoulders and tightens the abdomen to make a stronger core. Cat Cow Pose is considered a base pose as Cat-Cow Pose variations can be derived from this pose. Cat-Cow Pose helps boost energy in the body and hence can be included in different yoga sequences. Cat-Cow Pose is considered a warm-up yoga pose to prepare the body for more intense yoga poses or flows.

In Cobra Pose or Bhujangasana in Sanskrit, the body resembles a serpent with its hood raised. This yoga pose is considered a very powerful backward bending yoga pose in Hatha Yoga. Cobra pose comes under the category of 'lying down on the stomach' yoga poses.

As this asana is considered powerful like the Cobra snake, a lot of care should be taken while going into the pose and coming out of the pose. Any jerks of the back while going into the pose can cause discomfort to the back and can also cause injury. While releasing too, the body must drop down slowly and not with a jerk.

Cobra Pose is considered a base pose as cobra pose variations can be derived from this pose. Cobra Pose helps boost energy in the body and hence can be included in flow yoga sequences.

Shoulderstand Pose or Salamba Sarvangasana in Sanskrit (salamba, meaning "supported," sarva, meaning "all," anga meaning "limb," and asana, meaning "pose" or "posture."). This translates to 'All Body Parts Pose'. Salamba Sarvangasana is also known as the "Mother of all Yoga Poses" because it benefits the entire body and also the mind. Shoulderstand Pose (Sarvangasana) can be categorized under intermediate-level yoga poses. To practice this asana, yoga practitioners should have some level of comfort with various intermediate-level yoga poses. As the entire body is balanced on the upper shoulders this pose is also called 'Kandrasana' or 'Shoulderstand Pose'. Sarvangasana is considered a base pose as Sarvangasana variations can be derived from this pose. Sarvangasana helps calm the mind and turn on the parasympathetic system, hence can be included at the end of yoga sequences.

Chair Pose, also known as Utkatasana in Sanskrit, is a standing yoga posture that challenges the strength and stability of the lower body.

Though Utkatasana is also called Chair Pose, one should not think that the meaning of 'utkata' in Sanskrit means 'chair'. This pose is mainly referred to as the Fierce Pose where 'Utkata' means 'violent', 'fierce', or 'severe'. This pose is also called the Chair Pose just because the posture resembles one sitting on an invisible chair.

This pose is one of the first poses in the Sun Salutation B series. It needs ample strength with the quadricep muscles to help your hips get the right support and give the knees comfort to hold the pose for long. Working on the alignment of the hips along with the knees and the pelvic region is very essential to get comfortable in this pose.

Chair Pose is considered a base pose as chair pose variations can be derived from this pose. Chair Pose helps boost energy in the body and hence can be included in different yoga sequences.