Feeling lazy? Practice these 8 easy yoga poses in your bed to overcome laziness. The perfect yoga asanas for a full stretch with minimal effort.

These lazy yoga poses and easy stretches are perfect for the times when just the thought of moving your body is exhausting.

It is no secret that physical activity is good for your health. Getting your muscles moving throughout the week is important for mental and physical wellbeing.

But what do you do when you are feeling sluggish and don’t want to exert much effort? This is when doing a few lazy yoga poses can come to the rescue. 

Although you probably won’t be burning a lot of calories, there are many health benefits to adopting a regular yoga routine.

Yoga is an exercise but some people refer to it as a practice. The origin of yoga, which means to unite, is thought to be an area in eastern Asia thousands of years ago.

The combination of mindfulness, body awareness, and stretching that yoga brings to the fitness and spiritual world has made this form of physical activity very popular. 

Benefits of Yoga

• Improved balance, flexibility, and strength
• Relieves chronic pain
• Reduces stress and body inflammation 
• Improves ability to manage stress
• Better quality of sleep
• Mindfulness
• A more positive disposition

One misconception about yoga is that you have to do complex poses to get the most out of your practice. You can experience the benefits of yoga without standing on your head.

Here are nine of the best lazy stretches and yoga poses to get you moving, even when you don’t really want to. 

NOTE: Remember, none of the poses should be painful. Feeling some tension is completely normal. If any pain is felt while performing these stretches, stop immediately. This could be a sign of an injury.

Also, while holding each pose be mindful of your breath. This will help you stay centered. 

1. Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall Pose)

This easy and relaxing pose can help relieve leg and ankle pain or swelling, headaches, lower back pain, and menstrual cramps. Viparita Karani is also known as a natural remedy for jet lag, as it can refresh the body after sitting or standing for long periods of time.

How to do legs up the wall

1. Grab a yoga bolster. If you don’t have a bolster, you can roll up a blanket or two.
2. Place the bolster a few inches from the wall. The space between should be large enough for your tailbone to rest.
3. Sit on the bolster and put your legs against the wall. Your hips and lower back should be supported by the bolster.
4. Put legs be straight with ankle bones gently touching. 
5. Ensure that thighs are flat against the wall. If your thighs are not flat, you may need to bring your hips closer to the wall.
6. Hands can rest on your stomach or sides.
7. Hold for a few minutes.

2. Balasana (Child’s Pose)

During a typical yoga routine child’s pose is often used as a rest between more strenuous poses. Balasana helps to relieve back, neck, and shoulder pain. This is, personally, one of my favorite poses to decrease my chronic back pain.

How to do the child’s Pose

1. Start by kneeling on the ground.
2. Touch the top of your feet to your yoga mat and move your feet so your big toes are touching.
3. Keep your knees hip-width apart and allow your stomach to rest between your thighs.
4. Bend forward and rest your forehead on the mat. This step can be modified by using a yoga block, pillow, or a few rolled-up towels to support your head. 
5. There are a few different variations of where to place your hands during this pose. The most common are to either stretch your arms in front of you; and place your palms on the ground. Or you can place your back arms by your sides with your palms facing up, this is best if you are having shoulder pain.

3. Chakravakasana (Cat-Cow Pose)

Chakravakasana is a movement that switches between two different yoga poses. The two stretches are commonly called cat pose and cow pose. 

Cat-Cow Pose is a great stress reliever because each pose is linked with your breath.

Other benefits include, improved circulation, reduced back pain, better posture. This is another pose that is great for those that spend a lot of time sitting. 

How to do a Cat/Cow tose

1. Start on your hands and knees.
2. Ensure your body is correctly aligned keep your wrists under your shoulders and your feet under your hips.
3. Draw in your navel to keep your ab muscles engaged.

How to do a Cat pose (when inhaling)

1. Stretch the tops of your feet to touch the mat.
2. Tilt hips forward while keeping knees on the ground. This will cause your spine to naturally round.
3. Bring your gaze to your navel.

Cow Pose (when exhaling) 

1. Curl toes under.
2. Tilt the pelvis back so your tailbone sticks up in the air slightly. 
3. Keep the neck long while gently bringing your gaze to the ceiling.
4. Take seven to twelve breaths following this routine of inhaling moving into the cat pose and transitioning to cow pose when exhaling. 

4. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

The cobra pose is perfect for getting a good stretch in on a lazy day. This pose helps to improve strength and mobility in the spine, relieve back pain, and open the chest area. 

How to the Cobra pose

1. Begin laying on your stomach
2. Place palms flat on the ground directly under your shoulders
3. Slightly bend elbows back while keeping them tight by your side 
4. When inhaling lift your chest off the ground
5. Roll shoulders away from your ears and maintain a neutral neck 

TIP: Feel like you aren’t lifting high enough? Try engaging your legs and ensure your pubic bone is anchored to the mat

5. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Dog)

A downward dog might be one of the most well-known yoga poses. The benefits of this relaxing pose include increased blood flow to the brain and reduced back pain. This stretch also helps to loosen your hamstrings and calves. Ab, arm, leg, and back muscles are strengthened when practicing this pose. 

How to do the Downward Dog

1. Begin on your hands and knees. Align your wrists under your shoulders and knees beneath your hips
2. Push back through your hands and lift hips while slowly straightening arms and legs 
3. Spread fingers to create a strong base 
4. Allow your head to hang while keeping your shoulders away from your ears
5. Sink your heels into the floor. This is where you should focus your weight to take the strain off your arms and hands 
6. Hold this pose for about one minute 

6. Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose)

Although this isn’t a battle stance, this pose does help you to strengthen your arms and legs. Warrior I pose can help to open hips and stretch hamstrings. This pose is also great for improving balance and core strength. It is a favorite of those that have sciatica. 

How to do the Warrior I pose

1. While standing on the mat, step one foot forward
2. Bend your front knee into a lunge. Feeling unbalanced? Ensure that your core is engaged
3. Turn your back foot 45 degrees, while keeping that back leg straight
4. Press shoulder blades down away from your ears and lift your arms straight above your head
5. While keeping your gaze on your hands squeeze your shoulder blades together 
6. Hold for as long as comfortable 
7. Switch legs and repeat 

7. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

The Mountain pose is used as the base yoga posture for many different standing poses. Tadasana helps to improve posture, strengthen legs, and bring the body into alignment.

How to do the Mountain pose 

1. Create a solid base by keeping your feet together and spreading your toes out 
2. Engage your quadriceps. It should feel like your knees are rising. Do not lock your knees 
3. Widen sit bones by turning your thighs inward
4. Roll shoulders down and away from your ears 
5. Allow arms to hang naturally while keeping palms facing forward 
6. Stand tall and keep your gaze straight. Imagine your head is connected to the ceiling by a string
7. Take your time with this pose and go through seven to twelve breath cycles

8. Savasana (Corpse Pose)

Savasana, also known as corpse pose, is usually found at the end of a yoga flow. It is used to take time to think about the practice that you have just completed. This pose can also be done before bed to help you decompress after a long day.

Corpse pose allows the body to release any pent-up tension.  When completed correctly, you may feel more relaxed, centered, and with lower levels of stress. 

The goal of this pose is to stay present and aware. Although doing the pose is physically easy, it is thought to be one of the most difficult yoga poses to maintain mentally. 

How to do the Corpse pose

1. Start by laying down on your back
2. Separate legs hip-width apart and allow your feet to fall naturally
3. Keep arms at your side with your hands relaxed and palms facing the ceiling
4. Roll shoulders down away from your ears
5. Close your eyes and imagine any tension you may feel leaving your body 
6. Although your mind may wander, focus on your breath
7. Allow yourself 7-12 minutes to stay in this position and relax. Set a timer to prevent you from worrying about the time. 
8. Slowly move your fingers and toes to bring your body back to a normal state

Experiencing the benefits of yoga is achievable without putting out maximum effort. Each of these lazy poses helps to move your muscles and relax your mind. This teaches us a great lesson for life: It isn’t always necessary to “do the most”. It is possible to attain positive results from doing less.

Related Posts:

• 10 Lazy Ways To Burn More Belly Fat
• 10 Daily Yoga Poses for Older Women
• The 12 Best Yoga Videos on YouTube (Great Workout)
• 7 Yoga Poses for Plus Size Beginners

As author Scott Perry says in his book Endeavor, “Less is more. Progress is made through precise, persistent, and purposeful pushes.” Happy stretching!

Best Yoga Videos on YouTube: 12 of the finest yoga videos, the greatest classes, and the top YouTube channels follow to ensure you have the best yoga workout every day (beginner-friendly).

YouTube yoga videos have taken the world by storm. If you don’t already have a favourite YouTube yoga channel saved onto your favourites tab, you will by the end of this article.

From yin yoga to restorative yoga to vinyasa yoga to hatha yoga to Kemetic yoga, there’s a good reason every second friend you chat to is practising this art form of exercise. Quite simply, the benefits are enormous. Yoga is known to improve your mental health and wellbeing as well as help with weight loss and overall body fitness.

Whether you choose to lay your mat out after a long day at work or before the sun rises with a morning yoga practice, yoga can have a significant impact on your mood and health.

Which Yoga YouTube Channel is Best?

Depending on whether you’re looking for a strenuous workout or a grounding flow, there are tons of channels and videos catering to different needs on the internet.

The best yoga channel on YouTube is Yoga with Adriene. Not only because she instils a sense of calm in me from the moment she starts to speak, but because she provides a well-rounded variety of videos on her channel.

Whether you are experiencing pain in your lower back, are craving a good stretch or need a full-body workout, Yoga with Adriene has you covered.

Is 15 Minutes of Yoga a Day Enough?

If your aim is to get super fit or lose weight, I would recommend doing between 4 and 5 hours of core or power yoga each week.

However, if you’re after a relaxing grounding session, 15 minutes of restorative yoga or stretching each day can add huge value to your mental health and wellness.

Yoga practices are known to be deeply calming and increase positive vibes all around. Better yet, yoga can be a life-long practice that you can modify to suit your body and fitness as you get older.

What are the Most Effective Yoga Classes?

Not only is yoga incredibly good for the mind, soul and body, it’s also a workout that you can do just about anywhere there is enough space to roll out a yoga mat.

On top of this, it’s really easy to find good YouTube yoga channels to guide you through your at-home practice. In my opinion, the most effective YouTube classes are full-body workouts. These physically demanding flows include core vinyasa flows and acro yoga for more advanced yogis, and ashtanga and Iyengar for beginners.

If you want to break a sweat, follow along as we uncover the 12 best yoga classes and YouTube yoga channels with the world’s best yoga teachers across the internet:

1. Beginner Yoga with My Peace of Mindfulness

If you’re a yoga newbie, My Peace of Mindfulness is the Youtube channel for you. Primarily a mindfulness & meditation channel, they also have a range of beginner yoga classes with professional teachers.

2. Morning Vinyasa Burn with Yoga Dose

Yoga Dose self-defines itself as ‘the place to get strong, and stay flexible’. And really, isn’t that what we’re all here for? While many yoga teachers add in a few relaxing breathing practices and yin flows, Yoga Dose is all about the burn.

Watch this video, and scroll through their list to find some intense morning yoga workouts which will get you ready for the day. While you don’t have to be fit or flexible to try these flows, you should definitely be ready to sweat it all out and feel the burn!

3. Total Body Yoga Flow with CosmoBody (and Tara Stiles)

Dive into the week with this total-body flow. Cosmo Body was created by the Cosmopolitan conglomerate to influence their following to keep fit without having to spend time at a gym, or paying high membership fees.

The platform collates tons of videos put together by a variety of personal trainers and yoga teachers. This 30-minute workout is one of my favourites because it’s quick, and is all about letting go of your day so far.

If you’re struggling with procrastination or motivation, this video will help you reset and recenter for the rest of the day.

4. Deep Stretch Yoga by Yoga with Kassandra

Stretching is essential for good health. In fact, keeping flexible can help your body protect itself from certain injuries and pain. It is also known to improve your posture and balance and therefore increase your overall physical strength.

Flexibility is exactly what our bodies need to help our sore ligaments and creaky joints out. Not only will this video by Yoga with Kassandra make you feel like you’ve just had a deep-tissue massage, but it will also increase your overall fitness levels.

5. Yoga for Back Pain by Yoga with Adriene

It’s no secret that Yoga with Adriene is my personal favourite yoga teacher and personal trainer. She runs the best YouTube yoga channel for anyone looking for a wide range of yoga practices, from beginner through to advanced poses.

Many of her home yoga videos put a focus on different parts of the body. For example, this video is crafted for beginners and will help relieve lower back pain. It’s basically like a free physio session, and even if you feel too sore to get moving, this video will leave you feeling relieved of your pain.

6. Lengthening Yoga and Guided Meditation Practice with Caren Baginski

Yoga is all about taking a holistic approach to life, and it goes without saying that eating properly, doing exercise and keeping your mind active through meditation go hand in hand for a successful yoga journey.

Caren Baginski’s channel curates guided meditation videos together with full workout classes. This video is a great combination of the two and will help you feel more relaxed and grounded, while also helping you break a sweat.

7. Basic Yoga for Complete Beginners by Yoga with Adriene

Calling all yogi beginners! Yoga with Adriene is a great YouTube channel that guides a wider audience through yoga practices.

Don’t get me wrong, Adriene is known for making that booty burn, and can definitely turn up the heat in more advanced sessions, but many of her classes are catered to beginner audiences. This flow is one of them.

Adriene herself is super down to earth and will make you feel at ease from the moment you unfurl your mat. On top of this, she’s clear and concise when she speaks, and will easily guide you through this beginner practice with her calming voice.

8. Power Vinyasa for Increased Energy with Briohny Smyth at Alo Yoga

If you’re after a solid free workout, we have you covered. Briohny Smyth works out of her flagship studio in Beverly Hills, but if you would rather practice over the web, this 30-minute vinyasa flow will be sure to raise your heart rate.

Power vinyasa is basically vinyasa, just sped up (and often done in a hot studio). It offers a cardio workout and is great for endurance and strength training. Aside from the obvious health and wellness benefits, vinyasa yoga is known to help increase your stability and balance, and lower your overall stress and anxiety levels. Sounds like we could all use one of these sessions!

9. Acro Yoga Beginner Flow with Koya Webb

While you might not believe acro yoga to be an option for beginners, this flow was designed for first time acro’s. In fact, one of the partners in this video has never done acro yoga herself. We all have to start somewhere, right?

Aside from her free video content, Koya also does private coaching for anyone interested in acro yoga. This type of partner yoga depends entirely on trust between two people and is a great exercise for an open heart.

Not to mention, it’s clear that it’s also a strong workout that requires a bit of flexibility, and will help increase your overall fitness if practised continuously.

10. Morning Yoga for Flexibility with Tara Stiles

Tara Stiles is a yoga instructor and the founder of Strala Yoga. Strala is a series of yoga studios and an online database that posts videos ranging from relaxing meditations to tai chi to body positive yoga.

Although she charges a fee to access her platform, she does also have a YouTube channel where she posts quick 5-10 minute flows for anyone to do for free.

This practice is great for improving flexibility in the morning and will help open up your neck, spine and hamstrings after a long sleep.

11. Pilates Inspired Yoga Practice by Move with Nicole

I like to think of yoga and pilates as siblings. They both offer some of the best low-impact workouts and if practised together, can have a range of benefits for the body and mind.

Nicole McPherson is a barre and pilates instructor with a passion for yoga and all things fitness. She posts videos and classes on her channel that fuse these three workouts together, creating the ultimate workout that will get you fired up for the day.

12. Full-Body Core Yoga by Yoga with Tim

This YouTube channel posts free weekly videos that yoga instructor Tim claims will not only keep you fit and healthy but also change your outlook on life. Tim helps to guide you through your spirit voyage, from refining your breathing techniques and focus to ensuring your muscle alignment is perfect.

In this full-body workout, Tim uses the whole body and puts special attention on alignment in his poses. After all, yoga is all about alignment. Once you have that pinned, the fitness will follow!

Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced yogi, these yoga videos will be sure to give your body just what it needs. Grab your mat and get moving!

Yoga for Plus Size Beginners: the best plus-sized yoga poses for larger women and bigger bodies. A beginner-friendly workout to practice daily.

Yoga practice is for all shapes and sizes. This post will encourage you to start yoga, no matter your weight or level of fitness.

Starting your first yoga class can be intimidating. And, if you’re overweight, things can become double daunting.

Yoga practice has incredible benefits, including reducing stress and improving flexibility and balance. At Health Shales, we want everyone to love yoga, no matter your size, bodyweight, or experience.

These plus-size yoga variations are perfect for overweight beginners and are designed to improve flexibility and self-esteem; while encouraging weight loss. Plus, it only takes 10 minutes to complete.

Related: 11 Weight Loss Tips for Morbidly Obese Women

Is yoga good for plus size?

With regular practice, yoga is an excellent workout for a plus-sized person. As an overweight beginner, yoga can be challenging as you’re using bodyweight in new and awkward positions. Starting yoga can help overweight beginners to burn calories, improve posture and blood flow,

Let’s debunk two common yoga myths before you start your first yoga class:

MYTH #1 You have to be in shape and wear skin-tight leggings to practice yoga.

MYTH #2 You need to be flexible enough to fold like a pretzel to do yoga.

The truth is yoga takes practice and dedication to achieve the results we often associate with yoga.

No matter your level of physical fitness or body type, starting yoga for the first time can be difficult.

And, if you’re a bigger-bodied person, feeling comfortable and confident enough to practice yoga can be both mentally and physically challenging.

That’s why the following yoga workout has been designed with larger women in mind.

SECRET FACT: many yoga teachers started as overweight beginners who mastered poses and slowly developed their fitness. So, always ask a yoga teacher their story and yoga journey.

If you’re a plus-sized beginner, practice this easy routine every day to boost your confidence and improve your flexibility.

You can also use this gentle yoga workout as a cardio exercise routine to help you burn fat, lose weight and develop muscle tone.

1. Start With a Meditation Posture

Also known as the Quarter Lotus, this is a beautiful way to start any beginner yoga routine. This pose will help you to relax and focus on your body posture. It may look simple, but this can be challenging tight hips. Take your time to perfect this pose by practicing regularly.

2. The Reverse Prayer Pose

Gently move into this reversed prayer pose (Reverse Anjali Mudra); as an excellent stretch for your upper body.

To achieve this pose, roll your shoulders down and back, try to open the front of your chest, and bring your palms as close together as you can.

REMEMBER: everyone’s body is different. If you’re beginning your yoga journey, this pose can be challenging. Keep practicing and track your progress,

Feel free to stand for a slightly different variation of this pose. But keep in mind this can be more difficult for bigger bodies.

3. The Tree Pose

The tree pose (Vrikshasana) is a popular yoga exercise, perfect for practicing balancing and posture.

Hold a prayer pose and lift your left leg into a balanced stance. Take a few deep breaths, and then repeat with your right leg.

This is a challenging yet rewarding pose to learn for overweight beginners.

As your confidence grows, you can try and more advanced version by raising your arms above your head and lifting your leg higher.

4. The Upward Salute Pose

The Upward Salute (Urdhva Hastasana) is the perfect movement to stretch the sides of your upper body, spine, shoulders, and stomach.

Lean deeply into the stretch as much as you can, shift your body weight and breath.

For bigger bodies, this full-body exercise can also help you to lose weight and build muscle tone.

5. The Warrior Pose

Warrior Pose (Virabhadrasana) is a great stretch to add to your yoga sequence. It’s great to build power, balance, and stability, and it’s a beginner-friendly pose for overweight people.

Once again, remember to breathe and to practice inner peace.

6. The Cobra Pose

The Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana) is another excellent exercise that strengthens your arms, shoulders, and back muscles.

This is a perfect movement for plus-size women who may hold extra weight on their chest, which can cause stress to the lower back.

7. The Downward Dog Pose

The downward dog (Adho Mukha Shvanasana) is one of the best yoga poses for improving your blood circulation and posture.

It’s also a slightly more challenging position for plus-size beginners, which makes this one of the best cardio exercises to help you lose those extra pounds.

I recommend practicing these easy yoga poses daily to master the movements and build your confidence.

Once you feel ready, you can slowly integrate more advanced yoga poses into your workout. Cat pose, Corpse pose, Bridge pose Cow pose are all great stretched to progress into.

The last step is to join a class. You can find great yoga studios and yoga teachers online.

Look for yoga classes with a diverse mix of attendees. You can also find great online communities as well as youtube videos if you’d prefer to enjoy yoga from the comfort of your home.

Yoga for Older Women

Beginning yoga poses for seniors and older women over 60. Easy asanas older adults can practice to improve balance, well-being, and fitness.

Yoga is becoming increasingly popular among older women and seniors…and it’s fantastic!

Whether you’ve just hit 50 or 60 years old, it’s never too late to join a yoga class. When it comes to getting a good yoga workout, age is just a number.

Here at Health Shales, we believe that our yoga for older women is the perfect exercise routine for seniors.

Here are four reasons women over 60 should consider beginning their yoga journey today:

Reason #1 Healthy Aging
Yoga for seniors can help to reduce stress the risk of heart disease and dementia. Better sleep is often associated with regular yoga practice, as well as increasing your mood and overall fitness levels.

Reason #2 Strengthen Muscles and Bones
Strengthen muscles and improve bone density with yoga. This can help combat osteoporosis and osteoarthritis – common health issues among older adults.

Reason #3 Relieve Tension
As you get older, chronic conditions and body tension can become severe. Yoga practice can dramatically reduce body aches, joint pain, and chronic pain, leaving you feeling stress-free.

Related Posts:

• 7 Yoga Poses for Plus Size Beginners
• Best Yoga Videos on YouTube (Great Workout)
• 8 Lazy Yoga Poses Easy Enough to Do in Bed

What type of yoga is best for seniors?

Restorative yoga, hatha yoga, and chair yoga exercises are great for older adults. With this combination of slow-flow yoga asanas, you can go at your own pace. Each pose is held longer than traditional yoga classes.

It’s essential to find the correct yoga sequence, which can help to relax the body, reduce stress, and improve body functions. And, this can differ from person to person.

If you’re starting your yoga journey, I suggest purchasing a yoga mat and practicing yoga at home using the gentle yoga poses below.

Related: How Often Should You Do Yoga to See Results?

Yoga Poses for Older Women

Here are the best 12 yoga poses for older women:

1. Seated Forward Bend Pose

This yoga pose stretches the hamstrings and the spine, and it also aids in relieving back pain.

Instructions:

1. Sit on a folded blanket with your legs straight in front of you. Straighten up your spine and hands as in staff pose.
2. Inhale as you extend your arms up overhead, keeping your spine straight.
3. Exhale as you hinge forward from the hips, bending forward over your legs. Lengthen your spine by ensuring your torso rests on your thighs.
4. Let your hands hold on to anything your flexibility allows—your feet, shins. Or you can wrap a strap around your feet and hold it instead.
5. Lengthen the front torso with each inhalation and deepen your forward fold as you exhale. Hold the pose for up to 3 to 5 minutes.
6. To release the pose, inhale as you slowly lift your torso back to an upright position.

2. Warrior I Pose

This yoga pose strengthens your shoulders, back, and legs and opens up your hips and chest.

Instructions:

1. Standing, step your feet forward about four ft. wide apart. Your toes should point to the top of the mat.
2. With your left leg straight behind you, pivot your left heel at 45 degrees.
3. Press your weight through your left leg and bend your right knee at 90 degrees angle.
4. Then, raise your hands and keep them between your head.
5. Squeeze your shoulders blades firmly. Slant your head back and tilt your gaze upwards.
6. Hold the pose for at least 1 minute.

3. Warrior II Pose

The warrior ii pose is great for stretching your hips, groins, and shoulders. Improve your balance and stability.

Instructions:

1. Begin with your feet at least 3-4 ft. apart.
2. Turn your feet so that the toes face the top of the mat
3. Have your right foot facing forward and your left foot inwards at 45 degrees.
4. Stretch out your arms on the sides at shoulders height.
5. Bend your right knee as you exhale. Ensure your knee and ankle form a straight line.
6. Draw in your stomach and push your pelvis down. Hold the pose.
7. To release the pose, breathe deeply in as you come up and exhale and rest your arms.

4. Tree Pose

Tree pose enhances balance.

Instructions:

1. Start with both feet together.
2. Gently lift your left foot off the floor. Keep your right foot in line, and don’t bend the knee.
3. Then bend your left knee and rest your left foot on the right thigh.
4. To maintain balance, focus your gaze on a focal point—something stationary.
5. Hold the pose while breathing deeply.

5. Cobra Pose

This pose strengthens the spine and firms the gluteus.

Instructions:

1. Lie on your stomach, with your toes straight back
2. Place your palms on the ground to help you lift your chest off the floor. Keep your ribs low on the floor.
3. Firm your shoulders into your upper back and roll up the collarbone.
4. Keep your gaze on the floor and hold the pose.

6. Triangle Pose

The triangle pose stretches the legs, ankle joints, hips, and hamstrings, strengthening the back, ankles, and knees. Relieves stress and low back pain.

Instructions:

1. Stand straight with your feet wide apart (3 to 4 ft. apart)
2. Turn your right foot out at an angle of 90 degrees and your left foot about 15 degrees.
3. Inhale as you raise your arms on your sides to form a T-shape.
4. Keep your left toes facing forward and balance your weight equally on both feet.
5. Exhaling, bend your body to the right and bring your right hand down towards the floor. Your left hand should come up in the air, straightened.
6. Let your right armrest on your ankle or shin or the floor.
7. Keep your gaze on the left palm.
8. Straighten your legs and lengthen your arms.
9. Engage your core while deep breathing. Relax your body with each exhalation.
10. To release the pose, come up, bring your arms down to your sides, and straighten your feet

7. Bound Angle Pose

A great asana for opening up the hips and achieving a full stretch for the inner thighs.

Instructions:

1. Begin in a seated position.
2. Bring your heels towards your pelvis, placing the soles of your feet together.
3. Interlace your fingers around your toes.
4. Inhale as you press your hips down and extend out the crown of your head.
5. Drop your back and shoulders down. Press your chest towards the front.
6. Press down your knees onto the floor to open up the hips. Maintain a flat back.
7. Gently exhale as you pull your body forward.
8. Hold the pose for 3-5 minutes

8. Downward Facing Dog Pose

This pose stretches the hamstrings and the back. It also strengthens the shoulder as well.

Instructions:

1. Begin in an all-fours position.
2. Exhale as you press your hips up and back. Lengthen and straighten your spine by lifting through the tailbone.
3. Press your heels onto the floor with your feet hip-width apart and toes are facing forward.
4. Bring your gaze towards your feet and hold for a few breaths.
5. To release, bend your knees to come back to the table position.

9. Supported Bridge Pose

This pose can stretch your neck and shoulders as well as improve your digestion. This will also promote deep relaxation.

Instructions:

1. Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and hip-width apart.
2. Press your shoulder blades and elbow down into the floor and lift your chest.
3. Using your quads and glutes muscles, gently lift your bottom off the ground.
4. Interlace your fingers underneath with your elbows straightened. Draw your shoulder blades deeper into your upper back.
5. Take breaths as you hold the pose.
6. To release the pose, straighten out your fingers and gently lower your torso back to the floor.

10. Child’s Pose

A gentle yoga pose to stretch your spine, thighs, hips, and ankles. The child’s pose is known to reduce stress, anxiety, and fatigue.

Instructions:

1. Begin by kneeling on the floor with your toes together. Ensure our knees are hip-width apart.
2. Have your palms rest on the top of your thighs.
3. Exhaling, lower the torso between your knees and extend your arms forward. Your palms should face down.
4. Hold the pose for a few minutes.

11. Mountain Pose

Improve posture and reduce back pain with this standing yoga pose.

Instructions:

1. Stand with the feet hip-distance apart.
2. Roll your shoulders down and away from your ears. 
3. Allow your arms to hang naturally while keeping your palms facing forward.
4. Stand tall and keep your gaze straight. Imagine the crown of your head is connected to the ceiling by a string
5. Take your time with this pose and breathe deeply throughout.

12. Cat Pose / Cow Pose

A great pose to improve focus, core strength, and the mind-body connection.

Instructions:

1. Begin this yoga pose on your hands and knees.
2. Ensure your body is correctly aligned, keep your wrists under your shoulders and your feet tucked under your hips.
3. Draw in your navel to keep your abdominal muscles engaged.
4. For the cat pose, tilt hips forward while keeping knees on the ground; causing your spine to naturally round.
5. Move into the cow pose by tilting the pelvis back so your tailbone sticks up in the air slightly.
6. With each movement, choose your own pace and breathe deeply.

You’re ready to practice yoga…

Regular yoga for older women and seniors has incredible benefits, including improving balance reducing stress and body aches. Practice this beginning yoga for seniors at least three times a week for the best results.

Yoga is a great workout that can lead to better health, mind, and body. But, how often should you practice yoga to see real results?

Yoga has been helping people stay fit and healthy for thousands of years. As experienced yogis will tell you, the practice delivers incredible results. But if you’re just starting out, you may be wondering how long you have to wait to see those results.

For noticeable results, aim for 2-3 yoga sessions per week minimum. The mental benefits will be apparent almost immediately. You’ll notice increased strength and flexibility after 8-10 weeks of a consistent practice.

The practice of yoga is rooted in a spiritual discipline that promotes a mind-body connection to achieve internal “well-being.” Traditional yogis strive to achieve a spiritual connection through fluid movement, meditation, and breathing exercises.

Each culture has adopted yoga in its own way. In the West, it has come to be associated with a health and fitness routine. Many people love the low-impact method of staying healthy.

A regular yoga practice can make you stronger and more flexible. It allows you to move better with less pain. It even reduces stress and can promote relaxation.

The first step to achieving these results is to know what results you want. Practicing yoga to build strength will look very different than practicing yoga to increase flexibility. Once you know your goals, choose the right type of yoga for you.

Types of Yoga

Yoga is constantly evolving and new styles emerge or evolve quite frequently. These are the seven most common styles of yoga found in Western cultures.

• Anusara: if your goal is energy boosting. Poses focus on a mind-body-spiritual connection. This is rigorous for the mind and body.

• Ashtanga: if your goal is fitness and weight loss. A set sequence is performed without deviation. For advanced yogis.

• Bikram: if your goal is calorie burn and weight loss. A set sequence is performed in a hot, humid room for deeper expression of poses.

• Hatha: if your goal is flexibility. Slowly flow through and learn poses. Great for beginners.

• Iyengar: if your goal is to build strength. Poses are held longer with perfect form. Great for older adults or those with injuries.

• Restorative: if your goal is relaxation and reduced stress. The body is supported in gentle poses with props.

• Vinyasa: if your goal is better movement. Transition between poses with fluid motions synced to the breath. Great for beginners.

Find these types of classes at your local yoga studio or search Youtube for videos you can follow at home. Don’t be afraid to try multiple styles until you find one you enjoy.

As yoga grows in popularity, it has become more accessible than ever. Most studios offer classes every day and there are no shortages of videos online to follow. You could theoretically practice yoga every day of the week. But should you?

How many times a week should I practice yoga to see results?

Experts recommend 150 minutes of physical activity each week. That breaks down to about 30 minutes, 5 times per week. This is a good starting point when deciding how often you should be practicing yoga.

Your weekly yoga schedule should take into account your goals, the type of yoga you are doing, and your fitness level. Aim for at least 2-3 sessions per week. As the intensity of yoga increases, your weekly frequency should decrease.

For example, if you are practicing an intense style of yoga, like Ashtanga or Bikram, 3-4 times per week is plenty. Your body needs time in between sessions to rest and recover.

If you are practicing something gentler, like Hatha or Restorative yoga, feel free to practice 5-6 times per week.

Combine these recommendations to make your practice your own. You may do Bikram yoga three times per week and restorative yoga on the other four days.

Follow similar guidelines for your fitness level. As a beginner, start small. Increase your weekly sessions as you advance in your practice.

Of course, these recommendations should also consider your goals.

How often should I do yoga to strengthen and tone?

In order to get stronger, you need to tax your muscles. Resistance training, like weight lifting or yoga, breaks down the muscles, which are then rebuilt stronger during your rest time.

If your goal is to get stronger and toned, it’s important to give your muscles this recovery time. Practice yoga 3-4 times per week with at least a day in between for your muscles to rebuild.

How often should I do yoga to reduce stress?

Styles like Restorative yoga are great to reduce stress and calm the mind. If this is your goal, more is better. Aim for a session every day to relax and boost your mental wellbeing.

Incorporate these sessions before bed to help you wind down. Or start your day with them to help you wake up with positivity. Consistency is key to see these results.

How often should I do yoga to be more flexible?

Flexibility is a journey; it takes consistent effort to get your body looser and more fluid. Similar to strengthening, your body will need time to recover from intense stretching. Practice yoga 4-5 times per week to boost flexibility.

Be sure that you are not pushing your body past it’s limits. You cannot over-stretch your way to faster flexibility. Even if you do not feel sore, incorporate rest days to avoid injury.

Keep in mind that yoga is about connecting to your body so let that be your guide. Each day you will feel different so adjust your practice and your schedule to what you need.

Is 20 minutes a day enough yoga to see results?

Some days, you’ll notice that you feel extra motivated. You can’t wait to roll out your mat in the morning or get to your evening class. Once you start practicing, the minutes fly by and before you know it, you’ve done an hour-long session.

Other days, no matter how good your intentions are, you can’t seem to find the time. Tasks pop up and your yoga time goes from an hour to only 20 minutes. Is a 20-minute session even worth it? You bet it is.

There’s no denying that the more time you can devote to yoga, the better. However, the real key is consistency.

If you can practice yoga for 20 minutes a day, three times per week, that will produce better results than putting in an hour once a week.

A regular practice allows your body to adapt to the challenges it faces in exercise. It is in these adaptations that you see results. Your muscles will become stronger and more defined. Your mind will become calmer. Your body will move better.

Consistency also helps us form habits. The more you do yoga, the more it becomes a part of your life. We become comfortable with the practice, advance our skills, and reap the rewards.

Even 20 minutes a day keeps you moving towards the results you want to see.

How long does it take to see results?

Ask any yoga instructor and they’ll tell you, yoga is about the journey, not the destination. While that’s true, it’s natural to want to see results from your hard work!

As with any fitness journey, nothing happens overnight. Depending on your goals and your starting fitness level, some results will come quicker than others.

The first results you’re likely to see will be mental. After your first session, you may feel relaxed. After four or five sessions, you may feel less stressed throughout the day. After a few weeks of yoga or meditation, you’ll feel more connected to your body and mentally present.

Notice and appreciate these benefits to keep you motivated towards your physical goals.

If your goal is to get stronger, that will take a bit longer. Your practice should start feeling easier within a few weeks. This means your body is adapting to work more efficiently.

The real strength and muscle gains will take around eight weeks. This is when you should notice changes in muscle size, strength, and endurance. You should be able to achieve more challenging poses and hold poses for longer.

Practicing yoga for weight loss results is harder to predict. The time it takes to see these results will be heavily dependent on the style of yoga you do and your fitness level.

The CDC recommends aiming for weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week. This is a healthy rate that leads to long term success. You could potentially start seeing this result the first week you do yoga. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t, though. Some bodies can take a few weeks to adapt to new physical activity.

Keep in mind that everyone responds to yoga differently. Results may come faster or slower for you based on your unique body composition. Be patient, stay consistent, and trust the process.

No matter what your goals are, yoga is a great way to get there. A regular yoga practice can supplement your existing exercise routine or start you on the path to one.

Even if you’ve never set foot on a mat before, there is a class or flow for you. Set your goals and let yoga help you achieve them.

Yoga Poses to Reduce Belly Fat

The best yoga exercises for belly fat reduction. Beginner-friendly poses that will help you to lose weight, improve flexibility and get rid of that stubborn stomach fat.

Yoga may not be the first workout you think of for flat belly exercises, but the following yoga poses will help you target that stubborn belly fat and lose weight with ease.

That’s because the yoga asanas below require your core to be engaged. This builds ab strength and works to tone the belly without hundreds of crunches.

Related Posts:

• 7 Yoga Poses for Plus Size Beginners
• 10 Daily Yoga Poses for Older Women
• 12 Best Yoga Videos on YouTube

The practice of yoga dates back at least 5000 years. The first thought of as a way to bring harmony between the mind and body, the ancient practice has adapted to cultures across the world. In the West, it is now a popular form of exercise that is great for strength, flexibility, and relaxation.

Yoga is a very purposeful practice where each move is completed with intention. As you hold each pose, concentrate on engaging your core. Perform these a few times a week to take your flat belly efforts to the next level.  

1. Pontoon pose (Naukasana)

This pose is also known as boat pose. To modify, bend your knees and work up to straight legs.

• Begin by sitting up with your feet flat on the floor and knees pointed toward the sky
• Lean your torso back and extend your arms out in front of you
• Balancing on your tailbone, raise your feet so your shins are parallel to the floor
• Straighten your legs and hold them at a 45-degree angle
• Hold for 15-30 seconds

2. Bow pose (Dhanurasana)

This pose can be intense, even for the experienced yogi. Use a yoga strap around your feet if you need to. Even if you can’t lift very high off the ground, you’ll still experience the flat-belly benefits.

• Begin by laying on your stomach
• Bend your knees so the soles of your feet are pointing to the sky
• Reach your left hand back to grab the top of your left foot. Grab the top of your right foot with your right hand.
• As you inhale, left your chest while keeping your shoulders pulled back.
• As you exhale, push your feet into your hands to lift yourself higher off the floor.
• Hold for 15-30 seconds

3. Plank Pose (Kumbhakasana)

If you’re a beginner, you can always perform the pose with your knees on the ground. It will still work your core and help you get stronger.

• Begin on your hands and knees. Your knees should be directly below your hips and wrists should be under your shoulders
• Straighten one leg and then the other, tucking your toes
• Engage your core so that your back is flat and your body is in a straight line
• Hold for 30-45 seconds
• For a challenge, bend your elbows and lower to your forearms

4. Wind Relieving Pose (Pavanamukthasana)

This pose strengthens the arms and back while stretching the hips. It’s also known to relieve digestive discomfort.

• Begin by laying flat on your back with arms down by your sides
• While you inhale, keep your legs straight and raise to a 45-degree angle
• On your exhale, raise your legs straight up to a 90-degree angle
• On your next breath, bend your knees into your chest
• Wrap your arms around your legs
• Lift your head and shoulders up so that your forehead meets your knees
• Hold for 30-45 seconds

5. Cobra pose (Bhujang asana)

Cobra pose helps to open the chest and lungs, but don’t overdo the backbend. Only raise up as high as is comfortable for you and move gently, especially if you have lower back pain. 

• Begin by laying on your stomach with your chin resting on the mat
• Bend your arms and place your hands under your shoulders
• Slowly push into your hands as your chest lifts off the mat
• Keep your shoulders down and your gaze slightly up
• Hold for 30-45 seconds

Whether you’re just starting out or have been doing yoga for years, everyone can benefit from these simple core-strengthening poses. Flow-through the sequence to get moving in the morning or add a couple of poses to your workout. You’ll be feeling the benefits of yoga in no time.