7/31/2019 12 Poses to Stay Fit

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1. Namaskar Mudra: Stand straight with your feet together, hands by the side. Now,

bring your palms close to your chest in namaskar mudra and breathe normally. Benefit:

Pose 1 and 12 help retain balance and strenghtens your back, neck and shoulders.

2. Back bending Chakrasana: Inhale and raise your hands. Now, arch your back andstretch your arms upwards as much as you can. Once in this position, breathe normally.

Benefit: Pose 2 and 11 help with digestion and tone the arms and spine. They also make back

and hips more flexible.

3. Padahastasana: Exhale and bend forward. Touch your toes without bending your

knees. Look downwards and breathe normally. Benefit: Pose 3 and 10 increase blood

circulation and stimulate the lymphatic system. They also tone abdominal tracts.

4. Ashwa Sanchalanasana: Inhale and place your palms on the floor. Now bend your

right leg (between your hands), at a 90degree angle from the floor. Stretch your left legbackwards and arch your back. Then look upwards and breathe normally. Benefit: Pose 4

and 9 help build hand and wrist muscles.

5. Santolasana: Exhale and place your right leg behind you, aligned to your left leg. Make

sure your hands are aligned below, with your shoulders. Your shoulders, back and hips

should be in a straight line. Once you're in this posture, breathe normally. Benefit: Pose 5

and 8 strengthen your heart and relieve shoulder ache.

6. Shashtanga Mudra: Bend your elbows, chin, chest and knees towards the floor. Tuck

your elbows on the sides and close to the body. Then, raise close to the body. Then, raiseyour hips and breathe normally. Benefit: Pose 6 strengthens your arms and legs, increases

flexibility in the neck and shoulders and helps release tension in the neck and shoulders.

7. Sarpasana: Inhale and raise your upper body up to your elbows, your chin raised

upwards. Bend your shoulders backwards. Your waist should touch the floor. Breathe

normally. Benefit: This asana stimulates circulation in abdominal organs, aids your

digestive tract and stretches your body.

8. Parvatasana: Exhale; raise your hips pushing the upper body, keeping your heels on

the floor. Keep your knees straight and face downwards-with your eyes on the navel region.

Once in position, breathe normally. Benefit: See Pose 5. It stimulates blood circulation and

helps strengthen arms and wrists.

9. Ashwa Sanchalanasana: Place your left leg forward, in between your hands and

inhale. Now arch your back, raise your chin and keep your palms flat on the floor. Breathe

normally once you are in this posture. Benefit: See Pose 4. It also exercises your spine and

arms.

7/31/2019 12 Poses to Stay Fit

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10. Padahastasana: Bring your left leg forward (towards your right leg), keeping your

knees straight. Touch your toes while keeping your neck relaxed. Once you attain this

posture, breathe normally. Benefit: See Pose 3. It also stretches your back and leg muscles.

11. Back Bending Chakrasana: Bring your palms together, inhale, raise your hands andupper body and arch your back. Breathe normally once you attain this posture. Benefit: See

Pose 2. It helps tone arms and shoulders. 12. Namaskar Mudra: Come back to the starting

position slowly, while exhaling. Benefit: See Pose 1. It also stimulates the respiratory system.

Surya namaskar is a sequence of yoga poses that counter the many effects of ageing. Apart

from physical benefits, it helps with the digestive and nervous systems.