Kids are like miniature contortionists; they can effortlessly distort their bodies into positions that adults would find completely strange. On the other hand, professional-level flexibility gradually declines with age, prolonged sitting (thanks, desk jobs! ), bad posture, and stress (ugh).
What if you wish to recover some of your former agility? Comes into play: yoga.
Still, there’s a lot more to yoga than stretching. People who are naturally very flexible may be tempted to jump right into advanced yoga poses, but this can be dangerous.
Most of the time, they must practice safe alignment and create support muscles to complement their natural pliability. Also, always using a quality yoga bra by any reputable yoga bra manufacturer is a must.
Asanas are a great way to increase your flexibility and give you an edge over other yogis. Check out our list of the top 14 yoga poses for increasing flexibility.
1. From the Top of Your Head Down to the Bottom of Your Knees (Janu Sirsasana)
As well as improving blood flow to the lower abdomen and alleviating stress, this pose is excellent for increasing hip and thigh flexibility. The improved blood circulation solves a number of health issues that you might be struggling with.
2. Cat-Cow (Bitilasana Marjaryasana)
Although the Cat-Cow yoga stance has a humorous seeming name, it has serious health advantages. Practicing this cat pose regularly can increase your range of motion and flexibility in the cervical, thoracic, and abdominals.
3. Intense Side Stretch (Parsvottanasana)
This forward bend is excellent for improving equilibrium, posture, and gastrointestinal function by lengthening the spine, legs, and hips.
4. Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)
Do some yoga or martial arts if you wish to increase your flexibility. Warrior I is a fantastic asana to try when you want to focus on your trunk. Core muscle strength and flexibility are both enhanced by holding this stance.
In 2016, researchers in Detroit compared the flexibility-enhancing effects of yoga to those of stretching-strengthening exercises.
5. “Cobra” Pose (Bhujangasana)
Cobra Pose is fantastic for easy yoga postures for flexibility because of its many positive effects on your body.
When you do this, you’ll feel a deep stretch in your back, which will help you both strengthen and loosen your spine. Cobra might also help you straighten your back if you tend to slouch. This issue is often with those who are engaged in some kind of lifting work such as a rigid boxes supplier who picks and places several boxes daily.
6. Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)
Since most of our waking hours are spent seated (at desks, on trains, in front of screens, etc.), this pose is ideal for lengthening the muscles that become tight from prolonged sitting. This practice benefits the core, glute, back, chest, and leg limberness.
You should avoid this intermediate-level pose if you suffer from neck, shoulder, or back pain.
7. “Eye of the Needle” Position (Sucirandhrasana)
Stretching out in Eye of the Needle helps you open up your hips, straighten your spine, and lengthen your hamstrings and lower back.
8. Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend (Upavistha Konasana)
This forward fold is great for opening the hips and relieving pressure on the lower back. Adding this to your routine is a fantastic way to improve your calf and hamstring flexibility.
9. King Dancer Pose (Natarajasana)
If you’re just starting out in yoga and are searching for postures that are easier to learn, King Dancer Pose might not be the best place to look. Once you’ve mastered the position, you’ll find that it greatly improves your flexibility.
Natarajasana is a full-body stretch that aids in flexibility throughout the spine, shoulders, and hamstrings.
10. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
If you’re looking for yoga positions to help with back discomfort, flexibility training and better circulation, Bridge Pose are highly recommended.
11. Plow Position (Halasana)
Despite its intimidating appearance, the plow Pose is great for relieving stress on the neck, shoulders, and back. This is an intermediate-level position; if you have any issues with your neck, blood pressure, or digestion, you should avoid them.
12. Butterfly Position (Baddha Konasana)
The groin and hip area gain mobility and flexibility while holding the butterfly pose, and the whole body benefits from the resulting stretch.
13. Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
The hamstrings, calves, hands, feet, and arms all get a great stretch from this common yoga position.
14. Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
In addition to stretching your back, thighs, and glutes, this intermediate to advanced yoga pose will help with digestion, enhance your posture, and fortify your abdominal muscles.
Conclusion
There’s just no telling when you’ll begin exhibiting more adaptability. Age, frequency, and intensity of yoga practice are all variables that can affect the final product.
Whether you want to be an expert in micro injection moulding or yoga, the cliche “practice makes perfect” holds true for everything in this world. No one is perfect, so perhaps the saying should read, “Practice makes better”. Even a beginner plumber becomes an expert within a month if he practices daily with various types of water shut off valves, so why not you?
Flexibility increases with consistent yoga practice!
