Yoga Exercises - Warm-up Poses

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In Yoga, it is very important to do some Warm-up Poses before a session so you will be physically ready for the Yoga Poses that you want to practice. Moreover, Warm-up exercises will prepare your body for more difficult poses in the future. In this section, learn some poses and exercises that you can do before a Yoga class:

Yoga Exercise - Eye Training


Like any other muscles, the eye muscles also need exercise to be healthy and strong. Most of the time, we only shift our gaze minimally from left to right, as when reading, and turn our heads if we want to look elsewhere. By moving the eyes in every direction, without turning your head at all, these Five Yoga Eye Exercises will strengthen the eye muscles, help prevent eyestrain and improve eyesight. Breathe normally while you practice.

First look up, then look down. Now look to the far right and then look far left. Next look up to the right, then look diagonally downward to the left. Repeat in the opposite direction. Now imagine a large clock - look up at 12 o'clock, then circle around it clockwise, quite slowly for two rounds then quicker for three. Repeat the exercise in a counterclockwise direction. Lastly, hold your thumb up about a foot from your face, and move your eyes from the thumb to the wall beyond and back. To end, always "palm" your eyes as shown below.

1. Look up and then look down.
2. Look at the right, then look at the left.
3. Look at the top right, then bottom left.
4. Look at the top left, then botttom right.
5. Look up. Roll your eyes clockwise, then counterclockwise.


Yoga Exercise - Neck Exercises


Many people hold tension in their necks and shoulders, leading to stiffness, bad posture and tension headaches. Repeating these five yoga Neck Exercises eases tension, increases flexibility and tones the muscles. Do them slowly and keep your spine straight. Your neck relaxed and your shoulders facing forward. First drop your head back, then drop it right forward. Now keeping your head erect, turn it all the way to the right, back to center, then all the way to the left. Next drop your head forward and roll it around as wide a circle as possible. Repeat in the opposite direction. Now, raise your right shoulder, then drop it down. Repeat with the left. Lastly, raise both shoulders at once, then drop them down again.

1. Bend your head forward, chin on chest, then back to original position.
2. Bend to the right, then back to the original position.
3. Bend backward, then back to the original position.
4. Bend to the left, then back to the original position.
5. Bend forward, chin on chest, move from right to the left, then move from left to right.


Yoga Exercise - Shoulder Lifts


Many people hold tension in their necks and shoulders, leading to stiffness, bad posture, and tension headaches. In this section, learn an exercise that will ease tension on your shoulders.

1. Do this exercise slowly and keep your spine straight and your neck relaxed.
2. Raise your right shoulder, then drop it down.
3. Raise your left shoulder, then drop it down.
4. Raise both shoulders at once, then drop them down again.


Yoga Exercise - Shoulder Stretches


This exercise is great in relieving stress and tension on your shoulders, as well as your entire upper back. Learn how to do a Shoulder Stretch in this section. You will need a long strap for this one.


1. Sit in any comfortably erect position. Hold the strap and straighten your arms forward. As you inhale, move your arms up until they are overhead, and exhale as you bring them down behind you.

2. Coordinate this movement with your breathing, making the movement smooth. Make sure the strap is sufficiently long and your hands sufficiently far apart, so that you can keep your arms straight. If you cannot keep your arms straight, lengthen the strap.

Yoga Exercise - Cat Pose (Bidalasana)


The Cat Yoga Pose teaches you to initiate movement from your center and to coordinate your movement and breath. These are two of the most important themes in Asana practice. The alignment of your center depends on the positioning of your pelvis. Therefore, think of your hip positioning as the center of each pose. This is important because your spine is the most significant line of energy in every pose and because the way your spine elongates from your center depends solely on which way your pelvis is turning. Learn how to perform the Cat Pose in this section.
STEP 1: Start on your hands and knees. Position your hands directly beneath your shoulders and your knees directly beneath the hips. Have your fingers fully spread with the middle fingers pointing straight ahead. Make your back horizontal and flat. Gaze at the floor. This is your "neutral" positioning. When your pelvis is in neutral, your spine will be at full extension, with both the front and back sides equally long.

STEP 2: As you wait for the inner cue, do not sag into your shoulders. Instead, create a line of energy through each arm by pressing downward into your hands and lifting upward out of your shoulders. Go back and forth like this several times to make sure you understand the movement. As you exhale, sag into your shoulders and do the incorrect action; as you inhale, lengthen the arms, lift out of the shoulders and do the correct action.

STEP 3: When you are ready to begin, breathe in deeply. As you exhale, turn your hips into Cat Tilt. Do this by gently pulling the abdominal muscles backward toward the spine, tucking the tailbone (coccyx) down and under, and gently contracting the buttocks. Press firmly downward with your hands in order to stay lifted out of the shoulders, and press the middle of your back toward the ceiling, rounding your spine upward. Curl your head inward. Gaze at the floor between your knees.

If you have any difficulty doing this exercise, you may place a folded Yoga Blanket under your knees to protect you from pressure or pain. Caution must be observed if you suffer from any chronic or recent back pain or injury.