Miscellaneous Sivananda Yoga Poses

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Mar 072010

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Miscellaneous Sivananda Yoga Poses

Author: Foras Aje

Folks, we have been going over- in the last several articles in the Yoga Category-the Famed Sivananda style of yoga .

Thus far, here is a re-cap of what we have covered.

1. Sun Salutations.

2. Inversions: The Head and Shoulder Stand and Their Counter-Poses

3. The Forward Bends and Their Counter-Poses

4. The Backward Bends and Their Counter-Poses

5. The Balancing Exercises

and finally,

6. The Sitting & Standing Exercises.

However, there are other poses that I have not discussed and I will now touch briefly on them.

Miscellanous Yoga Poses:

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The following poses are provided as alternatives to the slightly more challenging ones such as the Side plank replacing the Crow. They are highly effective as well and should be approached with the same precision as the previously mentioned poses.

Side Plank Pose (Vasisthasana)

This pose is a powerful arm and wrist strengthener and might also be called the One-Arm Balance. Here you are balanced on the same-side hand and outer foot, with your torso and legs aligned at a 45-degree angle with the floor.

Technique: Start off in the plank pose (position 5 in Sun Exercises) Turn the whole body sideways to the left. The outer side of the left foot should rest firmly on the floor. Place the right foot over the left one and keeping the body straight, balance.

This strengthens the arms and belly and tones the lumbar and coccyx region of the spine.

Four-Limbed Staff Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana)

Chaturanga Dandasana is the challenging yoga push-up frequently practiced as part of the traditional Sun Salutation sequence. (Pregnant women should avoid this pose)

Technique:

Lie flat on the floor facing downwards.

Bend the elbows and place the palms by the side of the chest.

Keep the feet about a foot apart. Now raise the whole body a few inches of the floor balancing it on the hands and the toes. Keep the body stiff as a staff,

parallel to the floor from head to heel and the knees taut. Stay in the pose for 10-30 seconds.

This pose
-Strengthens the arms and wrists
-Contracts and tones the abdominal muscles
-Eradicates lethargy.

Leg Split (Anjaneyasana):

Stretch the right foot back as far as possible.

Keep the left foot flat on the floor with the knees bending.

Raise the hands above the head and slowly pull backward until the hands, spine and legs have the appearance of a semicircle. Hip Joints are exercised and the legs are made to move freely in all directions.

The spine is stretched and any defect in the lower spine is cured. Furthermore it tones the legs and makes them shapely and has marked effects on toning the arms.
Duration: 15 Seconds to 1 minute each way

Lord of the Dance Pose: (Natarajasana):

Stand Erect.

Now bend the right leg at the knee and grasp the big toe and pull towards the head

This especially tones the leg and spine muscles. It also stretches the arm and shoulder joints. For women along with Vajrasan, and the eagle pose, this pose can also be performed during pregnancy at your discretion.

Duration: 15 seconds to 1 minute.

Eagle Pose (Garudasana):

Stand Erect. Lift the right leg and twist it over the left leg. Cross the elbows in front with the left elbow on top, and press the arms together. Reverse the position and stand on the right leg.

This pose strengthens the calf muscles and reduces extra fat from the thighs. It also tones the arms and shoulders considerably. It is a great pose women looking to enhance a graceful figure.

Duration: 15 seconds to 1 minute.

So there you have it folks, even more yoga poses that you can incorporate into you routine for the practice of the Sivananda Yoga Style.

As we go on, I will give designated poses for suggested routines but for now, this has been an overview of the basic poses.

In Friendship,

Foras Aje

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/yoga-articles/miscellaneous-sivananda-yoga-poses-1945727.html

About the Author

Foras Aje is an independent researcher and author of Fitness: Inside and out, a book on improving physical and mental health naturally. For more information on the latest health news and breakthroughs visit his site at http://www.bodyhealthsoul.com/

The Sivananda Companion to Yoga
Offer by: Overstock.com
Price: USD 10.04
Long considered one of the classic, all-encompassing yoga books, the Sivananda Companion offers as complete a picture of the entire yoga lifestyle as possible. Vivid, colorful illustrations explain the poses, but there&apos s an equal amount of attention to breathing techniques, meditation, nutrition, relaxation, and spiritual teachings. Swami Vishnu-devananda was the founder of the Sivananda Yoga Center, a worldwide organization dedicated to Hatha and Raja yoga.

The Sivananda Companion to Yoga
Offer by: Overstock.com
Price: USD 10.61
Long considered one of the classic, all-encompassing yoga books, the Sivananda Companion offers as complete a picture of the entire yoga lifestyle as possible. Vivid, colorful illustrations explain the poses, but there&apos s an equal amount of attention to breathing techniques, meditation, nutrition, relaxation, and spiritual teachings. Swami Vishnu-devananda was the founder of the Sivananda Yoga Center, a worldwide organization dedicated to Hatha and Raja yoga.

The Sivananda Companion to Yoga
Offer by: Overstock.com
Price: USD 10.77
Long considered one of the classic, all-encompassing yoga books, the Sivananda Companion offers as complete a picture of the entire yoga lifestyle as possible. Vivid, colorful illustrations explain the poses, but there&apos s an equal amount of attention to breathing techniques, meditation, nutrition, relaxation, and spiritual teachings. Swami Vishnu-devananda was the founder of the Sivananda Yoga Center, a worldwide organization dedicated to Hatha and Raja yoga.

The Sivananda Companion to Yoga
Offer by: Overstock.com
Price: USD 13.65
Long considered one of the classic, all-encompassing yoga books, the Sivananda Companion offers as complete a picture of the entire yoga lifestyle as possible. Vivid, colorful illustrations explain the poses, but there&apos s an equal amount of attention to breathing techniques, meditation, nutrition, relaxation, and spiritual teachings. Swami Vishnu-devananda was the founder of the Sivananda Yoga Center, a worldwide organization dedicated to Hatha and Raja yoga.