What is Hatha Yoga
The term yoga is definitely not new to you, however, you’re probably wondering “what is yoga Hatha?”. The reason for the immense popularity of this hatha yoga sequence is due to the short term as well as the long term benefits it provides. Though yoga is an ancient practice, modern science is validating its benefits like using hatha yoga for weight loss. Not only mentally and spiritually, the benefits of yoga health are too many to name. It assists in the all-round development of an individual.
Hatha yoga exercises emphasize on physical exercises to withdraw it from external objects. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika is a classic 15th century Sanskrit manual on classical hatha yoga and is among the most influential surviving texts on hatha yoga for beginners. The hatha yoga postures can be easily learned from a hatha yoga teacher training center or hatha yoga video and hatha yoga DVD for beginners that are easily available online.
Hatha Yoga Benefits
- Builds immunity
- Relaxes the mind and releases tension in the body
- Tones the spine
- Strengthen and tones the body
- Increases flexibility
Basic Traditional Hatha Yoga Positions for Beginners
Here are a few easy yoga poses that you can try that are easy hatha yoga beginner poses:
1. Mountain Pose
Stand straight with your feet joined together, making sure that all symmetrical muscles are attempting to touch the other (shin trying to touch shin).
2. Tree Pose
Stand straight and bend your right knee placing your foot on your left thigh. Allow your hands to lift over your head in a ‘Namaste’ position.
3. Standing Forward Bend Pose
Stand straight and slowly bend forward, willing your head to touch your knees.
4. Warrior Pose
Begin with your legs wide apart and your hands raised to form a ‘T’. Slowly turn your body to face one side.
5. Downward Facing Dog
Start on all fours on the ground. Slowly raise your knees off the ground, allowing your body to form an upside down ‘V’.
6. Bridge Pose
Lie with your back on the floor and knees bent. Raise your body off the floor, leaving your hands and neck still on the ground.
7. Bound Angle Pose
Begin with your legs stretched out ahead of you. Bring your feet towards your sit bone and allow your feet to fall apart so that the soles of your feet touch the other.
8. Seated Twist Pose
Begin with your legs stretched out in front of you. Bend one knee and place your foot of the other leg. Turn your body to face the side which leg is folded and look behind you, using your hand for support while the other hand comes to the outside of your bent knee.
Hatha Yoga Meditation Techniques
What distinguishes all yoga asanas from hatha yoga practice is its meditative approach. To enhance the meditative experience various techniques can be presented and practiced. Some suggestions to incorporate meditation techniques into your asanas are:
- Focus on the breath.
- Visualize the asana you are doing as done perfectly and re-execute it.
- Repeat a holy mantra as you do the hatha yoga sequence of asanas.
- Hatha Raja Yoga meditation offers a systematic approach for gaining control over the mind.
Hatha Yoga Routine
It is important to understand that yoga hatha yoga is a general category and it consists of different types of yoga asanas that are classified on the basis of the different hatha yoga postures.
Hatha yoga poses sequence aims at attaining a proper diet, processes to internally purify the body, proper breathing and its regulation particularly during the yoga practice, and the exercise routine consists of asana yoga poses.
Basic Hatha Yoga Poses Sequence
1. Iyengar Yoga Poses
Iyengar yoga is a practice of precision. Basic hatha yoga poses are held for long periods and often modified with props. This method is designed to cultivate, strength, flexibility, stability and awareness.
2. Hatha Vinyasa Yoga Poses
Vinyasa is derived from hatha yoga series but their practices and position of yoga are different. Vinyasa yoga is more fast paced and is a series of movements each linked to another. It is a more advanced form of Hatha flow yoga.
3. Bikram Yoga Poses
Bikram yoga is synthesized from the hatha yoga breathing poses. It is a hot yoga style and is ideally practiced in a room heated to 35-42 degrees with a humidity of 40%. It allows the body to stretch, detoxify, relieve stress, tone and heal chronic pain.
4. Kundalini Yoga Poses
Kundalini yoga is a dynamic blend of physical classic yoga posture, breath, movement, stretching, meditation, and relaxation. It strengthens the nervous system, expands the lung capacity and purifies the blood stream.
As more and more people are realizing the enormous benefits of yoga, free yoga classes are coming up to encourage more people to associate with it and raise awareness about all the ways one can benefit from it. Many yoga instructors also choose to upload their videos of all yoga asanas online.
Online yoga courses with the best yoga videos free are just a click away. A number of yoga certification online courses are also available that can assist you to become a yoga instructor and make a career in this field.
Basic Yoga Asanas Names and Benefits
1. Yoga Asanas for Weight Loss
Obesity or being overweight is a common problem in the world today. People choose to go on crash diets or plunge on intense workouts but have a hard time losing weight. Hatha yoga weight loss is a great way to lose weight if practiced regularly using the right form, and can easily be practiced in the comfort of your home with your sweatpants on.
Some common yoga poses for weight loss are:
- Ardha Chandrasana or the Half Moon Pose – This pose is great to tone your buttocks, upper and inner thighs and helps burn off your love handles and strengthens your core.
- Veerbhadrasana 1 or Warrior Pose – This asana stretches your back, strengthens your thighs, buttock and tummy and helps you lose weight.
- Utkatasana or the Chair Pose – This pose strengthens the core muscles, thighs and tones the buttock.
2. Yoga Breathing Exercises
Our breath is our dearest companion. It is not only linked to the body but also to the mind. Certain asana yoga poses called as pranayamas, help us to draw attention to our breath and enhance and regulate the life force in the system.
Some basic yoga asanas that regulate your breathing are:
- Bhramari Pranayama – This breathing technique is a boon for people with hypertension as it stimulates the blood circulation in the body and relieves stress.
- Kapalbhati Pranayama – This asana is considered the most important and effective for detoxifying the body and clearing the energy channels.
- Bhastrika Pranayama – These Hatha asanas will boost up your energy levels and will get it soaring.
3. Yoga for Kids
Yoga can have enormous benefits in a child’s life in all areas. Schools have started incorporating yoga classes as a part of their curriculum to instill this practice in kids. Once children are acquainted with the innumerable yoga health benefits, this practice offers it motivates them to indulge in it.
Some beginning yoga poses for kids are:
- Boat Pose – This pose improves balance and digestion, tones and strengthens abdominal muscles and improves confidence.
- Bow Pose – This pose strengthens the back muscles and improves posture.
- Bridge Pose – These hatha yoga asanas improves blood circulation, helps alleviate stress and calms the brain and the central nervous system.
4. Yoga during Pregnancy
Yoga can be very beneficial during pregnancy as long as certain precautionary measures are taken. Certain ‘how to do yoga sequences’ during pregnancy guides are available and should be consulted. Different types of yoga asanas help women face the demands of labor and childbirth. Some simple yoga poses also help pregnant women recover faster post delivery.
Some basic asanas in yoga that can help pregnant women are:
- Marjariasana – It stretches the neck and shoulders, alleviating stiffness and keeps the spine flexible. It also tones the abdominal region and improves blood circulation.
- Konasana – It keeps the spine flexible and helps alleviate constipation which is a common symptom of pregnancy.
- Veerbhadrasana – It tones the arms, legs and lower back and increases stamina that helps deal with delivery.
5. Yoga for Runners
A number of professional runners depend on yoga fitness for keeping up their stamina and improving flexibility and balance. A combination of pilates and yoga is the new workout technique that is great for runners. The integration of the two can lead to stress reduction as well as body building.
Some advanced yoga poses for runners are:
- Downward Facing Dog – It stretches the hamstrings and calves and creates length in the spine.
- Triangle Pose – It stretches the hamstrings and inner thighs and allows you to open and expand laterally.
- Hero Pose with Eagle Arm – It stretches the tops of your shins and feet which can get tight from running and get your blood flowing in your legs.
