5 exercises to warm up and stretch to practice yoga

5 exercises to warm up and stretch to practice yoga

One of the most important benefits yoga can bring to athletes is flexibility to keep their muscles 

supple. Most people don’t hold their stretches

long enough to do any good. Holding stretches lengthens the muscles,

which increases muscle flexibility and joint range of motion. You should

hold your stretch for 20 seconds to a full minute, and even longer if your

muscles are tight and you can relax into the stretch. It may seem like a

long time, but if you focus on your ujjayi breathing instead of the muscle

tension, the exercise will be more effective. Some athletes like to count

their breaths to be sure they hold long enough.

Do not bounce while stretching. Bouncing doesn’t improve flexibility,

and it can lead to tiny tears in muscle tissue. If these tears occur, muscles

can create scar tissue as they heal. Scar tissue can lead to more pain and

less flexibility in the muscles, undoing any good you might have done.

So, simply hold that stretch and breathe deeply.

Following are some basic yoga moves to get you started. These warmups will wake up your body, 

letting it know it is time to start working out

safely before you move on to a more vigorous practice. 

Half Happy Baby

Muscles

Gluteus maximus and hamstrings on the bent leg; flexors, psoas, sartorius, adductor
longus and brevis, rectus femoris, and pectineus on the straight leg
1. Lie on your back.
2. Pull one knee to your chest, and keeping the knee bent, place the opposite foot
on the mat.
3. Reach your arm to the inside of your bent leg (fgure 2.2).

4. Reach over the top of your ankle, and clasp the outer edge of your foot.

5. Lift your foot up toward the ceiling.
6. Press down on your right foot, working your right knee toward the floor. Keep pressing down from the foot, working the knee toward the floor next to your
shoulder.
7. Lengthen the straight leg long through the heel while pressing the hamstring down toward the floor as you keep the foot flexed.
8. Hold the posture for 5 to 10 breaths.
9. Repeat the pose on the other side.

Modifcation

If your hips and hip flexors are really tight, wrap a strap around the ball of the right
foot and pull down on the strap, taking the knee toward the floor next to your right
shoulder. Bend your left knee and plant the left foot on the mat. This action will provide space to get into this pose.

Safety Tip

If you have knee problems from past injuries, make sure you do not feel any pain or
discomfort in your knees. If you do, hug your right knee into your chest without adding
pressure to the foot, and lengthen your left leg down to your mat.

 

Supine Spinal Twist  

Muscles

Gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, tensor fasciae latae, hamstrings, pectoralis major, biceps,brachialis

1. Warming up the back is important, especially if you are naturally tight or a little achy in the back. Spinal twists are a great way to wake up the back muscles and improve the flexibility of the spine.
2. Lie on your back.
3. Pull your right knee to your chest.
4. Extend your right arm to your side and down to the floor.
5. With your left hand, guide your right knee to the left toward the floor and lift your right hip off the ground.
6. Look to your right as you hold this pose. Reach your right arm to the right, keeping at least your right palm or back of your hand touching the floor (fgure 2.3).  

7. Hold the posture for 5 breaths.
8. Repeat the twist with the left leg, looking to your left.

Modifcation

Keep your knee to your chest and only lower the knee part way as comfortable, squeezing it in tightly (figure 2.4).

Safety Tip

Avoid this pose if you experience back pain. Instead, hug one knee into your chest and repeat the posture on the other side.  

Cat Cow  

Muscles

Abdominal muscles, erector spinae, quadratus lumborum, trapezius
1. Start on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
2. Inhale as you drop your belly and lift your chin and tailbone up toward the sky (fgure 2.5a).
3. As you exhale, tuck your chin to your chest, tuck your tailbone under, press into your palms to keep your arms straight, and arch your upper back toward the sky (fgure 2.5b).
4. Move with your breath. This movement is not only good for your back, it also warms up your neck and hips. This movement of the spine is good for forward folding poses and an easy backbend to help continue with your warm-up.

Safety Tip

If you feel any discomfort in the back, try moving more slowly. While moving in this pose, keep the
belly slightly engaged on the inhalation to prevent strain on the back.  

Spine Rolling  

Muscles

Triceps, hamstrings, gastrocnemius, soleus, quadratus lumborum, erector spinae,
trapezius, abdominal muscles, pectoralis
1. Spine rolling pulls together the warm-up through a fluid movement with the breath
to help warm up the whole body.
2. Start in downward-facing dog pose (see chapter 1; fgure 2.6a).
3. Lift your heels high, and tuck your chin to your chest (fgure 2.6b).
4. Exhale completely.
5. Inhaling, tuck your tailbone under. Round your spine forward and through to
upward-facing dog pose (see chapter 1; fgure 2.6c), and lift your chin slightly.
6. As you exhale, tuck your chin to your chest and round your spine as you move
back to downward-facing dog pose.
7. Alternate between poses by moving with the breath for 3 to 6 rounds.

Modifcations

From downward-facing dog pose, shift forward to a high push-up position (plank pose).
Lower your hips toward the floor, pressing your hands into the floor, lengthening your
arms and lifting your chest to upward-facing dog pose. Another option is to stay in
downward-facing dog pose, pressing your heels down into the mat or toward the mat.

Safety Tip

If you have any discomfort in the shoulders or low back, it is best to do the modified
version. This movement requires strength in the upper body, so be aware of how the
back and shoulders move and feel.