Pre Yoga Warm-up Exercise – 2
8. Keep elbows below chest, arms vertical and fore arms bent at 90º to arms, fingers joined and palms facing upwards. With inhalation spread fore arms and palms outward. Keep the elbow bone firmly placed below lower rib cage, do not allow them to move. With exhalation bring them inwards and touching each other. Repeat 5 to 10 cycles of the exercise.
9. Back twisting: Keep a distance between feet equal to shoulder width, keep both feet parallel (not angled) to each other. While inhaling, move the shoulders towards left (make to 90º to normal shoulder line position) along with bringing left hand around back and right hand palm resting over left shoulder. Also move the eyesight maximum to back. In the final posture stretch the shoulder back with little pressure of right hand and stomach (lumber region) pressure working in opposite direction. Stay in this final posture for a few seconds and come back to normal position while exhaling. Repeat the exercise 10 times in both directions and relax. With the practice of this, spinal column becomes stronger and flexible.
10. Side bending: Join heels. Keep, right elbow in line of shoulders, palm (thumb and fingers straight and joined) 2-3 inches over head. Make a “V” of thumb and fingers of left hand (palms facing floor) and put it pressed by the left side of abdomen (above pelvic bone). Now while inhaling, move the head along with the palm over it, leaning maximum towards left. In the final posture lean a bit more by bringing the palm forward to head. Come to normal position with exhalation and repeat the exercise 10 times on each side. Relax.
11. Join heels. Keep palms by the sides of thighs. With inhalation, bring left foot forward to one step (in line of right leg), simultaneously raising both heels and the hands (over head with palms facing each other) virtually standing on toes for a moment. It is important to synchronize the smoothness of three actions and inhalation with care so that the momentum of action does not break. In the final feel a little stay and stretch the hands further back so as to bring more stress over the abdominal muscles. Come back to normal position and repeat the exercise with right leg. Perform 5 to 8 rounds of exercise in each side and relax.
12. Stomach pumping: Keep a distance between feet equal to shoulder width, keep both feet parallel (not angled) to each other. Lean down a bit by knees and back, rest body weight over thighs by keeping palms over it (keeping fingers inside and eye sight in front). Also bend fore arms by elbows. Now exhale completely, hold the breath out and with the help of internal abdomen muscles pump the stomach in and out. When needed breath freely by coming to normal standing position. Relax for a few seconds, let breathing and heart beats come to normal before attempting another cycle. Accomplish three cycles of stomach pumping and relax. In case you fell suffocated, skip the exercise all together.
Note
The set of warming up exercises are carefully chosen and they should become an integral part of Yoga practice. It is however suggested that the Yoga aspirants may add some more stretching exercises or delete others to their liking. The only thing of substance is that they should strive for the perfection progressively in whatever they perform.
Yoga is for everyone. Come and try it. Yoga is all about going at your own pace, knowing your own limits, and no matter what posture you do, don’t get to the point of being in pain. One great thing about Yoga is it’s not a competition.