International Day of Yoga: 5 Healing Asanas That Make You More Flexible

Going too hard and too fast with your workout routine can often result in aches and pains in your body. However, do not get demotivated just yet. Continue your fitness journey and ease your pain away with these Yoga stretches.  

Celebrity yogapreneur Grand Master Akshar says, "Any kind of physical activity demand strength, flexibility and stamina. Yoga develops the calmness of the mind and improves your self-awareness. This is a major contributor in helping you to prevent as well as to recover from any sports-related injuries. Yoga offers two types of stretching— active as in during the practice of sun/moon salutations and passive when you hold a posture for a minute or longer. When this is combined with breathing practices, it lengthens your muscles for flexibility. This prevents stiff muscles that are susceptible to injury."

Check out his pick of asanas to improve your flexibility and avoid body aches:

Anulom Vilom Pranayam

•    Sit in any comfortable pose (such as Sukhasan, Ardhapadmasan or Padmasana)
•    Straighten your back and close your eyes
•    Place your palms on your knees facing up (in Prapthi Mudra)
•    Use your right thumb to close your right nostril
•    Inhale from your left nostril
•    Close your left nostril with your right hand’s index finger
•    Exhale from the right nostril
•    Inhale from the right nostril
•    Close your right nostril with your right thumb and exhale with your left nostril
•    This completes one round of Anulom Vilom. In order to begin with another round, use your right thumb to close your right nostril, inhale with your left nostril and repeat the steps mentioned above.

Note: There is no retention (kumbhak) of breath in Anulom Vilom.

Vrikshasana

•    Begin by standing in Samasthithi.
•    Lift your right leg off the floor and balance your  body weight on your left leg
•    Place your right foot on your lift inner thigh.
•    Place it as close to your pelvis as possible.
•    You may support your foot with your palms to bring it in place.
•    After you find your balance, join your palms in Pranam Mudra at your heart chakra.
•    Raise your Pranam towards the sky.
•    Straighten your elbows and ensure that your head is in between your arms.
•    Focus your gaze forward. 
•    Repeat the same with the alternate leg.

Samasthithi

•    Stand with your feet together
•    Stretch your arms out beside your body and allow them to hover without  making contact
•    Gently close eyes
•    Relax the body
Word of Advice
•    Try to balance your bodyweight equally on both feet without leaning onto one.

Vashishtasana

•    Begin with santholanasan (plank)
•    Place your left palm on the ground and lift your right hand off the floor
•    Turn to face the right side 
•    Raise your right arm up 
•    Both knees, heels and feet are in contact with each other
•    Ensure that both arms and shoulders are in one straight line
•    Turn your head and look up at your right hand
•    Hold the asana for a while
• Repeat the same on the left side

Ekapadasana

•    Begin in Samastithi.
•    Keep your back straight as you stretch your arms up and join your palms in Pranam.
•    Exhale and bend your upper body forward and until it is parallel to the floor.
•    Keep your arms beside your ears.
•    Slowly lift your right leg upwards behind you, keeping it straight.
•    Your right leg, pelvis, upper body and arms should all form a straight line.
•    Focus your gaze to a point on the floor to maintain balance.