Hello Friends!
It’s February, the month of love! Love is in the air, and certain yoga poses can help us open, stretch and strengthen our heart and chest area for health benefits you will fall in love with!
Modern day living unintentionally creates an array of health problems. Sitting hunched over at our desks for long periods of time caves our chest inward, leading to digestion problems along with neck, shoulder and back pain. This also affects our breathing, which means our circulation decreases, and our hearts and lungs don’t have a chance to work properly. We may find we have no energy and tire more often; we may even get foggy-headed due to lack of oxygen in our bodies and to our brains.
Can one little yoga pose fix all these things? It can certainly help! The best part? Yoga can be practiced by everyBODY. Each yoga pose can basically be modified to fit each person’s needs, so that every person that practices yoga can reap all of yoga’s healthy goodness.
This is Bridge Pose. Lay on your mat, or the floor, and lets get started!
1.) Place your feet at hip distance apart.
2.) Bring your heels toward your buttocks.
3.) Place your arms by your sides, with palms down.
4.) Inhale deeply; as you exhale, slowly press your feet and arms into the floor. Gradually lift your hips from the floor.
5.) Lift your hips as high as is comfortable for your lower back.
6.) Try to pull your navel to your spine to protect your lower back. Push from your heels and use your entire foot to maintain holding Bridge Pose. Keep your face and neck relaxed.
9.) After a few deep breaths, bring the backs of your arms closer together and interlace your fingers. Press the upper arms to the floor, which encourages your sternum to lift a little higher.
10.) Hold Bridge Pose for 1-3 minutes, or inhale as you lift your Bridge and exhale as you lower your Bridge for 10-20 deep inhales and exhales. Do whatever suits your needs.
10.) If you feel Bridge Pose is too strenuous, lower for a few moments and then lift again. If you lift your back off the floor even an inch or two, you are beginning at the place that is right for your body and reaping the benefits of Bridge Pose. With practice, you will be able to lift your bridge higher as you build strength.
Bridge Pose is a mild inversion which puts your heart above your head for improved circulation, building strength, and stretches ab organs, spine, chest, rib cage, back, shoulders, buttocks, and the entire leg. Practiced regularly, this pose will increase your lung capacity, improve digestion, and increase metabolism by stimulating the thyroid gland in your neck. Now that’s a yoga pose to fall in love with, don’t you think?
Thanks for joining me and have a great February!
