Sitting for long hours at the desk, standing in a slouched position, and leaning over smartphones for long hours leads to the wrong posture. Apart from back pain and curved spine, the wrong posture leads to cardiovascular diseases, poor digestion, fatigue, joint damage, teeth grinding, etc. Thus, maintaining the correct posture is crucial for your overall health.
Yoga is an effective way to prevent the wrong posture and even reverse bad posture. Many asanas or poses come under yoga for posture correction that stretches and aligns the spinal column, brings the shoulder blades closer to the spine and aligns the shoulder and spine with the hip joint. These yoga poses also provide relief from neck and back pain.
Highly Effective Yoga for Posture Correction
Tadasana
Tadasana is a major asana that comes under yoga for posture correction. It is also the foundation for all kinds of standing yoga poses and is essential for learning how to perform other kinds of standing yoga poses.
Apart from improving posture, Tadasana strengthens the muscles of knees, thighs, and ankles, tones the abdomen and hips and reduces flat feet. This pose engages the whole body.
Follow the below-mentioned steps to perform Tadasana.
- Stand with your feet slightly apart from each other. The feet should be parallel to each other and pointing outward. Your weight should be balanced equally on both feet.
- Keep your chin parallel to the ground and crown just above the pelvis.
- Inhale and raise your arms above your head. Interlock the fingers of your hands and face the palms in the upward direction.
- Raise your shoulders towards your ears. Exhale and bring your shoulders down your spine and straighten your posture.
- Relax all the muscles of your face and the eyes as well. Hold a steady gaze.
- Revert to a normal position and relax.
Vriskshasan
Vriskshasan, or tree pose, is also an effective yoga for posture correction. This pose makes you replicate the steady pose of a tree and stand in a perfectly erect position. The spinal column gets stretched and maintains a perfect pose.
Follow the below-mentioned steps to perform this yoga for posture correction.
- Stand straight with each arm on each side of the body straight.
- Shift your weight to the left foot and bend your right leg at the knee.
- Bring your right foot to the level of your left thigh and plant it firmly on the left thigh. The sole of your right foot should touch the inner part of your left thigh or the calf.
- Ensure that your left leg is straight and you have attained balance.
- Once you have balanced yourself, take a deep breath and bring your arms over your head from the side. Touch your palms with each other in Namaste Mudra.
- Keep your shoulders relaxed and your head in a straight position.
- Look straight ahead and focus on a distant object. A steady gaze helps in maintaining balance.
- Keep your spinal column straight. The body should be stretched. Keep taking in deep breaths.
- Hold this position for 1 minute. Thereafter, exhale gently and slowly bring down your arms slowly from the sides.
- Gently bring your right foot down to its original position.
- Stand straight as you did at the beginning of the Asana.
- Repeat the Asana with the left foot on the right thigh.
Veerbhadrasan
Veerbhadrasan, or warrior pose, is another effective pose coming under yoga for posture correction. This pose also strengthens the muscles of the arms, shoulders, thighs, and back. It also tones the belly and ankles and improves stamina, balance, and lung capacity. This pose has been named after a fierce Hindu warrior considered an incarnation of Lord Shiva.
Follow the below-mentioned steps to perform Veerbhadrasan –
- Stand in Tadasana or mountain pose with your feet at hip distance apart and arms at your sides.
- Exhale and separate your feet 4-5 feet away from each other.
- Extend your right foot out at 90 degrees and point your toes towards the top of the yoga mat.
- Turn your left foot inwards at an angle of 45 degrees.
- The heel of your right foot should be aligned to the center Of your left foot.
- Lift your arms sideways till shoulder height. The palms should be facing downwards.
- The arms should be parallel to the ground.
- Bend your right knee. Ensure that your right knee and right ankle are in a straight line. The knee should not move past the ankle.
- Turn your head to the right. Stretch your arms as far as possible.
- Gently push your pelvis down while maintaining this posture. Keep on breathing as you go in the downward direction.
- Come up while inhaling.
- Exhale and brings your arms down from the sides.
- Repeat this posture with your left foot turned out at 90 degrees and your right foot turned inwards at 45 degrees.
Uttanasan
Uttanasan, stretching forward, stretches the whole body and is also an effective yoga for posture correction. This pose stretches the back muscles and hamstrings and enhances blood supply to the brain.
Follow the below-mentioned steps to perform this pose.
- Stand in Tadasana pose.
- Inhale and extend your arms overhead.
- Exhale and bend forward and down towards your feet.
- Keep your legs and spine straight and hold your legs with your arms.
- Hold this position for 20-30 seconds and breathe deeply.
- Exhale and bring your chest to the level of your knees.
- Move your head towards your feet.
- While inhaling, extend your arms forward and slowly stand up.
- Exhale and bring your arms to your sides.
Virasan
Virasan is a good yoga for posture correction. Apart from improving posture, it also makes the legs more flexible.
Follow the below-mentioned steps to perform this pose.
- Take a kneeling position with your knees placed under your hips.
- Increase the gap between your feet by bringing your knees together.
- Press the top of your feet on the mat.
- Lower your hips and ensure that the hips are between the heels.
- Roll the calf muscles using your heels.
- Point your toes outwards and back while keeping the inner ankles drawn in.
- Pull your navel deep in.
- Keep the asana for 30 seconds.
Conclusion
Regular practice of the above-mentioned Yoga for Posture Correction gradually improves the posture and neutralizes the adverse effects of bad posture.
