Stretch! An Illustrated Step-By-Step Guide To 90 Slimming Yoga Postures by Nika Florek
One Leg Forward Bend
Instructions:
❖ stand straight with legs together
❖ step forward with your left leg, turn your right foot to 45 degrees
❖ bring your both palms together behind your back, interlock the fingers and place your palms on your lower back
❖ inhale raise your head up, expand your chest and look up
❖ exhale bend forward, bringing your forehead to the knee, while keeping both legs straight
❖ stay in this pose for 5 breaths and with inhale raise your head up back to the starting pose
❖ repeat on the right side
Precautions:
People with weak heart and lower back problems should
not practice this posture
Benefits:
❖ opening hip and shoulders joints
❖ stretching the lower back
❖ contracting abdominal muscles, helping to burn the fat in this area
❖ strengthening the legs
Triangle Pose
Instructions:
❖ stand straight with legs together
❖ step forward with your left leg, turn your right foot to 45 degrees
❖ inhale, stretch the arms sideways on the shoulder level so that they are in one straight line
❖ exhale, bend to the left, bringing left hand down to the left foot and right hand up
❖ keep your knees straight and arms in straight line
❖ look up at the left hand in the final position and hold the position for 5 breaths
❖ inhale, return to the upright position with the arms in a straight line
❖ exhale, release the hands on the sides of your body
❖ repeat on the right side
Precautions:
None
Benefits:
❖ toning the muscles on the side of the trunk, the waist and the back of the legs
❖ improving digestion
❖ helping to reduce waistline fat
One Hand Backbend
Instructions:
❖ stand straight with legs together
❖ step forward with your left leg, turn your right foot to 45 degrees
❖ inhale, stretch the arms sideways on the shoulder level so that they are in one straight line
❖ exhale, tilt your upper body to the back, bringing left hand up, right hand stays on the thigh
❖ keep your knees straight
❖ look up at the left hand in the final position and hold the position for 5 breaths
❖ inhale, return to the starting position with the arms in a straight line
❖ exhale, release the hands on the sides of your body
❖ repeat on the right side
Precautions:
Make sure that you are tilting to the back and releasing
the pose very slowly, otherwise you might feel dizzy
Benefits:
❖ toning the muscles on the side of the trunk, the waist and the back of the legs
❖ improving digestion
❖ helping to reduce waistline fat
Revolved Triangle Pose
Instructions:
❖ stand straight with the feet more than shoulder width apart
❖ turn the left foot to the left side
❖ inhale, raise the arms sideways to the shoulder level
❖ exhale, twist the trunk to the left, bend forward and bring your right hand on the outer side of the left foot and the left hand up, stretched vertically so that both arms are forming a straight line
❖ look up at the left hand, keep your knees straight
❖ hold the final position for 5 breaths, balancing the body and feeling the twist and stretch of the back
❖ inhale, raise your hands up to shoulder level
❖ exhale, return to the center forward position
❖ repeat on the other side
Option:
If you canʼt place your hand on the outer side of the foot, you
can place your palm on your ankle or calf – the most
important is to keep the knees straight
Precautions:
People suffering from back conditions shouldnʼt practice this posture
Benefits:
❖ toning up the thigh, calf, hip and hamstring muscles
❖ reducing fat around the waist and hips
❖ strengthening and toning the arms
Side Angle Stretch
Instructions:
❖ stand erect with the feet more than shoulder width apart
❖ turn the left foot to the left side
❖ inhale, bend your left knee and place your left elbow on the thigh, lean forward, so that you left thigh is parallel to the floor
❖ exhale, extend your right arm over the ear until you form a straight line from the tips of your fingers to the toes
❖ look to your right side and hold the posture for 5 breaths
❖ inhale, release the right hand to the back
❖ exhale, return to the starting position
❖ repeat on the other side
Precautions:
People with weak heart and lower back problems should not practice this posture
Benefits:
❖ toning up ankles, knees and thighs
❖ reducing fat around the waist and hips
❖ toning the legs
Revolved Side Angle Stretch
Instructions:
❖ stand erect with the feet widely spread apart
❖ inhale, turn the left foot to the left side
❖ exhale, bend your left knee, bend forward, rotate your trunk, bring your palms together and place your right elbow on the outer side of your left knee
❖ expand your chest up
❖ hold this pose for 5 breaths
❖ inhale, release the hands to the front
❖ exhale, return to the starting position
❖ repeat on the other side
Precautions:
People suffering from serious back conditions and weak knees shouldnʼt practice this posture
Benefits:
❖ improving digestion by contracting abdominal organs
❖ the blood is circulating well round the abdominal organs and the spinal column and they are thus rejuvenated
❖ helping to remove waste matter from the colon without strain
Chest Expand
Instructions:
❖ stand erect with the feet widely spread apart
❖ inhale, raise your both hands up and tilt to the back
❖ expand the chest and hold it for few seconds
❖ exhale, release the hands and return to the starting position
Precautions:
People with weak heart and lower back problems should not practice this posture
Benefits:
❖ stretching arms and spine
❖ helping in deep breathing
❖ toning abdominal muscles
❖ strengthening the lower back, calfs and buttocks
Wide Leg Forward Bend I
Instructions:
❖ stand erect with the feet widely spread apart
❖ inhale, raise your both hands up, tilt to the back and expand the chest
❖ exhale, bend forward, place your palms on the floor and push your head towards the floor
❖ hold the posture for 5 breaths
❖ inhale, slowly raise your head and hands up
❖ exhale, release the hands and return to the starting position
Option:
If you canʼt touch your head to the floor, just bring your hands on the floor – donʼt strain, go only as far as your body allows you
Precautions:
People with serious neck/arm/shoulder problems should not practice this posture
Benefits:
❖ strengthening and slimming the arms and upper back
❖ stretching the hamstrings
Wide Leg Forward Bend II
Instructions:
❖ stand erect with the feet widely spread apart
❖ inhale, bring the hands to the back, interlock the fingers
❖ exhale, bend forward, raise your hands up, so that the shoulder blades are coming closer
❖ hold the posture for 5 breaths
❖ inhale, slowly drop your hands on the lower back and raise your head up
❖ exhale, release the hands and return to the starting position
Precautions:
People with serious neck/arm/shoulder problems should not practice this posture
Benefits:
❖ strengthening and relieving stiffness in shoulders, arms and upper back
❖ stretching the hamstrings
Wide Leg Forward Twist
Instructions:
❖ from the Wide Leg Forward Bend I leave your left hand in the center on the floor and with inhale twist your trunk and raise your right hand up
❖ both hands should form a straight line, look up
❖ hold the posture for 5 breaths
❖ exhale, bring your left hand back on the floor
❖ repeat on the right side
Precautions:
People with serious neck/arm/shoulder problems should not practice this posture
Benefits:
❖ strengthening the arms, shoulders, chest and upper back
❖ toning the abdominal muscles and lower back
Warrior Pose I
Instructions:
❖ stand straight with legs together
❖ step forward with your left leg, turn your right foot to 45 degrees
❖ bring your both palms together on your knee, bend your knee so that thigh is parallel to the floor
❖ inhale, raise your both hands up, stretch the spine and gaze forward
❖ the bent knee should not extend beyond the ankle but should be in line with heel
❖ hold the pose for 5 long breaths
❖ exhale and release your hands down, go back to the starting pose
❖ repeat on the right side
Precautions:
People with weak heart and lower back problems should not practice this posture
Benefits:
❖ it relieves stiffness in shoulders and back, tones up the ankles and knees and cures stiffness of he neck
❖ it reduces fat around the hips
❖ it helps in deep breathing
Warrior Pose II
Instructions:
❖ stand straight with legs together
❖ step forward with your left leg, turn your right foot to 45 degrees
❖ bend your left knee so that thigh is parallel to the floor
❖ inhale, stretch your hands sideways on the shoulder level and gaze at your left palm
❖ your right knee remains straight
❖ the left knee should not extend beyond the ankle but should be in line with heel
❖ hold the pose for 5 long breaths
❖ exhale and release your hands down, go back to the starting pose
❖ repeat on the right side
Precautions:
People with weak heart and lower back problems should not practice this posture
Benefits:
❖ legs muscles become shapely and stronger
❖ bringing elasticity to the legs and back muscles and also toning the abdominal organs
❖ strengthening the arms
Easy Warrior Pose III
Instructions:
❖ from Warrior Pose I, exhale lower your left knee and bend the trunk forward
❖ rest the chest on the thigh and bring your hands forward
❖ keep the arms straight and the palms together
❖ hold this position for 5 long breaths
❖ exhale, lower your hands to the knee and raise up while straightening your both legs
❖ go back to starting position
❖ repeat on the right side
Precautions:
People with weak heart and lower back problems should not practice this posture
Benefits:
❖ contracting and toning abdominal organs and making the leg muscles more shapely and sturdy
❖ helping to get rid of fat in abdominal area and hips
❖ strengthening the thighs
Easy Half Moon Pose
Instructions:
❖ from Easy Warrior Pose III place your palms on the floor beside the feet, keep the arms straight
❖ inhale, raise your right leg up, hold it parallel to the floor and straighten your left knee
❖ look down on the floor
❖ hold the posture for 5 breaths
❖ exhale, drop your right leg on the floor and go back to the starting pose
❖ repeat on the other side
Precautions:
People with lower back problems should not practice this posture.
Benefits:
❖ reducing fat around the hips
❖ stretching the hamstrings, calfs and thighs muscles
❖ toning the buttocks