Yoga for Flexibility: 6 Easy Poses to Get You Started

Flexibility is an important part of living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining your youth. While some of us may be naturally flexible, it doesn’t come as easy for others. If you’re thinking about starting yoga for flexibility and improving your quality of life, you’re in the right place!

Our yoga classes in Smithfield will help you on your journey to looking and feeling your best! Or if you’re eager to get started now, follow along with our online yoga class on improving flexibility and mobility!

By practicing certain yoga poses, you will begin to feel your body loosen up as you become more flexible. It takes time, so don’t get discouraged! But, once you start feeling the benefits, you’ll wonder why you didn’t turn to yoga for flexibility and mobility sooner.

Let’s take a look at why flexibility is so important in our daily lives as well as 6 easy yoga poses to get you limber and lean.

Why is Flexibility Important?

When you’re not flexible it can be difficult to move your joints. But, by practicing yoga poses for flexibility, you’ll begin to improve your movements. Here are some reasons why you’ll want to hit your yoga mat:

• Better Posture. When your muscles are tight, it can strain your muscles and lead to poor posture.

• Reduced Pain. If you have tense muscles, it can put stress on certain parts of your body like your back, neck, and shoulders. As you become more flexible, this pain eases up.

• Less Stress. When there isn’t as much tension in your muscles, you’ll feel more relaxed which can lower your stress levels.

• Less Risk of Injury. As you gain flexibility, you may be less prone to injuries.

Yoga for flexibility can help you achieve all of these benefits. It also helps your bones, tissue, and joints age more gracefully. Let’s check out some poses to get you on your way to moving and feeling better.

6 Yoga Poses for Flexibility

Head to Knee (Janu Sirsasana)

This pose is known for helping to increase flexibility in the thighs, hips, and back. It can also increase blood flow in your lower abs and relieve stress.

To do this pose:

• Sit on the floor or a yoga mat and extend your right leg forward.
• Bend your left knee out to the side, pressing your left foot into your right inner thigh.
• As you breathe in, sit up tall and raise your arms overhead.
• Exhale and bend at the hips as you fold forward toward your right leg.
• Hold on to your outstretched foot or leg or place your hands on the floor.
• Stay in this pose for 1-2 minutes before switching to the other side.

Intense Side Stretch (Parsvottanasana)

When you do this pose, it stretches your spine, hips, and legs which can benefit your posture and balance.

To do this pose:

• Stand with your left foot in front facing forward and put your right foot back. Turn your toes out at a slight angle.
• Square both of your hips to face forward.
• Put your hands on your hips as you bend to fold your torso forward, tucking your chin into your chest.
• Drop your hands onto the floor, or put them on a block.
• Hold this pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Switch the position of your feet so you can do the other side.

Cat-Cow (Bitilasana Marjaryasana)

Cat-Cow is a fluid pose that improves mobility and flexibility in your neck, shoulders, and spine.

To do this pose:

• Start on all fours with your wrists beneath your shoulders and your knees beneath your hips.
• Inhale as your belly falls towards the floor. Raise your chest and chin as your belly moves downward.
• As you exhale, press your hands to round your spine up toward the ceiling and tuck your chin into your chest.
• Do this movement for one minute.

Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend (Upavistha Konasana)

This pose has many benefits as it can increase the flexibility in your calves and hamstrings and open up your hips and lower back. If you’re experiencing severe lower back pain, check out this article to see yoga poses for sciatica pain relief!

To do this pose:

• Sit on your mat and open your legs as wide as you comfortably can. Be sure your toes are pointed toward the sky.
• Reach your arms overhead.
• Fold forward from your hips and walk your hands toward your feet.
• Hold here for 1-2 minutes.

Low lunge (Anjaneyasana)

When it comes to flexible poses, this one opens your hips and lengthens your spine.

To do this pose:

• Kneel on your left knee. Bend your right knee and place your right foot flat on the ground in front of you.
• Lengthen through your spine.
• Lift your torso and arms or extend your arms to the side, perpendicular to the floor.
• Gently push into your right hip.
• Hold for at least 30 seconds before switching legs and repeating on the opposite side.

Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana)

If you’re looking for yoga poses for flexibility that stretch your shoulders, chest, and arms, this is a good one to try.

To do this pose:

• Sit on the floor or yoga mat, allowing your spine to lengthen and your chest to open.
• Extend your left arm overhead.
• Bend your elbows so your fingers are pointing down along your spine.
• With your right hand, gently draw your left elbow over to the right. Allow your left hand to move further down your spine.
• You can try to bend your right arm upward along your spine to clasp your hand if it’s comfortable.
• Stay in this pose for at least 30 seconds.
• Switch arms and repeat on the other side.

These six flexible poses should help to loosen your muscles and joints so you can begin moving better. As you feel the results, you can try other poses and more intense yoga asanas that can help you even more.

Are You Looking to Yoga for Flexibility?

At the Yoga Connection, we can show you yoga stretches for flexibility and more. We offer a variety of yoga classes at our yoga studio in Smithfield, North Carolina that can help you improve your mobility and achieve the calmness that we’re all looking for. Our yoga classes accommodate all skill levels. Contact us today  919-971-1431 or reach out to us online for more information.