Postures and benefits

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1. Standing Deep Breathing / Pranayama

Benefits
Good for lungs and respiratory system
Helps with mental relaxation
Helps high blood pressure
Relieves irritability
Good for detoxification
Exercises nervous, respiratory and circulatory systems
Helps the lungs reach their maximum expansion capacity
Increases circulation to the body
Helps prevent respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and shortness of breath

2. Half Moon Pose with Hands to Feet Pose / Ardha Chandrasana with Pada Hastasana

Benefits
Works into the whole skeletal and circulatory systems
Opens shoulder joints, good for frozen shoulder
Reduces or eliminates pain in the lower back
Increase the flexibility of the spine
Tones the spinal nerves and abdominal organs improving the working of the bowels
Increases flexibility and strength of rectus abdominis, gluteus maximus, oblique, deltoid and trapezius muscles
Helps with sciatic problems
Stimulates pituitary gland
Promotes proper kidney function
Exercises colon, pancreas, kidneys, muscular, skeletal, respiratory and glandular systems
Firms and trims waistline, hips, abdomen, buttocks and thighs
Provides quick energy and vitality
Hands to Feet Pose improves blood circulation to the brain and legs, works the muscles, ligaments and tendons of the legs

3. Awkward Pose / Utkatasana

Benefits
Improves overall body strength
Opens pelvis
Strengthens and tones leg muscles
Relieves menstrual cramping
Reduces fat pocket under buttocks
Aligns skeletal system
Good for arthritis and gout conditions
Good for digestion
Relieves joint pain
Helps to cure slipped discs and other problems in the lower spine
Relieves sciatica
Improves flexibility in toes and ankles
Exercises liver, intestines, and pancreas
Heals chronically cold feet

4. Eagle Pose / Garurasana

Benefits
Improves flexibility and open up the fourteen major joints of the body
Good for central nervous system
Facilitates lymphatic function, improving immune system
Improves mobility of hip joint
Improves balance
Strengthens legs
Good for varicose veins and cellulite
Supplies fresh blood to the reproductive system and sex organs, plus the kidneys, which increases sexual vitality and helps clear up reproductive problems

5. Standing Head to Knee Pose / Dandayamana Janushirasana

Benefits
Builds mental strength
Improves concentration
Uses all major muscle groups
Exercises digestive and reproductive organs
Good for diabetes
Strengthens back muscles
Improves the flexibility of the sciatic nerves and strengthens the hamstrings and leg muscles.
Works the muscles of the back, biceps and triceps
Helps to squeeze and flush out the internal abdominal organs, such as the gall bladder, pancreas and spleen, as well as the uterus and ovaries
Great for the cardiovascular system

6. Standing Bow Pulling Pose / Dandayamana Dhanurasana

Benefits
Stimulates cardiovascular system
Increases circulation to heart and lungs
Opens diaphragm
Opens shoulder joint
Helps frozen shoulder conditions
Improves lower spine flexibility, strength and elasticity
Improves strength and balance
Reduces abdominal fat and firms the abdominal wall
Helps regulate ovaries and prostate gland
Builds patience, determination and concentration

7. Balancing Stick Pose / Tulandandasana

Benefits
Increases cardiovascular circulation, especially to heart blood vessels and strengthening the hear muscle
May help clear blocked arteries
May help prevent future cardiac problems
Creates a total spine stretch, relieves stress from spine
Good for varicose veins
Builds strength in legs and lower extremities
Exercises pancreas, spleen, liver, nervous and circulatory system
Strengthens your powers of concentration

8. Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose / Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Paschimottanasana

Benefits
Increases circulation to the brain and adrenal glands
Centres nervous system
May be good for depression
Good for constipation
Helps reduce abdominal obesity
Helps with diabetes and hyperacidity
Releases lower back
Exercises muscular, adrenal and reproductive systems
Good for sciatica, stretches and strengthens the crushed and shrivelled sciatic nerves
Increases flexibility in the pelvis, ankles, hip joints

9. Triangle Pose / Trikanasana

Benefits
An excellent cardiovascular workout with very little movement
Intensely stretches each side of the body
Opens and increases flexibility of hip joints
Reduces saddle bags
Good for kidneys, thyroid and adrenal glands
Opens shoulder joint, good for frozen shoulder
Strengthen and tones legs and buttocks
Helps regulate hormone levels
Works all muscular groups simultaneously
Helps conditions of constipation, colitis, low blood pressure, appendicitis, spondylitis, menstrual disorders
Flexing and strengthening the last five vertebrae in this posture can alleviate crooked spines, as well as rheumatism and lower back pain.

10. Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose / Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Janushirasana

Benefits
May be good for depression and memory loss
Good for diabetic conditions
Assists in regulating pancreas and kidneys
Works endocrine, digestive and reproductive systems
Trims the abdomen, waistline, hips, buttocks and thighs
Compresses the thyroid gland, which helps to regulate the metabolism, the immune system and balances blood sugar levels

11. Tree Pose / Tadasana

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Assists in correcting bad posture
Increases hip, knee and ankle flexibility and mobility
Stretches spine
Releases abdominal tension
Relieves lower back pain
Tightens gluteal muscles
Good for circulatory problems, arthritis and rheumatism

12. Toe Stand / Padangustasana

Benefits
creates balance and focus in body and mind
Strengthens stomach muscles
Strengthens joints (hips, knees, ankles and toes)
Helps relieve arthritis in all leg joints including hips

13. Dead Body Pose / Savasana

Benefits
Slows heart rate, reduces blood pressure
Stills and focuses the mind
Teaches complete relaxation
Facilitates powerful blood flow, lets cardiovascular circulation return to normal, creating internal cleansing and greatly magnifying the benefits of the postures that precede it

14. Wind Removing Pose / Pavanamuktasana

Benefits
Massages ascending, descending and transverse colon
Regulates and normalises hydrochloric acid levels in stomach
Improves and may cure conditions of constipation, flatulence and hyperacidity
Relieves lower back pain
Improves flexibility of the hip joints
Firms and tones muscles of the abdominal wall, thighs and hips
Increases peristalsis in the gut

15. Sit-Up

Benefits
Strengthens and tightens the abdomen
Increases flexibility of the spine
Open mouth exhalation stimulates diaphragm and eliminates toxins from lungs

16. Cobra Pose / Bhujangasana

Benefits
Strengthens the lumber spine, relieving pain and combating slipped or herniated discs, scoliosis and arthritis in the lower back
Rejuvenates spinal nerves enriching them with a rich blood supply
Improves flexibility and tone of spinal muscles, massages, works and tones back muscles
Helps relieve and prevent lower backache
Helps cure or relieve lumbago, rheumatism, arthritis and menstrual problems
Helps cure loss of appetite
Stretches the thoracic region and expands the rib cage bringing relief from asthma
Gentle pressure on the abdomen massages all organs and improves their function
Strengthens deltoids, trapezius and triceps
Compresses and opens spine
Relieves cervical spondylosis
Improves concentration
Helps to relieve many utero-ovarine and menstrual problems
Raises low blood pressure
Improves the function of the liver and spleen

17. Locust Pose / Salabhasana

Benefits
Many of the same benefits as Cobra pose and even more effective in helping conditions of slipped disc and sciatica
Firms buttocks and hips
Increases spinal strength, flexibility and circulation practically in the upper back
Improves flexibility and tone of spinal muscles
Helps relieve and prevent backache
Helps cure or relieve gout, lumbago, rheumatism, arthritis and menstrual problems
Improves sluggish digestion
Increases abdominal pressure and regulates intestinal function
Strengthens the abdominal wall
Helps correct bad posture
Strengthens shoulder, arm and back muscles
The uncomfortable stretching of the arms can help to relieve tennis elbow, tendonitis, RSI
Can also help with varicose veins in the legs
Encourages concentration and perseverance

18. Full Locust Pose / Poorna Salabhasana

Benefits
Firms muscles of the abdomen, upper arms, hips and thighs
Increases spinal strength and flexibility practically in the mid back
Improves flexibility and tone of spinal muscles
Helps relieve and prevent lower backache
Helps cure or relieve lumbago, rheumatism, arthritis and menstrual problems
Helps cure loss o appetite
Helps correct bad posture
Improves function of liver and spleen
Strengthens deltoids, trapezius and triceps
Compresses and opens spine
Relieves cervical spondylosis
good for scoliosis, kyphosis and slipped discs.
It opens up the rib cage and increases elasticity there.
It also firms the abdominal muscles, hips and thighs.
Raises low blood pressure

19. Floor Bow Pose / Dhanurasana

Benefits
Opens the rib cage increasing circulation to heart and lungs, improves oxygen intake
Opens diaphragm and expands the chest region – improves respiratory conditions
Opens shoulder joint and helps frozen shoulder conditions
Increases spinal strength and flexibility and tone of spinal muscles
Revitalises spinal nerves by increasing circulation to spine
Strengthens, compresses and opens lower, mid and upper spine
Improves strength and balance
Reduces abdominal fat and strengthens abdominal muscles
Helps regulate ovaries and prostate gland
Helps cure or relieve lumbago, rheumatism, arthritis and menstrual problems
Improves digestion
Helps correct bad posture
Strengthens concentration and mental determination
Develops internal balance and harmony
Strengthens deltoids, trapezius, rhomboids, latissimus dorsi and triceps
Relieves cervical spondylosis
Aids digestion, fights constipation, and combats bronchitis and diabetes while improving the functioning of the large and small intestines, the liver, kidneys and spleen

20. Fixed Firm Pose / Supta Vajrasana

Benefits
Lubricates and Increases circulation to the lower limbs
Helps conditions of sciatica, gout, varicose veins and rheumatism in the legs
Slims and tones thighs, firms calf muscles and strengthens the abdomen
Strengthens and improves flexibility of lower spine, knees and ankle joints
Strengthens and lengthens abdominal muscles
Creates a great stretch into hip joints and diaphragm
Relieves lower back pain
Fixed Firm Pose strengthens and improves the flexibility of the lower spine, hips, knees and ankle joints.
Helps prevent hernias.

21. Half Tortoise Pose / Ardha Kurmasana

Benefits
Assists in relieving digestion problems and constipation
Stretches lower part of the lungs, increases lung capacity, excellent for respiratory conditions
Increases circulation to the brain which enhances memory and mental clarity, providing maximum relaxation
Firms the abdomen and thighs
Increases flexibility of hip joints
Relieves neck and shoulder tension
Relieves stress and migraines
Helps with insomnia
Increases flexibility in hips
Improves mobility of shoulder girdle and associated muscles (scapula, deltoids, triceps, latissimus dorsi)
It also increases blood flow to the brain, which enhances memory and mental clarity
Assists sleep/wake cycles, can help with jet lag, insomnia and fatigue

22. Camel Pose / Ustrasana

Benefits
Compresses spine, relieving back problems and stimulating the nervous system
Opens rib cage, lungs and digestive system
Great for lungs and many bronchial problems
Strengthens back and shoulder muscles
Improves flexion of neck
Stretches throat
Flushes fresh blood through kidneys
Helps eliminate toxins
Stretches the throat and thyroid and parathyroid glands.
Good for postural alignment

23. Rabbit Pose / Sasangasana

Benefits
Provides maximum longitudinal extension of the spine
Stretches the spine to increase proper nutrition to the nervous system with fresh blood and oxygen
Improves the mobility and elasticity of the spine and back muscles
Stimulates thyroid and parathyroid glands through compression, helps balance and regulate metabolism
Balances hormones
Improves flexibility of scapula and trapezius
Improves digestion, glandular problems and helps improve conditions of the sinus, common cold and chronic tonsillitis
Helps insomnia, depression
Relieves tension in the neck, shoulders and back
Can also be therapeutic for insomnia, diabetes and depression

24. Head to Knee Pose with Stretching Pose / Janushirasana with Paschimottanasana

Benefits
Head to knee pose helps balance blood sugar levels and the metabolism
Improves flexibility of sciatic nerve and ankle, knee and hip joints
Enhances kidney function
Stretching pose increases circulation to liver, spleen and pancreas
Stimulates thymus gland, digestion and immune system
Increases flexibility of the trapezius, deltoid, erectus femoris and biceps muscles, sciatic nerve and last five vertebrae of the spine
Stretches and strengthens pelvic girdle, hip joints, shoulder joints and spine
Powerfully massages all the abdominal organs
Stimulates and tones the digestive organs, increases peristalsis, relieves constipation and other problems
Regulates function of the pancreas, assisting those with diabetes or hypoglycaemia
Mobilises joints and increases elasticity in the lumbar spine
Relieves compression of the spine and sciatica
Strengthens and stretches the hamstrings
Good for allergies and arthritis

25. Spine Twisting Pose / Ardha Matsyendrasana

Benefits
Compresses and stretches spine from the bottom to the top increasing circulation to the spinal nerves, veins, and tissues, and improves the elasticity of the spine.
Increases hip and back flexibility
Improves digestion
Firms the buttocks, thighs and abdomen
Improves elasticity, flexibility, circulation and nutrition to spinal nerves, vessels and tissues
Increases synovial fluid of the joints
Removes adhesions in the joints caused by rheumatism
Tones the roots of the spinal nerves and sympathetic nervous system
Detoxifying
Opens bronchial muscles and rib cage
Helps prevent slipped disc
Relieves lower back pain
Helps sciatica and arthritis of the knee
Massages kidneys, liver, gall bladder, spleen and bowels
Calms the nervous system

26. Blowing in Firm Pose / Kapalbhati in Vajrasana

Benefits
Detoxifies and cleanses body by removing stale air and toxins from lungs
Brings mental clarity
Strengthens abdominal organs and wall
Normalises bowels
Energises body
Improves oxygenation to the body
Improves cardiovascular and respiratory systems
Good for high blood pressure
Simulates the digestive system

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