Lazy Yoga

(July 3, 2010)

What is lazy yoga?

The term lazy yoga is used to describe a type of yoga that is performed with minimum effort. It is actually not a lazy form of exercise, but it is more focused on achieving the maximum effect with the minimum effort. This makes it a very efficient form of yoga designed to extract the maximum benefit for the body. Lazy yoga is one of the different forms of yoga developed many hundreds of years ago and is not a modern invention. There are many different branches of yoga that follow variations of the practice. Some forms advocate more physical effort while others focus on deeper and longer stretching.

As the name suggests, lazy yoga is designed around easy positions that are practiced over extended periods of time. These poses are not very stressful but the benefit comes from the continuous application of a pose and the results achieved from perfecting each pose. Lazy yoga is useful for beginners, particularly those who have movement restrictions due to their fitness or state of health. Lazy yoga allows for a gradual introduction of the body to the processes of yoga. It is important to note that lazy yoga is not necessarily practiced in isolation. Lazy yoga may be a part of the daily routine of a person practicing yoga where other times of the day are used for more physically intensive forms of yoga. Lazy yoga is also recommended as a cool down exercise for people who have recently experienced physical strain and wish to relax their bodies.

One of the positions practiced in lazy yoga is the Shavasana or Dead Body position. As the name suggests, it involves lying flat on the back with the hands to the side in a completely relaxed pose. All the muscles of the body are encouraged to completely relaxed to the point where it feels as though the shape of the body is being maintained only by the skeleton and the floor supporting it. This position is designed to completely calm the body down. When it is performed correctly, one will notice that the breath rate and heart rate automatically reduce. While you are actually not doing anything in this position, the relaxation benefits felt are immense. In order to follow lazy yoga, one should try all the various yoga positions that are comfortable which can be held for a considerable period of time. These poses will be easy to achieve and put minimal stress on the body.

Submitted by A on July 3, 2010 at 10:37