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What’s the Importance of Yoga Asanas and Postures?

Yoga is an ancient system of exercise and therapy. It originated in ancient India thousands of years ago. In fact, it is said that the techniques used in yoga were taught to ancient sages and mystics by the gods. What makes yoga so wonderful is that it not only provides physical benefits, but also strengthens the mind, induces positive emotions, and brings about spiritual awareness.

Yoga is able to do this because of its holistic approach. This therapeutic form of exercise involves a total-body approach that seeks to iron out all imbalances in the body and mind. The yoga exercises, which are known as Asanas, are based on the natural stretching actions of wild animals. Hence, the colorful names for these poses such as the Snake pose, Dog pose, Camel pose, and Locust pose, to name a few.

Performing these yoga Asanas helps to align the body. In this manner, yoga poses can do wonders for your posture as well. Think about it. Have you ever come across a yoga practitioner who slouches, or who seems fat and listless? This is because yoga helps you to improve your posture, and at the same time helps to normalize your body. If you are overweight, yoga can help you lose weight. Conversely, if you are underweight, it can help you to gain weight. If your back is slightly bent, or you have limited motion in a limb, yoga can help you to iron out these imperfections.

Did you know that most people only utilize 30 percent of their total lung capacity? Incorrect posture also has a bad effect on breathing. When you slouch, you do not allow your body to receive sufficient oxygen, because your breathing becomes shallow. The breathing techniques that are taught in yoga help you to breathe fully and ensure that sufficient oxygen is delivered to all parts of your body. These breathing techniques are called Pranayama and are one of the main reasons why yoga practitioners seem so energetic and full of life.

Some of the yoga postures that can help to improve your body’s posture include the Danda Asana or Staff pose, Bhujanga Asana or Snake pose, and the Gomukha Asana or Cow-face pose. The Vajra Asana, or Diamond pose, and Padma Asana, or Lotus pose, also help to strengthen the back muscles and improve posture. If you don’t have the time to go for a full fledged yoga class you can try the Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutations) from the comfort of your own home. This is a sequential series of poses that not only helps to improve your posture but also provides you with an energizing, total-body workout in the span of a few minutes.

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