Four exercises to warm up for yoga

Exercise used for yoga warm-up is relatively rare in China. In fact, many yoga movements are to warm up for doing yujia, but there is no special warm-up exercise. Let's introduce the four exercises for yoga warm-up.

Generally speaking, I like to practice yoga sun salutes as a warm-up movement, but I will inevitably get tired of it over time. Moreover, the sun salutes are not suitable for beginners with stiff bodies. Therefore, today, I will introduce a simple warm-up movement. It can be completed in 2-3 minutes. Of course, the recommended yoga warm-up time is 5-10 minutes, so you can practice the whole set of movements more than twice, or you can take a few more deep breaths during each movement.

Practice one head rotation

1. Exhale, lower your head, feel the neck muscles stretched, and bring your chin as close to your chest as possible.

2. Inhale, turn your head clockwise from the right side, and return to the lowered position.

3. Raise your head and adjust your breathing.

4. Inhale, lift your head back, and feel the jaw muscles stretched.

5. Exhale and turn your head counterclockwise from the left side.

6. Return your head to the center and adjust your breathing.

Action essentials: Control the rotation of the head, especially when reaching the four directions of front, back, left and right, consciously stretch and stop for a short time.

Exercise 2: Body rotation

1. Open your feet in parallel, as wide as your shoulders, bend your knees slightly, straighten your back, and hang down your hands naturally. Do not use force on your wrists. Inhale.

2. Exhale, shake your arms, and turn your upper body accordingly. Turn left first, then right, pay attention to keep breathing during the rotation.

Action essentials: Stand firm with your feet and rotate your body around the spine. The movements must be rhythmic.

Exercise 3 Relax the hip joint and pelvis

1. Sit in a sitting position with your feet facing each other, your knees open, and your hands on your knees on the same side.

2. While exhale, press your knees against the ground with both hands.

Action essentials: The action of pressing down on the knees should be rhythmic, and at the same time, there should be a sense that all the waste gas accumulated in the body has been exhausted through the dantian (this action can also treat dysmenorrhea).

Exercise 4: Relax shoulders, waist, knees, and ankles

1. Sit in a sitting position, open your legs widely, bend your legs, and support your body with your hands behind you.

2. Exhale and tilt your legs to the right.

3. Inhale, return to position, exhale, and tilt your legs to the left.

Action essentials: Keep your hips still, do it alternately left and right, or lean back.

Another advantage of this set of warm-up exercises is that it can be used as an adjustment and relaxation after fatigue during yoga exercises, or if the practice time is not enough, it is also good to practice directly as a 3-minute yoga exercise.

Perhaps this exercise is superfluous in the eyes of many people, but if people who actually practice yoga will understand that doing yoga warm-up before practicing yujia will be very effective for the next practice. (Internship Editor: Wu Jinyu)