Yoga Poses For Lower Body Exercises
Yoga can be a great complement to lower body exercises, as it can help to improve flexibility, balance, and stability, while also strengthening the muscles of the lower body.
Yoga poses for the lower body involve a range of movements and stretches that can help to improve flexibility in the muscles of the lower body. This increased flexibility can help to reduce the risk of injury during lower body exercises, as well as improve your range of motion.
Many yoga poses require you to engage and strengthen the muscles of the lower body, such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. This can help to improve your balance, strength, and stability as well as help to reduce the risk of falls and injuries during lower body exercises.
Yoga Poses For Lower Body
Yoga can help to improve your mind-body connection, which can be helpful during lower-body exercises. Here are some yoga poses that can help with this:
Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Downward-Facing Dog can help to improve your balance and stability during lower body exercises. This most widely recognized pose strengthens the core, abdomen, and legs and Stretches the back of the body, ankles, calves, hamstrings, spine, and calf muscles in the backs of the leg.
Steps to do:
- Start on your hands and knees, with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips.
- Press your hands into the mat and lift your hips up and back, straightening your arms and legs.
- Spread your fingers wide and press your heels toward the ground.
- Hold for a few breaths and then release.
Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)
Warrior II targets the groin and inner thighs which helps address lower back pain. This pose helps to build strength and mobility in your hips, ankles, and core in the lower body as well as tones abdominals and surrounding core muscles.
Steps to do:
- Start in a lunge position with your right foot forward and your left foot back.
- Turn your left foot out to a 90-degree angle and keep your right foot facing forward.
- Raise your arms to shoulder height and reach out through your fingertips.
- Bend your right knee and keep your left leg straight.
- Hold for a few breaths and then release. Repeat on the other side.
Garland Pose (Malasana)
Garland Pose (Malansana) is yoga’s deep squat that is the best yoga exercise for the lower body as it stretches your ankles, hips, back, and legs and creates space in the lumbar spine and the spinal column. It is also a great hip-opener pose for which you lower into a squat.
Steps to do:
- Begin in a standing position with your feet hip-width apart.
- Squat down and bring your palms together at your chest.
- Use your elbows to press your knees outwards.
- Hold for a few breaths and then release.
Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
Bridge Pose is a reclined backbend and chest-opening yoga pose that gives a good stretch to the chest, neck, and spine · This pose stabilizes the hip joints and helps relieve pain, stiffness, and discomfort in the lower body.
Steps to do:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground.
- Press your feet and arms into the ground and lift your hips up.
- Interlace your fingers under your back and press your arms down to lift your chest towards your chin.
- Hold for a few breaths and then release.
Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)
Pigeon pose specifically works as a hip opener and forward bend, stretching your thighs, groin, back, piriformis, and psoas. This popular yoga pose stretches your hips and lower back and also helps relieve lower back pain.
Steps to do:
- Start in a tabletop position and bring your right knee up to your right wrist.
- Slide your left leg back and lower your body down to the ground.
- Straighten your arms and lift your chest up.
- Hold for a few breaths and then release. Repeat on the other side.
Conclusion
Many yoga poses require a good sense of balance, which can help to improve your balance and stability during lower-body exercises, such as lunges or squats. Improved balance can also help to improve flexibility, balance, and stability and reduce the risk of falls and injuries as well as improve your range of motion.
