Free Yoga Exercises

TRIANGLE POSE

Benefits:  gives you strength, all over flexibility, especially in the spine and ham strings, improves balance and aids concentration. Triangle poses are excellent for beginners as everyone and anyone can do the pose, whatever your state of health or flexibility.

Stand with your feet a comfortable distance apart. Not close, not too wide - about 1 metre, depending on your height and flexibility. When you are in the pose you should feel a good stretch happening.  If you don't then your legs are too close.
Make sure your big toes are in a straight line across.
Turn out your right foot to 90 degrees.  Make sure your big toe is pointing straight ahead.
Turn in the toes of the left foot to about 30 degrees.
Don't turn out your hips. Think of the hips as head lamps of a car, so you want them facing straight ahead.  Hips and shoulders should be square.
Extend your hands out to shoulder level. Make sure you don't raise the shoulders - think of the space between your shoulders and ears.

Extend your right arm out as far as you can, pushing your left hip back at the same time. Imagine you are between two sheets of glass so you can't lean forward or back.

Exhale, hinging at the waist, come down as far as you can, bringing your right hand on to your right leg.  Left arm extends upwards as straight as possible.
Either focus on your left thumb, or if that is uncomfortable look straight ahead.
Breathe slowly and deeply in the position.
Hold as long as you are comfortable. When you are tired, inhale to come up. Exhale, release your arms down.
REPEAT ON THE OTHER SIDE

TREE POSE

Benefits: Aids concentration and gives strength, especially to the legs.

Stand with your feet together.
Fix your gaze on a spot in front of you without looking down.  This is essential for all balancing poses.
Bring the sole of your right foot up and on to your left leg as high as you comfortably can, turning your knee out as far as it will go.
Use the wall to balance if you need to.
Bring your hands together on your heart in prayer pose.
Hold the pose as long as possible.
Repeat on other side.
Do three times each side.
When you get comfortable in it try with your eyes closed - it's fun!

CRESCENT MOON

Benefits:  Very strengthening for the whole body.
Go into a lunge position, right knee forward, legs as wide apart as you can.
Make sure your knee is above your ankle, NOT over the toes.
Try to balance with your hands on your right knee.
If you can do this, inhale, then bring your hands up above your head.
Pause there and find your balance.
Hands in prayer pose, inhale, stretching back as far as you can.
Exhale, release.
Repeat on the other side.