Additional Yoga stretches to help relieve lower body pain

Yoga Stretches

To continue sharing valuable information for dancers, and whomever exercises, we talk today about more yoga stretches. These poses can relieve pain in the hip and lower back. It’s important to follow instructions, and practice with a professional to make sure you’re doing the poses correctly. Join our yoga class to learn about these and other poses that can provide you many health benefits.

As we previously shared, there are numerous benefits from stretching properly, such as the easing of pain and decreasing chances of injuries. Let’s take a look at other poses…

 

Fire Log Pose

Fire Log yoga Pose

This pose should put the fire out in your hips. Sit on the floor with a straight spine, both sit bones pressing against the ground. Take the left leg out in front of you and bend it until it is in a straight line and parallel with your body, knee, and ankle. Stack the right leg on top of the left, lining up the right ankle to the left knee and the right knee to the left ankle. If you find the final position too difficult, you can use blocks as support to lighten the pose. This is a deep stretch to loosen the outer hips and glutes. It also stretches and strengthens the groin, calves, thighs, and abdominal muscles.

Goddess Pose

Yoga Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana)

Gentlemen, do not be deterred by the name of this pose. It will help you open your hips regardless of your gender. Step your feet out very wide, turn the toes outward, bend the knees so they line up with your ankles, and tuck your butt in to engage the core. The further the toes are pointed outward, the deeper the stretch. This will give your groin, inner thighs, and hips a deep stretch. Note: Avoid this pose if you have a knee or hip injury.

 

Half Lord of The Fish Pose

ardha matsyendrasana half lord of the fishes pose over white

Sitting on the floor, extend both legs out in front of you. Keep the left leg straight and bend and pull the right leg in. Line the right heel up approximately 2 inches away from the back of the right leg and 2 inches away from the left thigh. Sit up very tall, avoiding sinking in the lower back. Wrap the left arm around the right leg, creating a spinal twist. Move the left shoulder forward as you move the right shoulder back, attempting to line the shoulders up. Take your gaze over the right shoulder. This pose stretches out the hips, glutes, lower back, spine, chest, shoulders, and neck.

Garland Pose

Woman doing Garland Pose in Yoga

 

This pose is so effective for opening the hips that it’s the position most women use to give birth. Turn your heels so they line up with your hips, turn your toes outward. Bend the knees until you reach a squatted position. Place a blanket under the heels if they have to be lifted while squatting. You can also stack two blocks to sit on to work up to the full integrity of the pose. The Garland Pose increases fluidity in the hips, and stretches the ankles, knees, and lower back. It also strengthens the core muscles.


JOIN US FOR WORLD DANCE CLASSES IN DENVER

Bella Diva Dance’s  new studio is located in the Glendale Center on E. Mississippi Ave and Birch St, near Colorado Blvd.  We offer you: Belly Dance, Samba, Yoga, Bollywood, Hot Hula Fitness, Afro-Caribe and Kids’ World Dance. Contact Caitlin for more information about classes: 303.359.9414 or email us at [email protected].

 

Yoga stretches to help relieve lower body pain

“Yoga is like music: the rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind, and the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life.”― B.K.S. Iyengar

To aid dancers and, virtually, everyone help relieve pain in the hip and lower back you can follow these easy and simple yoga stretches. When stretching is done properly it can ease pain, increase the fluidity of mobility and decrease chances of serious injuries to occur in the lower region of our bodies. let’s take a look at some yoga stretches to start practicing today!

Lizard Lounge yoga stretch
Lizard-Lower Lunge pose

 

 

  1. Lizard-Lower Lunge: Step your left foot forward several feet in front of the right foot. Bend the left knee until it lines up perfectly with the ankle. Drop the right knee to the ground and keep the toes curled under on that foot to stretch the calf muscle. Walk the left foot out to the side and place both elbows on top of blocks on the inside edge of the left foot. Keep hips lined up parallel to each other. You are opening the right psoas muscle and the left inner thigh.
    bound Ankle yoga pose
    Bound Ankle Pose

     

  2. Bound Ankle Pose: This stretch requires you to bind your ankles which will unbind your hips. Bring the soles of your feet together, pulling the heels close to your groin, bending the knees, and butterfly flare the legs open.If you see the knees too high, place a blanket under the sit bones to prop the hips up.Keeping your spine straight, lead with the chest, pull your shoulders back, and fold toward your feet. This pose will open and relax the inner thighs and groin.
  3. Yoga Cow face pose
    Cow Face Pose

    Cow Face Pose: Begin by threading the left leg under your right leg. Work toward stacking the knees, while keeping both sit bones on the ground. Tuck the toes in to protect the knees. Sit in the pose for several minutes.

  4. yoga pigeon pose stretcg
    Pigeon Pose

    Pigeon Pose: Starting in downward facing dog, lift the right leg and step it forward between the hands. Drop the left knee down and untuck the toes. Slide the right foot over toward your left pelvic bone placing the outside edge of the right leg on the floor. Tuck the right toes in (flexing the foot). Line up hips parallel to each other, continually pressing the left hip toward the floor.

  5. Happy Baby: Lie flat on your back, grab hold of both feet with each hand, bend the knees and pull them toward your armpits. Once in the proper position rock side to side, keeping your head on the floor. This will externally rotate and stretch the hips, loosen the inner groin muscles, and help realign the spine.
Happy Baby pose
We found no better way to explain the Happy Baby Pose… This is EXACTLY what it should look like 🙂

 

We’ll keep sharing more yoga stretches and other health tips in our future posts. Stay tuned!

JOIN US FOR YOGA AND WORLD DANCE CLASSES IN DENVER

Denver Yoga DancersYes, Yoga for Dancers in Denver! At Bella Diva Dance’s  new studio, located in the Glendale Center on E. Mississippi Ave and Birch St, near Colorado Blvd.  We offer you: Belly Dance, Samba, Yoga, Bollywood, Hot Hula® Fitness, Afro-Caribe and Kids’ World Dance. Contact Caitlin for more information about classes: 303.359.9414 or email us at [email protected].