Health & Physical Education – CLASS-V – UNIT-3 YOGA & ITS BENEFITS

Some Yoga Asanas

Yoga is an ancient art based on a harmonizing system of development for the body, mind and spirit. The continued practice of yoga will lead a person to peace and well being of the inner self. Yoga makes the body strong and flexible. It improves the functioning of the respiratory, circulatory and digestive system.

Yoga is a way of that aims towards a healthy mind and body. Yoga promotes the physical, mental and spiritual being of a person. Yogic exercises recharge the body with cosmic energy.

Benefits of Yoga: Following are the benefits of Yoga:

• It improves sleep
• It improves flexibility
• It lowers blood pressure and glucose level
• It boosts immunity
• It improves flexibility
• It helps in weight loss
• It builds muscular strength

Some Important Yoga

 (Chakki Chalasana)

This yoga asana mimics the movements of a hand-moved wheat grinder, common in the villages of India. It is an excellent workout for the body!

How to do Chakki Chalanasana:

1. Sit with your legs splayed apart. Clasp your hands and outstretch your arms at shoulder height in front of you.

2. Take a deep breath in and start moving the upper part of your body to the front and right, forming an imaginary circle with your body.

3. Inhale as you go forward and to the right, and exhale as you go backward and to the left.

Tip from the Sri Yoga teachers: Stretch forward from the lower back and keep your legs stationary. A slight movement in the legs is natural as the torso rotates. The arms move along with the back.

4. Keep breathing deeply and easily while rotating. Do you feel the stretch in the arms, abs and legs?

Make 5-10 rounds in one direction and then repeat in the opposite direction. Your wheat flour is ready to be cooked!

Benefits of the Chakki Chalanasana:

This asana is a good preventive for sciatica.

It tones the back, abs and arm muscles.

Opens up the chest and groin.

Tones the uterine muscles in females, so it is very useful in preventing painful cycles if practiced regularly.

Consistent practice helps reduce abdominal fat.

Also very useful in reducing post-delivery fat (however, please consult your doctor before practising this yoga posture)

(Paschimottanasana)

How to perform Paschimottanasana:

• Sit up with the legs stretched out straight in front of you on the floor.
• Keep the spine erect and toes flexed towards you.
• Bring your respiration to normal.
• Breathing in, slowly raise your both the arms straight above your head and stretch up.
• Slowly breathe out and bend forward from the hip joint, chin moving toward the toes keeping the spine erect.
• Place your hands on your legs, wherever they reach, without putting much effort.
• If possible hold of your toes and pull on them to help you go forward. Stay in this position as long as possible.
• After the exertion limit reached inhale and raise up stretching up your arms straight above your head.
• Breathe out and bring your arms down placing the palms on the ground.
• Relax for a while and try to feel the changes occurred in the body.

Benefits of Paschimottanasana:

• Stretches the whole spine, shoulders specifically lower back, hamstring, and hips.
• Massages and tones the abdominal and pelvic organs.
• Improves the circulation.
• Stretches and strengthens the calf and thigh muscles.
• Activates the spinal nerves.
• Tones the arms.
• Reduces abdomen fat.

Upavistha Konasana

(Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend)

How to perform Upavistha Konasana

• First, sit straight with your legs open in a way that they make 90-degree angle with your pelvis. Now, keep your toes pointing up. Flex your feet and align your knees.
• At that point, you feel curve in your lower back (You may place a firm cushion under your pelvis. The cushion gives your pelvis more stability to tilt forward).
• Keep your palms on the ground, behind your hips.
• Take a long and deep breath in such a way that the sides of your body lift, by making a space in the spine.
• Hang on for a few seconds if you feel a well stretch in your legs at that point.
• Then, support your lower back and sucking your belly in, breathe out and fold. Slowly place your hands in front of you. Stretch as much as you can, if you feel uneasy then stop. Breathe deep and long during holding the pose about 30 to 60 seconds.

Breathe out and slowly get back to your initial position.

Benefits of Upavistha Konasana (Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend)

• It activates your core muscles and stretches your hamstrings. This Yoga pose stimulates and toned your abdominal organs, makes your spine stronger.
• It also stretches your adductor muscles of the groin.
• Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend stretches the inside and back muscles of your legs and strengthens your vertebral columns.
• Upavistha Konasana calms your mind and relaxes your body. Helpful in arthritis and sciatica along with detoxifies your kidneys.

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