6 Yoga Stretches & Exercises to Keep You Flexible & Healthy

(Image via Unsplash/Luemen Rutkowski)
Yoga exercises for flexibility and health (Image via Unsplash/Luemen Rutkowski)

The inclusion of yoga stretches in your lifestyle is important if you want to keep your body flexible and healthy.

These stretches can help you improve both your physical and mental well-being along with building a spiritual connection.


Best Yoga Stretches for Flexibility and Health

Here are the six best yoga stretches to keep you flexible and healthy:

1) Eye of the Needle Pose (Sucirandhrasana)

This is among the best yoga stretches to develop strong legs along with gently developing flexibility.

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How to do the yoga stretch?

Lie down on the back with your feet pressed on the ground and knees bent. Open your left knee to the left side by positioning your left ankle on the top of the right thigh.

Raise your right foot off the ground along with driving your right thigh closer to the chest. Bring your left hand in between the gap in your legs to loop around the back of your thigh. Hold before releasing and switching legs.


2) Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana)

This yoga pose can stretch the back, hips, and hamstrings along with enhancing overall health.

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How to do the yoga stretch?

Start with the standard downward facing dog before stepping to the front with one foot and angling your toes slightly outwards. Raise your hips, and straighten both legs. Fold your upper torso to your front foot by lowering your chest to the knee. Assume a straight standing position before repeating. Swap sides, and repeat.


3) Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

This is an efficient yoga stretches to lower back pain by stretching the upper body and increasing flexibility.

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How to do the yoga stretch?

Begin with a standard easy or sukhasana pose on the ground with your left leg to the front. Position your left foot on the outward of your right thigh with your left knee pointed up and left foot flat on the ground.

Bring your right foot as close to your left butt as you can. With deep breaths, twist your torso towards the left side, with your left palm positioned on the floor at your back. Bring your gaze towards the left side while keeping the neck neutral. Hold before bringing your body back to the center and repeating on the other side.


4) Garland Pose (Malasana)

It's an easy and effective yoga stretch that can develop strength in the lower body along with boosting body balance.

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How to do the yoga stretch?

Begin in an upright standing position with both feet placed wider than the shoulder distance apart. Slightly turn your toes outward before bringing your body into a deep squat.

Push your hips to the back; lower your butt to the ground, and bend your knees to assume a deep squat. Clasp your palms to the front in a prayer pose, with your hands inside the elbows. Hold before releasing.


5) Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana)

It's a great yoga stretch that can stretch and strengthen the upper body.

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How to do the yoga stretch?

Begin in an upright seated position with one knee stacked over the top of the other in the midline and both feet lining towards the other butt. Raise one arm up to the air before bending your elbow to bring your palm towards the upper back.

Reach your other arm from the side before bending your elbow and bringing the palm up to the center of the back. Clasp both palms together with good posture, and hold before gently releasing.


6) Reclined Hand to Big Toe Pose (Supta Padangusthasana)

This is among the decent yoga stretches that can stretch the entire body and help build flexibility.

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How to do the yoga stretch?

Start by laying down on your back with the soles of both feet pressed on the ground and knees bent. Hug your left knee to the chest, and either assume the yogi toe grip on the foot or strap around the band.

Straighten your left leg straight to the ceiling while extending your right leg straight along the ground. Make sure to keep your hips pressed onto the ground and hold. After a few moments, repeat with the other leg.


Bottom Line

The aforementioned yoga poses can be a good start if you want to build flexibility and enhance your overall well-being. These yoga stretches can also enhance your posture along with lowering back pain. It's important to take some time and patience for these yoga stretches.

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