Yoga is well known for keeping us fit and flexible, making the body healthy offering a sense of calm and peace and spiritual awakening. It is believed to be good for the heart, the mind and improves strength and flexibility. Not just that yoga is also believed to help with Arthritis and helps in sleeping better. So, this might come as a shock but there are yoga poses that one shouldn’t practice during winter season, others that people with heart problems shouldn’t practice and yet some more that might complicate some other medical conditions so it’s important to know that yoga has its limitations and it’s not a cure for all afterall.
When it comes to practicing Pranayama and effective yoga poses one might think that most poses would help the heart and warm up the body but let us tell you about poses that you should not indulge in if you are having heart troubles and the ones you should not practice in winter.
If we talk about winter yoga poses then Chakrasana is not what you should be practicing. This pose puts pressure on your heart to pump blood faster and it can be avoided.
Looking for yoga asanas to practice in winter? Don't go for Halasana because this pose needs you to lie down on your back and lift your legs and your heart would be pressured to regulate blood flow in your lower body and work against gravity.
Lets now talk about Pranayama. Pranayama is something that you shouldn’t practice if you are suffering from serious medical conditions and especially if you are having breathing issues. You also need to make sure that when you indulge in Pranayama none of your body parts feel any strain and your breathing is not forced. Also make sure you are not indulging in Pranayama right after having your meals. You should not practice Pranayama if you're exhausted. Practice the savasana pose for 15 minutes and then move towards the pranayama. And you should not be doing Pranayama if your lungs are congested, the chances of which are higher during winter or you suffer from hypertension.
This was about the exercises you shouldn’t do if you are suffering from chronic medical conditions and Pranayama you shouldn’t be doing during the winter season. Now let's learn about some winter yoga poses that you should practice to keep your body warm.
Here is a list of yoga asanas to practice in winter to keep yourself warm. These asanas release heat in the body, calm the mind and strengthen the body.
If you are looking for winter yoga poses that build stamina and strength, heat up the body work on the balance then Ashta Chandrasana also known as Crescent Lunge should be your go to exercise.
Also known as the triangle pose, trikonasana is one of the best yoga poses for winter that helps in balancing the system not just physically but also energetically. This pose works all the muscles of your body and at the same time promotes balance and a sense of calm in the mind and body.
Also known as the fierce pose, Utkatasana is a pose that promotes strength and builds stamina in the body. One of the best yoga poses for winter, Utkatasana, is a pose that releases heat in the body in just a few minutes and not only strengthens the muscles but also the joints and bones. This asana also has many other benefits which includes adding the digestive system, toning the belly and calming the mind.
Now you know about the Pranayam you should not be doing in winters and the winter yoga poses you should be trying instead. If you want to now join yoga classes and be more consistent and want a more soulful environment to practice Yoga then do it with FITPASS- India's largest network of gyms and fitness studios that offers you the freedom to workout wherever and whenever you want. You can choose from 1,50,000+ workout sessions and 5,500+ gyms and fitness studios across the country.
