Basics of Yogasanas and

Pranayamas

What is Yoga?Yoga->Yog = (+) plus

addingHealth

FlexibilityHarmony Spirituality

Values Inner discipline

& freedom

to our life.

Knowing oneself is also

Yoga in the spiritual

context, which is self-

realisation. Only self-

realised can realise the

Supreme’s presence.

Outer / Physical – Bahiranga yogaAsana, Pranayamas, Shatkarmas,

Mudras

Inner / Mental – Antaranga YogaPratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi

ClassificationAll Outer

Changes are result of Inner

Changes

CONTEXT OF THIS PRESENTATION

Physical aspects - Yogasanas & Pranayama

What age to Start Yoga?

One can start after Eight years of age.

What Time to Start Yogasanas/ Pranayamas?

In the morning

• After you have attended to natural calls.• Would be better if you have taken bath*.

In the evening

• On empty stomach or after 3-4 hours of meals*• And when you are not tired.

• If you are tired, first relax yourself and then attend to yogasanas and pranayamas very relaxed.

The fresh yoga schedule* in your life should be started when the season changes like in August-September or March-April as per India schedule of Seasons.

How to Get Started?

Try to fit in a little yoga every day and you will soon notice the difference in your body as it becomes more flexible and strong and also

your mind as it becomes more focused.

How to Get Started?

Persistence

be it for very little duration, say 15-20 minutes, and not long duration of the yoga session BUT

with irregularity

Works wonder

How to Get Started?

Warm up is necessary to get start with (like optical scanner warms up before it starts)

• Stationary Cycle for 5 minutes if you are in Gym, as it is best cardio-respiratory exercise.

• Loosening Exercises are enough if you are at home, and these are recommended in addition to other warm ups which may be performed in Gym using treadmill, cycle, etc.

How to Get Started?

• If you dedicate around 1 hour to your fitness schedule, then the duration of loosening exercises and /or sukshama vyayama in the beginning may be 15 minutes.

• If you are short of time every day (having only 15-20 minutes), then you need to do loosening exercises and sukshama vyayama for the first 10-15 days.

How long one should do?

• Asana– Patanjali Yoga Sutra – Asanam Sthiram Sukham– Asana is posture which is stable and comfortable

• No Pain No Gain – Never Follow this Principle.– Pain is an indicator of something wrong with the

posture Or you are not prepared for that posture.– If you are not comfortable with the posture, it means

• Prolonged Duration of the Posture• Erratic Posture

How long one should do?

Come out of the PostureIf your body trembles or indicates discomfort

or If the breathing becomes fast or irregular

How long one should do?

Your workout of around 45-60 minutes comprising of

Warmup,Asanas & pranayamas,

RelaxationShould suffice.

What asanas should one do?

To be called complete fitness session, the session must include the following:

• Longitudinal stretch• Forward bend/stretch• Backward bend / stretch• Side bend / stretch• Spinal Twist• Relaxation

What asanas should one do?

Longitudinal Stretch/ Side Stretch

Tadasana (standing on toes with arms up)Ekapadasana (standing on one leg with

namaskara mudra)Tirayanka Tadasana (Side Stretch)

Trikonasana (triangle position)

What asanas should one do?

Forward Stretch

Padahastasana (hand to foot posture)Jaanushirshasana (Head to Knee Pose)

Paschmitanasana (Posterior stretching Posture)Yogamudrasana (forward bend in padamasana)

Mandukasana/ Kurmasana (Forward bend in Vajarasana)

Pawanmuktasana

What asanas should one do?

Backward Stretch Ardhachakrasana (Half Wheel Position)

Bhujangasana (Serpent Posture)Chakrasana (Wheel Position)Dhanurasana (Bow Posture)

Setubandhasana (Bridge Posture)

Every (or every group of) forward stretch must be followed by every (or group of) backward stretch

What asanas should one do?

Twist Stretch

Katichakrasana (spinal Twist in Standing Posture)Ardhmatsyendrasana (Half Twist Posture)

Vakrasana

What asanas should one do?

Relaxation

Every posture must be followed by 30-40 seconds relaxation.

i.e.There should be one relaxation posture between any

two postures. This would avoid fatigue which occurs due to physical exertion (though exertion is not

involved in yogasanas if we follow the basic rules)

What asanas should one do?

Relaxation

For every category postures, there are relaxation postures.• Standing Postures – shithil-tadasana• Sitting Postures – shithil-dhandasana, Shashankasana• Supine Postures - shavasana• Prone Postures – makarasana

Supine-back of the body touching ground Prone: front of the body touching the ground

How many asanas should one do in one session

At least One asana of each category

Simple Principles of Asanas

• Exhale when you bend forward.• Inhale when you bend backward.• Exhale when Twist.• But never hold breath; when you hold any

posture, take breath naturally• Inhale when coming back from forward bend.• Exhale when coming back from backward bend• Exhale when coming back from twist.

Simple Principles of Asanas

If you do not have flexibility, do not attempt to have perfection of the posture in one instance. Asanas are meant to tone up the organs and give effects of stretching only.

Say you attempt paschmitonasana, stretch within your flexibility limits / capacity will give you full benefits of the asana.

Always do asanas within your capacity and never beyond capacity.

Focus your mind towards the stretch so that the mind should not wander. Alternatively, mentally set your counts (reverse) to attend to that posture.

Pranayamas

• There is general sequence of doing pranayama after asana session which should be ended with relaxation.

• Busy people can alternate yogasanas and pranayamas on alternate days.

Pranayamas

Beginners must start Pranayamas* with the following:

• Sectional breathing. – Abdominal breathing– Thoracic Breathing (chest breathing)– Clavicular Breathing (should breathing)– All the above Breathing collectively.

• Naadhi shuddhi Breathing.– Exhale and inhale through left nostril and then exhale and inhale

through right nostril – One cycle. – Feel the breathing.

End Points• Always stretch and warm up before yogasanas. Then take five to ten long breaths to relax yourself and lying on

back and stretching hands up and toes downward about five times.

• Better don’t extend time period of exercise more than 1 ½ hours at a time.

• Do not hold your breath while doing any exercise.

• Never workout during the first three days of your periods (For Females).

• You shall feel soreness in the body as you will ideally accustomed to the asanas by two weeks from the time you start exercising. This will be if you have not stretched your body in a long time. You can use turmeric in milk.

• There should be a break of at least 20 – 60 seconds between each asanas. There should be relaxation pose during the period. Like Shithiltadasana in standing position, makrasana in prone position, shavasana in supine position, and shithildandasana in sitting position.

• Never over stretch the body while doing any asana and do it with absolute ease, focussing on your breathing.

• After any workout, maintain a gap of 45 minutes before having any food.

Your Questions?

Contact Details for Questions on this presentation:

Gulshan KumarP.G.Dip.Yoga TherapyM.Sc. (Yoga)B.PhysioTherapyN.D.D.Y.gulshan@askyogaexpert.orgwww.askyogaexpert.org91-0-921312418