15 Minute Yoga for Relaxation (Beginners)
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DISCLAIMER
I am not a yogi master. If you seriously want to know more about yoga, it is better to join a class.
But I have been practicing yoga for the past 4 years now. And the basic, simple stretches with proper breathing techniques have made me experience its benefits of relaxation. So if you do not have time to enroll in a class but willing to invest fifteen minutes a day, I invite you to try these exercises.
If you have any health problems, always consult your doctor first!
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Before You Begin...
A. Establish a regular schedule to do yoga.
The best practice is to do a little yoga (15 minutes) a day than a lot once or twice a week. You can have the option to do it before breakfast or in the early evening.
B. Wear comfortable clothing and use a mat.
Wear clothes that do not in any way hamper or restrict your breathing and movement. Use a sticky mat or non-slip surface mat or a yoga mat. You may also play soothing music, use some scented candles, or burner with lavender oil for ambiance.
C. Do the exercise on an empty stomach.
If you ate a large meal, wait for 3 hours to pass before starting yoga. Two hours after a light meal and an hour after a snack.
D. Always work within your limits.
Never force your body into a posture. Nothing you do should cause you pain. If you do feel pain, ease off. If you feel chest pain, shortness of breath, experience dizziness or heart palpitations, stop immediately. If you do it gently and it still does not help, seek medical advice.
The Importance of Breathing Properly
I have discovered that relaxed breathing techniques releases tension from our body. Breathing also provides oxygen for our body to carry on with its "work" and give us energy to move, think and feel. It can also powerfully influence your physical, mental and emotional states.
How to breathe properly:
Yoga encourages diaphragmatic breathing where you inhale through the nose (using your diaphragm, of course) and exhale slowly and smoothly, and being able to coordinate the breath and movement.
Check if you are doing the proper breathing technique
TRY THIS!
- Sit comfortably with your palms resting on your abdomen.
- Inhale and feel your abdomen swell out and your fingers moving apart. Then, feel the abdomen sink back as you exhale.
- Repeat seven times.
Stretch those tired neck and shoulder muscles
ARE YOU READY?
1. Neck and Shoulder Stretches
- Stand with your feet parallel and hip-width distance apart , your arms at the side. Take a few deep breaths (as instructed above).
- Allow the head to come forward slowly, bringing the chin towards the chest. Stay in the position for several breaths.
- Lift the chin slowly towards the ceiling, keeping the back of the neck long. Hold for a few breaths and return to the starting position.
- Relax your shoulders, and slowly turn your head to the right. Hold for several breaths.
- Face the center and then look over to your left. Hold for several breaths.
- Face the center and roll your shoulders forward and then backwards.
Feel the stretch at your sides
2. Standing Side Stretch
- As you inhale, raise the left arm up beside your head, fingers reaching up to the ceiling. Slowly reach out to the side as you exhale. Keep breathing.
- Return to the upright position as you inhale. Expell your breath out slowly as you circle the arm back down. Repeat on the other side.
Arch your back to release tension
3. Standing Back Arch
- Place your hand on the hips. Place your thumbs against the lower back.
- Lift the breastbone up as you inhale and allow the chin to look towards the ceiling. Take several breaths.
- Slowly release the pose and go back to the starting position.
- Repeat the procedure to release the tension from the back.
Twist and release the tension from your spine
4. Easy Twist
- Sit cross-legged with the points of your fingers touching the floor, stretched in front of you.
- Inhale, lift your right hand up and exhale slowly twist and bring your arm up in the air and let it settle down to the back. Also turn your head as far as it will comfortably go. Hold the position and take several breaths.
- Inhale, bring the arms back up and exhale, let your arms go back to the starting posiiton. Repeat using the left arm.
Stretch your back muscles
5. Back Stretch
- Lie down in a prone position.
- When you inhale, lift your torso up while being supported by your arms.
- Inhale and exhale slowly as you stay in this position.
- Complete seven breaths.
- If you can, continue to the next position which is to stretch your arms.
- Go as high as you are comfortable.
- Complete another seven breaths in this position.
- Lower down your arms and relax.
For the back and hips
6. Bended Knee Stretch
- Lie on your back with your hands on each kneecap. Inhale.
- As you exhale, draw the knees towards the chest, bending your arms as you do. Keep the shoulders relaxed.
- Repeat the cycle seven times to ten times. Make sure to coordinate your breaths with your movement.
Note: This simple exercise is one of the best for relieving stress and helps the back and hips (esp. after sitting for a long while.)
Relax all parts of your body and let go
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7. Dead Man Pose
- Lie down comfortably with your legs outstretched. Let your feet roll out. Relax your shoulders and place your arms with palms facing up.
- Close your eyes and be still.
- Slowly inhale, breathing all the goodness in the world and slowly exhale, expelling all the worries and fears for the day.
- Relax each part of your body starting from your forehead, cheeks, chin,mouth, shoulders, arms, chest, pelvic area, thighs, legs, feet.
- Continue to inhale and exhale allowing the tension to be drained away.
Congratulations! We did it!
Special thanks to
Hubber Dayzeebee for taking my pictures. We had a lot of fun during the photoshoot.
Coming Out
- When you feel you are ready to end the session, draw your awareness back to the room. Then start slowly to move your fingers, toes, ankles, arms, shoulders.
- Lift the arms behind the head and stretch all the way up to your fingertips and down to your toes.
- Roll over to the right and sit up slowly.
- Congratulations! You just completed your first yoga session. That was a relaxing one, right?
Note: Later on, you can actually increase your yoga time to thirty minutes and even an hour!
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Hi jezzbb, LOL yes it is. Sometimes when we do this session with the teachers (albeit a longer one), we always end up sleeping for awhile. You should try it sometime. Thanks for reading and commenting. :)
wow, i never thought it would look this good in the layout. great self-help hub with a "personal touch" of demonstrating the poses yourself hahaha. as usual, you always give your best in every endeavour. thank you for enouraging me to do yoga again. i for one know the benefits that it can bring especially to one in my age range! great work ripplemaker.
Thanks dayzeebee. LOL It took quite awhile to post this hub since I needed the pictures and I had to squeeze my way into your schedule to take these shots. Thank you very much for your help. Hahaha Maybe in my next series of exercises you would pose for me. (grin)
Thank you ripplemaker for this hub. I'm printing this one out. Thumbs up for well written content.
What a well thought through Hub! I love yoga and practice regularly. Thanks for the tip about waiting after eating, I did not know that!
It was very thoughtful of you to demonstrate the exact postures.I am surely going to try it.Thanks.
Hi Dottie, thanks. Hope this basic and simple yoga moves will help you relax and remove daily stress. :)
Cindy, that means something coming from a yoga practitioner like you. Thanks for dropping by and commenting. :)
Bluewings, I am smiling as I imagine the "penguin" doing the yoga moves. Oopps, heheh, do try it and have fun. :)
Hi Michelle, this is a super Hub for beginning Yoga, and I love that you are demonstrating the poses. What a nice touch. I think most people should be able to start out here to relieve stress and relax. In fact, I am going to stretch tonight after my HUGE 8 mile run today!
Hi, Teacher Michelle. Great pics! I can just imagine your photo shoot with Teacher Daisy. Hehe... :P
Could you also please do a hub on yoga for weight loss? Complete with pictures of you demonstrating the poses, of course. Hehe. :D
Well done Ripplemaker. The pictures of yourself lend credibility to this informative hub. Cheers!
This is a great hub because so many people feel they don't have time for yoga. My friend used to do this every day before class and loved it. Thanks!
Very good hub with wonderfl tips!
Hi Steph, it's always lovely to hear from you. Wow, that's a biggie- 8 mile run. :) I know the stretches do work in helping tired muscles relax. Take care.
Teacher Susan, the photo shoot was fun! I was wondering a bit how it would come out. LOL But it came out ok! Weight loss? Hmmm, I think I have some ideas. Esp for the thighs and butt. Hahaha Okay watch out for that. :) Thanks for reading and commenting.
Hi Terence, glad you love me being in the photos. LOL. Cheers back to you!
Glassvisage, good point. And this can be done in the comfort of your bedroom or living room. The fifteen minutes does make a difference. :)
SweetiePie, thanks for reading and commenting. :)
This is a great instructional hub for beginners of yoga, ripplemaker! Very easy to follow with all the steps and accompanying pictures. Yoga is really relaxing, good for the mind and body.
Your fan.
Mon.
I been doing yoga for years now I really enjoy yoga chi gung another form of yoga . great hub
It's nice to read your comments, monitor and mulder. :) Stay healthy and relaxed!
Miss!!!!!!!!! So nice, therapeutic and healthy!!! mmmm..... i wonder who the model is on those pictures, she's super pretty....... ehhehe...... thanks miss! so Siddhartha casts can at least maintain their figures so that when rehearsals will start again, there'll be only little fats to burn out. hehehehe..... thank you so much miss! see you soon, missed you a lot! GOD bless you!
Hi Antoinette :) Thanks for dropping by and commenting. It's great to hear from you. I fondly remember all the warm up and exercises we did for rehearsals, I truly miss that. Yes, we need to keep fit or else... :) LOL Take care. God bless you too.
This is just great and so useful-- a quick 15 minute session and I love the pix of you,ripplemaker. Thanks.
Robie! LOL Thanks :)
One sometimes forgets how a few simple exercises in a short space of time can relax and invigourate one.
Great Hub, Great pictures. This is a must read even for oldies like me.
Yoga and meditaion are the two things ive been advised to take up! I hope i will have 15 mintte spare today with all the work i have on my plate today! but i will try to fit your routine in! i was wondering if yoga is better than meditation or would i have to do both!? or is one better than the other?
PS nice pix ;)
Sixtyorso, yes it does refresh and relax the body oddly even if just for 15 minutes... :)
Compu-smart, I used to find it hard to meditate since my mind seemed to be wandering all over the place. So I started with yoga. And I found that focusing on the breathing actually helped my mind to be still and had a calming effect on me. Later on, I already was able to meditate more and more. :)
Cool, so yoga should be learned and implemented before meditation!?
This is an excellent starter Hub for yoga. I am inspired to give it a try. You make it look so simple and relaxing. I would imagine the benefits of doing these exercises, give a good return?
tDMg
LdsNana-AskMormon
Hi compu-smart, not necessarily but some body stretches could be good to relax the body first and then do meditation then. Why don't you try it? You could also download some guided meditation where a voice would speak with background music. Hmmm...speaking of this, maybe we could offer some thing like this in the site that we are making. Cool. I'll keep you posted then. :)
Nana, yes it does help you relax. Why don't you give it a shot? :) It's lovely to hear from you. Thanks for dropping by.
Michelle, this is such a great hub! Yoga is so calming for me and energizing at the same time. Thank you for putting together an excellent beginners guide!
Hi ripplemaker:) Thanks for that advice, i was hoping i could get another alternative to download some guided meditation where a voice would speak with soothing background music! hint hint!! lol
:)
Hi Amy, thanks for the encouraging words. Yes it does calm and energize oneself. I had fun teaching our new teachers last week. :) Take care.
Compu-smart, yes, yes, I will tell you once I have my voice recorded. That will surely help you sleep. LOL Seriously, I would like to record my healing chants. I will let you know then.
I could definitely benefit from healing chants! Having arthritis in my neck, back, knees, hands and shoulder, I'm always looking for drug-free pain relief!
Cool! that would be purfect!:)
Im also with rmr with always looking for drug free pain relief! I know there is a cure somewhere for everything on this planet, in a plant, flower, animal, or fish etc, that has this answer to cure and more, i just hope the answer can be discovered sooner rather than later!
Thanks rmr and compu-smart. I will try to finish it the soonest. Now I better convince dayzeebee to help me with it. LOL You two take care. Will keep in touch. :)
hi ripplemaker!..i mean sister michelle..hehe..nice hub:D
Hi FatsO! Great to hear from you :) Continue to breathe and relax...as school is going ahead full blast. Take care.
I might try yoga again, but I have to be careful with my back injury :(. I miss being able to do simple yoga, taebo, and other more strenous exercises. Your demonstration in the pictures is great. Do you teach yoga?
great tips
Nice hub! I used to do yoga everyday when my life was much less busy. It didn't only help me relax but seemed to help me lose weight as well. Now I think I should try to do it again. Thanks for inspiring me :)
Hi Sweetiepie, yes do be very careful with yoga esp. for back injuries. No I don't teach yoga professionally, only for a few friends and our teachers in school after work. I introduce this to help them relax after teaching kids the whole day :) Thanks for reading this one :) Wish I could help you with your back injury (with a healing thingy this time) Take care...
Thanks manoharv.
Om Paramapoonya, you are right it does help with the weight thing. I developed muscles and I didn't even knew it could do that too LOL. Thanks :)
Hi Ripple,
I just did an article on good morning and evening yoga exercises. It included a lot of the ones you mention here. You did a great job.
I'm a guy and I can admit to even trying yoga. It does wonders for aggravating days. The competitive side of me now wants to try bikram(spelling?) yoga. Have you ever tried it?
Hi Karen, thanks for your comment.
Talented-Ink, hey you now have an avatar pic... :) pretty elegant. NO, haven't tried bikram (spelling) yoga, why don't you write a hub about it? :) Thanks for reading this one. Yoga away...it does help stressful days.
Yoga is perfect for any age.My MIL attended the classes at the age of 60 and now she feels a lot better and has less asthmatic attacks.This hub is going to benefit everyone.Great hub Ripplemaker!
Hi Abhinaya, if we do something that helps us stay healthy, we should do it more often :) Thanks for sharing :)
What a beautiful hub, in every way. Not only are the exercises explained in words and pictures so that anyone can do them, but the accompanying photos really set the mood. What a relaxing and peaceful setting.
The Dead Man Pose, of a variation of it, is something I learned during childbirth classes. We were taught to relax every muscle in the body, one by one, and commit to practicing the exercise every day during pregnancy. As we practiced, the relaxation would come more and more quickly, so that when labor finally arrived, we would be able to slip into a relaxation that helped us work with the contractions instead of against them.
Great job, Ripplemaker. And a wonderful collaboration between you and Daisy on the photos. Thumbs up!
Thanks Sally for sharing your experience and for commenting. :) That's true, the more you practice, the more you could get into the relaxation quickly. Take care...
Love it, need it and I put it in my favorites. Yoga rocks but I'm just getting started. Thanks for this
Wow you look like a Yoga queen. This is great content and you're one beatiful women. Keep cranking out the content. ;-)
Fun pictures and very informative hub. Thank you. I agree with you Tulwave, Yoga Rocks!!!
Thanks everyone :) We can all look like yoga queens LOL Stay healthy :)
Hi ripplemaker. Excellent hub! This is really great. It's easy and healthy. Thumbs up for you. :)
I love the the detailed instructions and images you put. Keep up the good work.
Thanks beth! It was a lot of fun. :)
Well, I've returned to this Hub because I've taken up yoga myself... cardio yoga, to be exact. What a great alternative exercise! I feel so great, and I have to admit, the toning is nice too :) Thanks!
Hi glassvisage, wow that is nice of you to come back and share. :) Indeed it is a great exercise.
Hi Ripplemake
This page is best yoga & relaxation guide.
Well done.
Hi michelle:0)
Great hub , i have never tried yoga before, but there`s a first for everything...i think I have done the dead mans pose before LOL
Anyway keep up the good work!!!!! Mike:0)
Hi smilybaby, try it and see :) LOL
Hi Mike, thanks for reading this one! You are so right, the dead man's pose seem to be the 'commonest' thing we all do regularly. LOL
Thanks for the inspiring post, I wish others follow it. I do both Yoga and Meditation regularly, it offers me plenty. Meditation even sitting silently without any thoughts will help.
Hi cgull, you are so right. Quieting the mind has plenty of benefits for us who always think a lot! :)
I did learn yoga from a teacher but haven't been practising it lately. Glad I came across this hub and will have to again start yoga. Great pictures of yoga poses. Good job michelle.
Hi countrywomen, thanks for dropping by and commenting. :) Glad to know I've inspired you to start yoga again. :)
Great Hub. Very inspiring. Yoga asana is one part of my New Year's resolution for 2009!!!!
Thanks for hub. good and easy exercises
Hey! So you've created ripples again. With those pictures, you made exrcise look so much fun. It's really motivating. Thx
Hi TheresaAnn, go go go...it's truly fun doing yoga and it sure helped me calm down. hahaha
Hi Ms Chievous, yes these are pretty basic and simple and very easy exercises. One would need an instructor to do the other stuff to make sure you don't strain yourself. :-)
Hi Anjali, we had fun with the photoshoot. :-) Glad you liked it. Thanks for dropping by and commenting.
Great hub! Its always nice to see something visual to which you can try and duplicate. You seem to be having fun too which makes it extra nice. Keep it up!
Thanks Jeniferr..and it is fun to do too... :-) Try it.
nice hub..
A mine of information here for getting started in Yoga. I've started digging already. You obviously had fun with the project.
Thanks apeksha! :-)
Hi hynopis! Fun -- yes that is the key word to doing any form of exercise or physical activity. :-) Thanks for dropping by!
Nice hub ripplemaker and nice pictures too!
Nice info.Viewed your other post also. Quiet interesting.Joined your fan club to-day.
Hi Anamika and ramkumar, thanks! :-)
I started doing yoga about 2 months ago, at home with a book and am amazed at how I end up feeling physically worked out but totally energized at the same time. I love your pics, will be trying some of these moves out for sure. Thanks for this :-)
That is so true HWP, energized and refreshed. I feel those things too! Thanks for taking the time to visit my hub and for sharing your experience with the benefits of yoga! :-)
hey this didnt help at all
Wondering what didn't help...hmmmm!
Yoga helped me get cure of my rigid shoulder. I feel it is
majic.
Great Hub. I would also add that focus on the breath is everything, without breath movement connection yoga is really just stretching.
Parbhaker: That's great to know! :)
Seasons Fit: Yes, I agree. Thank you for pointing that out. :)
I love the last picture - it looks like so much fun! Yoga can be such an amazing way to feel better on so many levels. It has definitely transformed my life!
Hi ripplemaker. Hw can i become like u.
If you only have 15 minutes a day this can still go a long way. Thanks for your hub.
Hi ripplemaker,
Great hub with excellent content.Thanks for sharing. Lovely pictures too!! Yoga can cure many ailments. Correct breathing techniques can work wonders in your life. Very helpful hub.
Thank you everyone for dropping by to leave a comment. Yoga does indeed work wonders for our health and peace of mind. :)
Thanks for this hub. Very nice info about yoga. I'll recommend to my friend as well.
I enjoy all the yoga sessions with you leading the group :) Thumbs up...let's do more yoga!
Thanks, it's relying a great health sessions.
jezzbb 3 years ago
Hi ripplemaker,
Seems like a great exercise for relaxation. i think the dead man pose is very good for ending the session.