Abdullahi Mohamed
Yoga I
Linda Ostler
4/13/2014
Yoga Poses.
When I told my friends that I was going to take a yoga class instead of a basketball
or a bodybuilding class they all laughed at me, to be honest I was very skeptical my
self as to what I was going to learn at the end of every class, and how I was going to
do some difficult poses, how ever I have really come to enjoy yoga as a whole
different type of exercise, I feel deeply relaxed mentally, physically, and emotionally,
after class is over, I don’t have thoughts racing through my head, and my back feels
great. Some of the poses are difficult but with practice I’m sure ill eventually get
there and do it with ease. I practice some of the poses I have learned in class at
home, in my bedroom. I do the table pose, the downward facing dog, and seated
spinal twist.
This is how I do the table pose, I bring up the big toes together and sit back on the
heels, pressing the pelvis back, while lengthening the spine forwards, I Draw the
hands back to rest beside the feet with palms up, then Press the heart forward, as
the stomach rests onto my thighs, them I let the shoulder rounds forward, allowing
the forehead to rest on the floor, I Relax the back of the neck and soften the spinal
column. This pose is very relaxing and calming, as the ribs and the lower back
become very relaxed.
This pose allows healing and rejuvenation throughout my whole body. Child’s Pose
facilitates a letting go after cat pose because it allows the relaxation of the, trapezius,
deltoids, rectus abdominal, and many other muscles. The restfulness of this pose is
very restorative for me. This pose gives me a feeling of reverence for my practice
and allows me to focus more inwardly with activation of all the energy points.
Downward Facing Dog is another great pose it works on my back thighs and
shoulders, I Move onto my hands and knees, with the hands aligned under the
shoulders and the knees under the hips. I Rotate the inside crease of the elbows
slightly forward. Tuck the toes under, and walk with my hands forward about a
palm’s width in front of the shoulders. I spread the fingers wide with the index
fingers parallel to the edges of the mat. With both hands and toes planted, I lift my
hips up as the muscles of the pelvic floor, I keep the knees slightly bent and the heels
off the floor, and then I press my chest toward the thighs, and bring my head
between my arms. I gently press the shoulders and the hips back, lengthening up
through my upper and lower back, and then flex one knee and then the other,
pressing into the opposite heel, then with both legs straightened and heels back
towards the floor I widen between the shoulder blades and upper back and gaze
between my feet and hold the pose for several breaths.
Each of the yoga poses helps me reinforce the muscles around the spine, the very
center of the body, which is the core from which everything else operates. When the
core works properly, posture is improved, thus lessening the back, and the neck.
There are many other benefits to doing yoga one of the benefits is that stretching
and holding of postures also causes muscles to lengthen, which gives the body a
longer, leaner look.
I have noticed changes in my body when I started taking this class coupled with a
change in diet I’ve noticed increase in endurance, strength and flexibility. Mental
endurance and physical stamina has slowly increased through holding postures for
extended breaths. Arm and shoulder strength and muscle have multiplied as I use
my own body weight for resistance. Lats muscle and other back muscles started to
support my spine better than before. Various muscles such as Glutes, quads,
hamstrings, and calves are tightened and lengthened where they need to be. I
wanted to want to take my fitness to a higher level, the power of yoga's ability to
build muscle has an undeniably effect on the whole body.