So what do the yoga poses actually do for you?  and Is there a reason for them?

Well that's a good question ... and the answer is that each category of pose offers additional specific benefits on top of helping you to develop strength, flexibility and a calmness of spirit!

So are there any health benefits of yoga that I didn't mention before?

Depends on whether you call the benefits that can be measured on a regular basis .... such as relief from back pain, or relief from that tension headache that's been plaguing you, for instance ..... benefits! And I haven't even touched the surface of what yoga can do for you, benefits such as lowering your blood pressure, relieving migraines, helping to avoid osteoporosis, relieving depression and many more ...

But getting back to the poses, .... what do they do for you?

Standing Poses

I have seen these often used at the beginning of a class. Often they are used at the start to help you stretch and loosen your muscles in anticipation of further and deeper work. Standing positions often form part of another pose. This group of poses help to align the body and improves posture. The pose that your probably the most aware of is the Mountain pose. In completing that pose your strengthening your legs, releasing your hips and pelvic area and increasing flexibility. It also helps in taking pressure off the lower back.

Forward Bends

Nothing quite like them to help squeeze the abdominal muscles. You will quite often notice a surge of warmth through your body after having done a series of, say, three forward bends.  A forward bend can be done in conjunction with a Standing position or a Seated position.

When doing them in a Standing position, you most commonly stretch your lower back and hamstrings. When doing a forward bend in a Seated position you will notice the stretch in your lower back and if you're sitting cross legged, you'll notice a stretch in the interior adductor muscles, that is your inside thighs - depends how tight you really are. If you're very tight in the thigh muscles, then you'll need to do a seated forward bend with your legs straight out in front of you.

In squeezing the muscles as you stretch your arms up over your head and support your head between your arms, and bend forward you're releasing tension in your back, your shoulders and neck and stretching each vertebrae of the spine. Great feeling. After doing a series of say 3 and releasing the tension in the arms after each forward bend you will experience an immense sense of calm.

For those that are very stiff, forward bends can be assisted with a prop such as a strap to intensify the stretch. Even a block can be used to assist if, for instance, in the forward bend you need to place your hands on the ground while keeping your knees straight. I cant keep my knees straight and place my hands on the ground so I use a block. On better days I have it on the 3" side

Seated Poses

Often these poses are done either cross-legged or kneeling and sitting on your heels.

Seated poses help with flexibility of your lower back and also help to open the hips and increase flexibility in the hip region. Often you'll experience the stretch in the groin and pelvic regions. Depending on whether you're doing a stretch sitting cross-legged or on your knees will influence whether you'll feel a stretch in your ankles and knees.

Back Bends

They are one of the best ways to release the tension in your rib cage, upper back and chest. Some people also experience a release of tension through the hips while doing a back bend. As often your arms are elevated up over your head while you do the back bends, they also help to strengthen your arms and shoulders. Back bends will also increase the flexibility of your shoulder region.

You've probably noticed in yoga classes, whenever a forward bend is practiced, a back bend will follow to keep the body in balance and aligned.

Balance

It is interesting but I've noticed that the older I get, the more my balance goes! As a child I never had any problems with standing on my toes ..... trying that now I get the worst wobbles!

Apparently as one ages, ones balance becomes affected which is why as we mature we need to constantly practice balancing! Silly as it sounds, I'm not joking!  The yoga balance positions help the mind focus and will help with core stability as you age. Should you be having major balance problems then it will be necessary for a medical practitioner to check it out. However, in the meantime, the yoga balance poses, assist in overcoming most balance problems.

So, in doing the balance poses you not only strengthen and tone your muscles but you work on co-ordination as well. In order to balance you need to contract your stomach muscles ... focus and still the mind ... you've perhaps heard your yoga instructor tell you to ..."gaze at a spot" ... you then need to lengthen the spine and stand straight. All of this requires a focused mind otherwise you'll get the wobbles and fall over.

Twisting positions

Whether these are done seated on the ground or in standing position they are great. You will notice that they need to be done gently, each time increasing the intensity of the twist. What twists do is release the tension in your spine, hips and even shoulders. Back aches caused by tense and tight muscles will be relieved. Twists must be done equally on both sides of the body to maintain balance and not too stretch one side more than the other.

Lying (Supine and Prone Poses)

As it suggests, these poses are done lying on the ground!.

The Supine poses are started flat on your back. If you put some effort into the poses, they stretch your stomach and side muscles, they open your hips and stretch your spine. That type of a stretch releases the tension in your shoulders and back and strengthens your back in particular.

The Prone poses start with you lying on your stomach on the floor. When you do these positions, you will quickly notice, that the muscles in your arms, shoulders and back are engaged. The Prone poses are great for back and spinal mobility.

Inversions

This is where your legs are in a position higher than your heart. This family of yoga poses helps you develop strength in your upper body. Your abdominal muscles are also called to account in these yoga positions. As your legs are in a position higher than your heart, these positions work on your circulation.

Given the intensity of the inverted positions, pregnant women should avoid them. In fact, as mentioned before, if you have any known medical conditions you should mention them to your yoga instructor so that they can guide you as to which positions should be modified.

For those practicing yoga at home, without the guidance of a yoga instructor, if you have any medical conditions, it is best to just check with your doctor what you should and shouldn't do.

Relaxation Positions

These poses are often done at the end of your yoga class and in conjunction with a short guided meditation. They are especially helpful to center yourself, and clear and calm the mind.

For the western mind, it is often one of the hardest things to do, as we are not taught and trained from childhood to let go and focus on one thing.

It's part of our upbringing to be always on the run, doing, thinking .... in a way it is ingrained in us to feel guilty if we take a few moments to ourselves to just let the mind go and relax. Yet this ability to let go is on of the most beneficial acts that a person can do .... it really is a gift to mind and body and helps with the rejuvenation of energy and vitality.

Let go of the western mindset and 'gift' yourself .... allow your mind and body to relax and let go of the stresses of the day .... and I guarantee that coping with the everyday stresses of life will become easier!

Concluding thoughts

By having a brief understanding of what the various groups of yoga positions can do for you will enable you to choose what positions you're most in need of at any one time.

I truly believe that a balanced yoga practice is what is needed on a regular basis ... but I can tell you that .... at those times that I haven't been able to take the time to do a balanced practice ... I still have been able to find the 'minutes' between meetings to do either stretching positions to alleviate the pain in the back from sitting too much ... or I've been able to shut the office door and for a few moments, clear the mind and meditate.

The effect is nearly immediate and I'm able to go into those meetings feeling a bit more relaxed and able to concentrate.

This is a 'gift' that whether you're a man or a woman, you're able to give yourself.

Further Articles of Interest

• Yoga And The Breath - Your yoga practice and the way you breathe are intertwined. You won’t fully experience the benefits of yoga without first learning how to breathe properly...

• Yoga: The Most Effective Scoliosis Exercise - Scoliosis is a condition in which a person has side-to-side spinal curves in addition to the normal curves through which the lower portion of the human back curves inwards...

• Know The Causes Of Lower Left Back Pain to Avoid Discomfort - Lower Left Back Pain is common among people and can be caused by a number of reasons. Improper use of the back muscles lead to Lower Left Back Pain. If you sit on a chair for longer periods, say in front of the computer, poor posturing, where the left side of the back is under constant strain, can lead to Lower Back Pain...

• Yoga for Back Pain Relief - A good, regular yoga practice will go far in relieving the stress and tension that sometimes cause mild back pain, and in fact, studies have shown that yoga is the number one most effective exercise for relieving back pain. However, not all yoga poses relieve back pain, and some can in fact aggravate existing pain...

• Yoga can keep Chest Pain At Bay and even help people suffering from Coronary Arterial Disease - this article deals with what should be looked out for and how yoga can be a preventative ...