Standing Deep Breathing
Pranayama Breathing
Opens cervical vertebrae.
Increases lung capacity and elasticity.
Relieves irritability.
Helps disturbed sleep.
Counteracts emphysema, asthma and other breathing problems.
Helps regulate blood pressure.
Helps detoxify the body.
Exercises the nervous respiratory and circulatory systems.
Half Moon
Ardha Chandrasana
Trims fat over thighs, hips, waist and abdomen.
Improves and strengthens every muscle in the central part of the body, especially the abdomen.
Increases flexibility of the spine.
Stimulates pituitary gland.
Exercises kidney and colon.
Helps cure constipation.
Helps detoxify the body.
Helps to alleviate lower back pain, bronchial distress, sciatic deformities, frozen shoulder.
Awkward Pose
Utkatasana
Improves overall body strength.
Strengthens and firms upper arms and all muscles of thighs, calves and hips.
Cuts fat pocket under buttocks.
Uses all major muscle groups; shapes lower muscles.
Relieves menstrual cramping.
Good for digestion, joint pain, immune disorders.
Increases blood circulation in the knees and ankle joints; opens pelvic area.
Relieves rheumatism, arthritis, sciatica and gout in the legs.
Eagle Pose
Garurasana
Helps reproductive organs; helps prostate problems.
Firms legs, arms and abdomen.
Good for varicose veins.
Relieves tension in neck and shoulders.
Increases joint mobility in the hip girdle, ankles, knees, hips, shoulder, elbow, wrist and mobility of scapula.
Improves the function of the central nervous system, and the lymphatic system.
Helps detoxify the body.
Improves balance and grace of the body.
Standing Head to Knee Pose
Dandayamana-Janushirasana
Improves circulation and flexibility.
Massages digestive and reproductive systems.
Strengthens muscles around the knee joint.
Develops concentration, determination and patience (realizes oneness of body and mind).
Improves pancreatic functions.
Good for diabetes.
Relieves nervousness.
Improves memory.
Improves flexibility of sciatic nerve.
Helps combat acidity and relieves flatulence.
Standing Bow Pulling Pose
Dandayamana-Dhanurasana
Improves cardiovascular function and circulation to heart and lungs
Removes plaque from arterial walls
Develops concentration, determination and patience
Marriage between strength and balance
Improves elasticity of the spine
Increases elasticity of rib cage and lungs
Cures infertility, balances ovaries
Helps prostate problems
Activates digestive system
Eliminates abdominal obesity
Improves muscle fatigue, lethargy and stimulates the nervous system
Balancing Stick Pose
Tuladandasana
Increases blood flow all over the body and arteries of the heart
Stretches the entire length of the spine
Exercises pancreas, liver, spleen and nervous system
Improve physical, psychological and mental powers
Strengthens the heart muscle; prevents further cardiac problems
Strengthens and firms arms, hips, buttocks and upper thighs
Great for emotional problems
Good for varicose veins
Standing Separate Leg
Dandayamana-Bibhaktapada-Paschimotthanasana
Improves hip flexibility
Increases circulation to the brain
Helps functioning abdominal organs and the small and large intestine
Stimulates adrenal circulation
Combats clinical/psychotic depression
Good for diabetes and hyper-acidity of the stomach
Reduces signs of aging
Good for constipation
Combats abdominal obesity
Stretches sciatic nerves
Stimulates hypothalamus
Triangle Pose
Trikanasana
Firms thighs and opens the hips
Slims waist, combats obesity
Helps cure rheumatism and lumbago in the lower spine
Gets rid of saddlebags
Helps correct frozen shoulder
Corrects chemical imbalances
Helps anorexia, constipation, colitis, low blood pressure, appendicitis, spondylitis and menstrual disorders
Improves cardiovascular function
Reduces overproduction of cortisol
Exercises the circulatory, digestive, immune, reproductive and muscular systems all at the same time
Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose
Dandayamana-Bibhaktapada-Janushirasana
Improves flexibility of the spine, shoulders, hips and sciatic nerve
Improves circulation to legs and brain
Improves memory, helps some types of headaches, brings mental clarity
Balances pituitary and thyroid glands
Helps offset manic depression
Stretches, tones and decongests the spinal column and the nervous system
Massages internal organs
Helps relieve diabetes and hyperacidity
Helps relieve constipation, dyspepsia, flatus dyspepsia and hemorrhoids
Tree Pose
Tadasana
Improves posture, balance and grace
Prevents hernia by strengthening the internal oblique muscles
Creates hip and knee mobility
Tightens gluteus maximus
Relieves tension in neck and shoulders; abdominal area
Increases joint mobility in hip girdle
Releases inflammation of the lower back
Good for circulatory disorders, arthritis and rheumatism
Traction to the entire spine, increasing the cushioning function of the intervertebral discs
Toe Stand
Padangustasana
Develops psychological and mental powers, especially patience
Especially good for the feet
Strengthens abdominal muscles
Creates balance in body and mind
Combats arthritis, knee, leg or gout pain
Strengthens weak joints
Dead Body Pose
Savasana
Returns circulation to normal
Improves concentration
Helps reduce hypertension, nervousness, anxiety and irritability
Wind Removing Pose
Pavanamuktasana
Massages ascending, descending and transverse colon
Helps and prevents constipation and irritable bowel syndrome
Good for constipation, flatulence and hyperacidity
Improves flexibility of the hip joints and relieves lower back pain
Firms the abdomen, thighs and hips
Normalizes the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach
Reduces excess gas production
Sit Up
Strengthens and firms the abdomen
Increases flexibility of the spine, hamstrings and sciatic nerve
Releases toxins in the lungs
Energizes
Cobra Pose
Bhujangasana
Increases spinal strength and flexibility, relieves back pain
Improves functioning intestines, liver, kidney and spleen
Improves pigeon chest, permitting maximum expansion of the lungs increasing oxygen intake
Accelerates circulation of spinal fluid
Improves digestion
Helps relieve lumbago, rheumatism and arthritis of the spine
Reduces symptoms of gout, herniated disc, sciatica, tennis elbow
Helps relieve menstrual problems
Strengthens the immune system and revitalizes the thyroid
Locust Pose
Salabhasana
Increases spinal strength and flexibility, relieves back pain
Improves functioning intestines, liver, kidney and spleen
Improves pigeon chest, permitting maximum expansion of the lungs increasing oxygen intake
Accelerates circulation of spinal fluid
Improves digestion
Helps relieve lumbago, rheumatism and arthritis of the spine
Reduces symptoms of gout, herniated disc, sciatica, tennis elbow
Helps relieve menstrual problems
Strengthens the immune system and revitalizes the thyroid
Full Locust Pose
Poorna-Salabhasana
Increases spinal strength and flexibility, relieves back pain
Improves functioning intestines, liver, kidney and spleen
Improves pigeon chest, permitting maximum expansion of the lungs increasing oxygen intake
Accelerates circulation of spinal fluid
Improves digestion
Helps relieve lumbago, rheumatism and arthritis of the spine
Reduces symptoms of gout, herniated disc, sciatica, tennis elbow
Helps relieve menstrual problems
Strengthens the immune system and revitalizes the thyroid
Bow Pose
Dhanurasana
Increases spinal strength and flexibility, relieves back pain
Improves functioning intestines, liver, kidney and spleen
Improves pigeon chest, permitting maximum expansion of the lungs increasing oxygen intake
Accelerates circulation of spinal fluid
Improves digestion
Helps relieve lumbago, rheumatism and arthritis of the spine
Reduces symptoms of gout, herniated disc, sciatica, tennis elbow
Helps relieve menstrual problems
Strengthens the immune system and revitalizes the thyroid
Fixed Firm Pose
Supta-Vajrasana
Helps cure sciatica, gout and rheumatism in the legs
Helps prevent hernia
Strengthens and improves flexibility of diaphragm, hips, lower spine, knees and ankles
Slims thighs
Lubricates joints
Prevents diabetes and varicose veins
Half Tortoise Pose
Ardha-Kurmasana
Relieves migraines, stomach discomfort, digestion problems and constipation
Stretches lower part of the lungs increasing blood circulation to the brain bringing mental clarity
Good for diabetes and anemia
Cures insomnia
Massages heart, lungs, and coronary arteries
Increases flexibility of the hip and shoulder joints
Stretches lower lungs, relieves asthma
Stretches the spine
Increases circulation to the heart
Camel Pose
Ustrasana
Compresses kidneys and adrenal glands, helps reduce excess stress hormones
Sends fresh blood to the kidneys
Eliminates toxins from the body
Stretches abdominal organs and cures constipation
Stretches the throat, thyroid gland and parathyroid
Stimulates the nervous system
Opens rib cage to allow for maximum expansion of the lungs
Expands lungs and eases bronchial problems
Maximum compression of spine, improving flexibility
Firms the abdomen, slims the waist
Rabbit Pose
Sasangasana
Maximum stretch of spine allowing nervous system to receive proper nutrition
Maintains mobility and elasticity of spine
Cures insomnia, depression, cold, sinus, tonsillitis, laryngitis, allergies, brain fatigue, and glandular effects
Balances hormones
Improves short term memory
Strengthens and firms abdomen and back muscles
Stimulates nerves behind the eyes
Improves posture
Stimulates thymus gland, improving function of the immune system
Head to Knee with Stretching Pose
Janushirasana with Paschimotthanasana
Helps balance blood sugar levels
Improves kidney function
Improves digestion, simulates thymus and immune system
Improves the flexibility of sciatic nerves, ankles, and hip joints
Strengthens and firms abdomen and arms
Increases circulation to the liver, spleen, and pancreas
Reduces symptoms of asthma
Spine Twisting Pose
Ardha-Matsyendrasana
Increases circulation and nutrition to spinal nerves, veins and tissues.
Improves spinal elasticity and flexibility.
Opens bronchial muscles and rib cage.
Firms abdomen, thighs and buttocks.
Exercises digestive, endocrine, muscular, reproductive and skeletal symptoms.
Prevents and heals herniated disc.
Relieves back pain and deformity in lumbar region.
Helps arthritis of the knee and sciatica.
Massages kidneys, liver, gall bladder, spleen and pancreas.
Relieves lethargy, helps cure vertigo and dizziness.
Blowing in Firm Pose
Kapalbhati in Vajrasana
Increases circulation
Removes toxins
Strengthens all abdominal organs
Trims the waistline
Energizing
Improves mental clarity
Good for high blood pressure
Normalizes bowel function