Try These 8 Yoga Poses If You're Too Scared to Go to Yoga Class
Instagram may have you convinced that all yogis are super thin, giraffe-legged blonde girls, but yoga is meant to be a physical (and mental) practice that's accessible to everyone - even fat people, to quote yogi Jessamyn Stanley.
Stanley preaches the philosophy that every body is a yoga body on her Instagram account (which has over 205,000 followers) and in her workshops. But if the only yoga pose you've nailed is savasana (AKA corpse pose), it can be super intimidating to get your flow on in a yoga class. Start your practice at home instead - these eight poses are so easy, even the least-graceful yogi-wannabe can find their zen.
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Perform the following poses in the sequence below. Move through the flow 4 times, holding each pose for 3-5 deep breaths.
Child's Pose
From a kneeling position, sit your hips backward as you bend forward from the waist, dropping your head down toward the mat as you extend your arms forward and breathe deeply.
Table Top Pose
Rise onto your hands and knees, keeping hands and knees shoulder width apart. Flatten your back until your spine is in a straight, neutral position.
Cat-Cow Pose
From table top position, inhale and round your spine toward the ceiling, suck your belly in, and drop your chin toward your chest. Then exhale, dropping your belly toward the floor and lift your head and tailbone toward the ceiling. Flow between the two.
Extended Puppy pose
From table top position, walk your hands out in front of you, lowering your chest and forehead to the floor while keeping your hips over your knees.
Downward-Facing Dog
Come back onto your toes and lift your hips up as you press into the palms and lengthen through the spine.
Standing Forward Fold
Walk your feet toward your hands and exhale as you fold forward from the waist, bringing your fingertips to your shins or the ground.
Mountain Pose
Stand at the top of your mat and root your feet into the ground about hip distance apart. Keep your arms at your sides, palms facing forward, and press your shoulder blades together.
Follow Ashley on Instagram and Twitter.
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