Hatha yoga standing: asanas for pregnant women

Standing Yoga Asanas in Complexes for Pregnant Women

Standing yoga postures are often the first exercises for beginners. Sometimes at the beginningofpregnancy ,standing exercises are recommended to be excluded from the training complexes and return to them in the second trimester. But if your doctor has no contraindications to physical activity, then the practice of simple or already well mastered asanas is absolutely safe. The correct performance of standing asanas is described in detail in the video tutorials on our site.

If your level of training is not yet high, standing asanas can be performed with a support or against a wall. It is important to pay attention to the sequence of poses in the selected complex: for example, to prevent varicose veins, it is important to perform inverted asanas after standing.

Performing complexes with standing asanas for pregnant women, as well as all other workouts, should be preceded by a warm-up. In addition, do not think that the use of a mat is not necessary for standing postures: it prevents slipping and protects from injury when adjusting asanas of medium and high level of complexity.

Standing yoga postures of low difficulty level

The Tadasana and Uttaita Trikonasana are considered the best standing yoga postures for beginners.

Tadasana is considered the base for many standing asanas and can also be used for relaxation between more difficult exercises. The most important thing when adopting the Mountain pose is a stable position, because the main purpose of Tadasana is to find balance in the body. In Tadasana, the feet are parallel and brought together, the arms are extended along the body, the top of the head is pulled up, and the spine is straightened. In the second half of pregnancy, the legs in Tadasana can be separated: the abdomen should be comfortable. Asana forms a beautiful posture and improves circulation.

To enter Uttitha Trikonasana, spread the legs about a meter apart and raise the arms to shoulder level. Then, turning the feet (right foot slightly inward and left foot 90 degrees outward), tilt the body to the left and touch the ankle with the hand. Your hands should form a single line. Hold the pose for about 30 seconds and then repeat it to the right side. Asana stretches the groin, strengthens the legs and relieves constipation.

Standing asanas: middle level

Pregnant women who already have some experience in hatha yoga practice are recommended to include Vrikshasana and Prasarita Padottanasana in their training complex.

Vrikshasana (Tree pose) is recommended for getting rid of back pain, for treating flat feet and for normalizing biological rhythms. To adjust the pose, stand in Tadasana, lift the right foot and press it against the inside of the left leg. Depending on your physical preparation, you may place your foot above or below the knee, but it is categorically forbidden to press the foot against the knee. The foot should press into the foot, which in turn creates a reverse pressure. The hands may be folded in namaste or, in a more difficult variation, raised with closed palms above the head. After several breathing cycles, the exercise is repeated while standing on the right foot.

Prasarita Padottanasana opens the groin area, preparing the mother’s body for childbirth. The pose is a bend with the legs spread wide apart. Variations of the pose depend on the position of the hands. They can rest on the floor, be joined in a wrist or forearm lock, or folded in a namaste behind the back. Prasarita Padottanasana is also used for squats, rolls and twists.

Standing asanas of high complexity

Advanced practitioners include standing asanas that require serious physical preparation, such as Garudasana and Natarajasana.

Eagle pose, or Garudasana, has a therapeutic effect on varicose veins, improves blood circulation, strengthens leg muscles, and works the joints, hips and shoulders. To enter Garudasana, bend your knees and brace your left leg with the right one from the initial Mountain pose. Then you should intertwine your arms: as a rule, they are intertwined in the opposite direction. It is important to make sure that the back remains straight when doing the asana. The pose is held for several breathing cycles, and then the exercise is repeated in the other direction.

Natarajasana, or pose of the King of the Dance, has a calming effect on the nervous system, improves blood circulation in the groin area, strengthens the back and opens the chest. From the initial position (Tadasana), the left hand should be pulled forward while the right foot should be bent at the knee, pulled back and upward, then, bringing the right hand backward, grasp the big toe and continue raising the foot until the thigh is parallel to the floor. Then the shoulder is turned outward and the elbow is pulled upward. The balance in the asana should be kept for about 15-30 seconds, and then the same thing should be repeated while standing on the right leg.