Guest Post by Vivek Roy/Vedic Yoga
For most of our lives, the key to maintaining and sustaining our healthy lifestyle is exercise or physical activity.
Regardless of the body type, color, structure that you possess, we all strive to maintain a certain level of fitness or health that suits our individual bodies the best, and also suits the environment where you we live in.
There are gyms, weight training, Pilates, high-intensity interval training (also known as HIIT) workouts and much more to do to obtain a physically fit and active body.
And if these feel way too hardcore or disciplinary, there are basic stretching exercises, running or jogging, sports, and our favorite, Yoga.
Yoga is not only is good for strength, flexibility and maintenance of a healthy physique, but it is also impeccable for relaxation and constructive maintenance of your mental health.
Yoga gaining popularity around the world influencing and impacting lives, living up to its purpose of helping people to become happy, healthy and fulfilled.
Credit for this irreplaceable invention goes to the sages and yogis of the ancient Indian civilizations who are considered the pioneers of it.
Yoga and Swimming:
Besides, yoga is not something that requires hard-core training always, you can practice it lightly at home and see its effects, even if you are just beginning your journey.
Another thing we love is swimming, don’t we?
Swimming is considered as one of the best physical activities for the entire body.
It is known to lower stress, reduce inflammation in the body, and also has been proven to relieve and cure menstrual cramps.
Now when we mix the flexibility and strength gained from yoga with the exercise, flexibility and strength gained from swimming, it results in a powerful 1-2 combo of exercise for the body.
If you’re going to go swimming, consider doing it in a clean body of water or natural pool if at all possible to avoid too much chlorine or other toxic exposures.
Top 5 Water/Pool Yoga Poses To Try:
1. Navkaasana (boat pose)-
This pose is said to work best for the reduction of the stubborn belly fat area.
You can use pool noodles, and curve them into you on either side of your body in a way in which you can hold them for support and exertion of body weight.
Make sure that the way you hold the pool noodles is not very firm, as we want to do it in gentle yet effective manner.
As the noodles sink underwater, use your core muscles to float your legs above you and the water. Hold on to this pose for around 30 seconds and take a little breather.
The water will help you to stay in the pose accurately, but you should make sure your entire body is not relying on it and the core is working well.
This one pose will tone your midsection exceptionally well while burning calories and allowing you to exhale; which is actually the number one hidden factor for fat loss according to this landmark recent study.
2. Anjaneyasana (crescent warrior pose)-
To do this pose you have to start with the urdhava hastasana or the salute pose, step your right foot behind you about 3-4 feet, and then lunge forward with your left knee and leg supporting it (editor’s note: this is an advanced yoga pose that takes some time to learn and perfect)
While doing the lunge it should be made sure that the weight of the body when stepping is first put in the heels then the forefoot.
You can do this for 30 seconds as well, and even bend your upper body behind with the hands in sauté pose if you would like.
The lunge forward must be in 90 degrees and you should square your hips to the front, enhancing your posture and ability to hold this pose.
If you can’t do 30 seconds, aim for 15, as this pose is considered extra difficult for new yogis.
3. Virabhadrasana-1 (warrior pose)-
This pose will test your ability to remain strong in the face of adversity, and works great both in the pool and on the beach.
Maintaining a hip’s distance with your feet, and arms at either side in the front and behind, step your right foot ahead in a right angle, while your left foot is placed behind you in an inclined way.
As with all yoga poses, focus on your breath as you move from position to position and adjust your body on the fly.
This pose can be done above or underwater to strengthen your feet while stretching your arms, hips, legs and chest.
4. Vrksasana (tree pose)-
This is a pose that even a beginner can perform easily.
It takes a bit of practice to maintain balance, but with will, desire and determination you can achieve the best for your fitness.
This pose can be done almost anywhere at the drop of a hat, making it a favorite among social media selfie takers and the most seasoned traditional yoga masters alike.
To do this pose you have to stand in tadasana, aka the standing pose, and bend one foot toward the upper thigh of your other leg.
Place the other foot still on the mat or the floor.
Your hands should be joined or folded and kept firm and straight in front of your chest, and above your head when it is comfortable to you.
This pose like all the other ones is beneficial when done for 30 seconds.
This is the last pose, and any yoga session without it is just not complete enough.
Lay flat on your back, in a position of sleeping straight. Float in the pool or body of water, and be sure to wear a life preserver or use a pool noodle if you’re concerned about sinking or treading water.
The arms should be straight at their lengths vertical and the palms should face upwards. Now concentration should be only on how you breathe.
This pose is one of the best for relaxation and stretching of the entire body.
It’s almost like a mini-nap at the end of your yoga session, and a reward for a job well done.
It is recommended to practice it for around 5 minutes or so, and also can be done for 20 minutes or so too.
Points to be noted:
It should be noted that before exercising whether swimming or yoga, separately or combined, you should get a check-up done from a licensed doctor who knows about your medical history.
If you decide to use any equipment such as bolsters or pillows to benefit your yoga practice, make sure it is firm and durable.
Vivek Roy is an enthusiastic Yoga blogger and Traveler from India. He has done yoga teacher training in India. He loves to travel and share the knowledge of yoga around the world. For more information about him visit his website Vedic Yoga.
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