Deep Stretch Yoga Poses That Improve Flexibility

Deep stretch yoga poses will not only help relax your muscles but also improve your flexibility. Ever since yoga was introduced to the west back in 1893, millions of people have used it as a way to boost their flexibility, relieve strain from tight muscles and improve their natural movement.

While there are hundreds of yoga poses and a good number of variations within those poses, there are some deep stretch yoga poses that can simply be referred to as “classic yoga”. These poses are not only designed to help you breathe and move better but they also make up the most basic parts of the entire art.

The Benefits of Deep Stretch Yoga Poses

There are quite a few types of yoga being practiced today with Yin Yoga being one of the most popular. Regardless of the specific type of yoga, you might be practicing, some inherent benefits come with it. Here are some things that yoga can do for you:

• Help you feel calm and well-balanced
• Improve your overall health
• Regulate your energy
• Lower your stress levels
• Improve overall body flexibility
• Promote deeper relaxation

No doubt having a yoga practice, whether at home or in yoga class, has a host of benefits. However, some specific poses are designed to bring specific benefits.

The Best Deep Stretch Yoga Poses

With that in mind, here are some of the best deep stretch yoga poses you can explore today:

1. Downward-Facing Dog

The downward-facing dog is perhaps the most famous of yoga poses and quite possibly the most effective as far as deep stretching is concerned. The pose is designed to help you stretch a host of body parts of muscle groups including your shoulders, calves, hamstrings, hands, and feet. When done correctly, the downward-facing dog lengthens your spine, strengthens your arms and legs, it’s even speculated to help with digestion issues.

If you are a runner or someone who walks a lot, there is a good chance that the muscles in your legs are tight. This yoga pose can help loosen those muscles up while stretching your chest and stretching out your back and shoulders.

Here are instructions on how to effectively perform the downward-facing dog:

• Kneel with your toes tucked in until you are positioned on your hands and knees
• Stretch your hands forward in front of your head so your palms are firmly planted on the floor
• Slowly get off your knees as if attempting to stand while keeping the palms of your hands planted firmly on the floor in front of you
• Once your legs are fully upright and you are bent at the waist with your palms still on the floor in front of you, press the heels of your feet as far into the ground as you can to ensure that your feet are flat thus stretching your hamstring and calves
• At this point, you are already in the downward-facing dog position

To make this pose more effective, simply breathe as you would normally, relax your neck, then raise your shoulders and roll them back with your tailbone pointed upwards. To go further into the stretch, try to touch your chest to the ground while keeping both your feet and palms planted on the ground.

2. The Camel Pose

The Camel pose is a simple pose that’s designed to help open your chest and increase shoulder mobility. It’s the perfect pose for those who are accustomed to sitting hunched at their desks all day. That makes it one of the best poses to help remedy that pain that comes from having a hunched back or from slouching.

What most people don’t realize is that while positions such as slouching may feel easy enough, holding them for a prolonged period can cause extreme internal damage. Not only can it lead to back problems, but it also compresses your internal organs leading to untold health issues and discomfort.

The camel pose is designed to help stretch your body’s front muscles such as abs, chest, thighs, and neck. It’s an effective backbend pose that is not only easy to do but also quite effective in stretching out your entire body.

Here are instructions on how to perform the Camel Pose:

• Assume a kneeling position with your shins and feet firmly planted on the floor beneath them
• Put your hands on the back of both hips
• Moving your thighs and hips forward, slowly exhale as you arch your back backward curving your spine as you get deeper into the pose
• Try as much as you can to keep your shoulder blades back and your upper chest open
• Extend your neck as far back as comfortable then remove your hands from your hips placing them on the soles or heels of your feet
• Hold that position for 20 seconds then exhale and slowly raise yourself back up

3. Extended Triangle Pose

The Extended Triangle Pose is an excellent way to stretch your entire body. This targets the shoulders, hips, arms, legs, and chest. It also does wonders for your balance while stretching out the sides of your torso. It’s one of the best deep stretch yoga poses that is easy to do.

Here are instructions on how to perform the Extended Triangle Pose:

• With your feet facing forward, slide them along the ground so that they are about four feet apart and you are in a running position
• Stretch your arms to your sides
• Turning your right foot ever so slightly inwards by about 15 degrees, turn the left leg from your hip socket by about 90-degree; this should leave your thigh and knee pointing in the same direction as your left big toe
• While exhaling, bend downwards and plant your left palm flat on the floor next to your left foot. Your right palm should mimic that movement only that hand should be stretched upwards with that palm being planted on an imaginary ceiling right above you
• Turn your head to look at the right palm and hold this pose for 30 seconds then inhale as you go back up and switch sides

These deep stretch yoga poses, once mastered, are not only relaxing but could be the difference between you and unnecessary injuries or tight muscles.