admin Baby, it’s’ cold outside! So that gives us an excuse not to do our yoga practice. Doesn’t, kind of, but no, not really.
Our body temperature drops when we’re cold. We can cause constriction of the muscles and our joints and even affect our vision.
Even though it may be tempting to stay on the couch and not move, you should keep up your yoga practice in order to maintain a healthy internal heat.
We learn to adjust our practices and poses to the changing seasons just as we do our diet. It’s time to use some heat-increasing methods that you may not have used in the summer.
Warm up with Hot Water
Sip on a cup or two of hot water before you begin your practice. This will warm you up on the inside, and you’ll pick up that warmth in your next movement. If you don’t enjoy it, don’t taste it. Add some lemon.
Kapalabhati
Some styles of yoga consider this a pranayama technique. Place a hand below your belly button on your lower abdomen while sitting in a comfortable, upright position. Exhale quickly from your lower belly after receiving an inhale. Feel the hand move rapidly towards your back.
Please do it again without inhaling. Don’t worry; Don’tinhalation will occur naturally. It would be best if you focused on exhaling repeatedly. Begin at a slow pace and let each exhale complete itself. Once you feel comfortable, the pace may increase.
After 25 repetitions, breathe out all the air and then inhale deeply, holding your breath for a couple of seconds before slowly releasing it. Once you feel comfortable, repeat the cycle twice more, taking a breath between each round.
This technique can help to increase energy levels by removing carbon dioxide from your lungs. This is not for people with high blood pressure, asthma, or other health conditions.
Sun Salutations
Sun Salutations have been designed to create heat. Start slowly if you’re practicing in a cool environment. This will allow your body to be open and able to accept the movements.
As an example, you can hold the Plank (Locust Position) for 30 seconds before moving to Upward Facing Dog. As soon as your body becomes comfortable with the movements of the Sun Salutation, continue to practice. Consider skipping the 5-breath-hold in Down Dog if you are practicing Surya B or A. Instead, jump or step forward to complete the current one and begin the next.
Continue doing Surya C. When the body’s movement’s in sync with the breath and flows continuously, this becomes an aerobic exercise. To protect your joints, substitute jumping forward and backward with stepping if it becomes tiring. You can then continue for 10-20 minutes and work up a good sweat.
Keep Your Arms Up
It is possible to increase body heat and heart rate by raising the arms in a pose in line with your ears. Next time you’re in Wayou’reTwo, raise your arms upwards instead of stretching horizontally.
Other ways to raise your arms above your head include Tree Pose, Warrior Three, and Triangle (extending the top arm parallel to the ground, in line with the ear). You can raise your arms even when seated forward.
As you move towards your feet, stop before touching your toes. Keep your arms parallel with your ears, and your spine will be elongated. This will stretch your hamstrings and work your muscles along your spine while also raising your internal temperature.
Activate your Manipura Chakra
The furnace in the center of the abdomen is what creates heat. This center in yoga is linked to the Manipura Chakra or the Third Chakra, which is associated with the element of Fire. Any work done here will ignite your physical and energetic Fire, giving you more warmth.
Begin with abdominals. Because the body has not warmed up yet, select abdominals where the floor fully supports the spine. For the first 15-20 minutes, do not perform Navasana to protect your lower back. Play around with crunches, and exhale more deeply to connect you to your core.
Spend some time in variants of Salabhasana – the Locust pose. This pose will increase your internal temperature if you hold it for at least 30 seconds. You can also strengthen your diaphragm if you regulate your breath.
Standing twists can be very warm while toning and cleansing the abdominal area. Try doing one (Twisted Triangle, for example) and repeating on both sides. You can hold the pose for longer and go deeper, raising your internal temperature.
Seated forward folds are often used to cool down during practice. They can be viewed as abdominals. Instead of focusing on the lengthening legs, focus more on the belly, moving towards the back of the body with each exhale. This will allow the body to relax and cool down without getting too cold.
Fanning The Fire is also known as Agni Sara. It’s a practice. This practice not only helps tone the abdominal organs but also helps ignite internal heat. Bend your knees with your legs wider than your hips. Place your hands on your thighs and tilt your torso to a 45-degree angle.
As you lift your upper body, draw your belly to the spine, and then exhale. This is Uddiyana Bandha. While still empty, allow your stomach to flop in and out, out and back in. Repeat this for about ten repetitions.
Take a deep breath and then gently inhale. Then, take another deep breath to recover before starting the next round. As you become more comfortable, increase the number of rounds. This stimulates internal organs by massaging and moving blood into dormant regions. This also ignites an inner fire, which can be used in the rest of your yoga practice.
Note: It is safe for most types of body but should be avoided during pregnancy or the first three days after your period.
Practice Heating Inversions
The three variations are the handstand, forearm balance ( Pincha Mayurasana), and headstand.
Try inserting a Handstand against the wall between poses instead of Vinyasa. This will change your perspective. Note: Warm up your shoulders before practicing this pose.
Practice Backbends
Backbends are a great way to generate heat in your practice. Warm up your backbends with poses that stretch the hip flexors, shoulders, and smaller back muscles.
Start with the simpler backbends and work your way up to those that you find more difficult. Be sure to breathe evenly and smoothly while staying in the backbends. Holding smaller backbends for longer will result in more heat and a strong spine.
Avoid drinking water while practicing. Water will cool your body temperature, so drink lots of water before and after practice.
Keep Ujjayi breathing
No matter what technique you use, keep your Ujjayi breath steady and even on the inhale as well as the exhale throughout the entire practice. Ujjayi, a heated Pranayama, helps develop concentration and discipline.
As you practice yoga, remember that it works both the inner and outer body. So, make sure that your exhalation and inhalation are comfortable and the same length. This will strengthen your diaphragm, internal organs, and focus of the mind.
Winter chills can make us want to abandon our yoga practice. If we give in to this temptation, we will be more susceptible to depression and a weakened immune system that comes with low temperatures. Yoga is a great way to care for your overall well-being.
