Yoga Poses is a form of physical and mental exercises that originated in ancient India and now Yoga is being practiced by the people all over the world. Here we discuss the 9 best yoga poses for stretching and increase your flexibility.

These yoga poses or postures are time tested and can cure the most difficult to cure diseases. Yoga if practiced diligently and religiously can cure many incurable diseases, which even the most modern medicines cannot heal fully.

Stretching can play a vital role in improving your body’s overall flexibility and improve the range of motion in your joints.

Flexibility helps to reduce the chances of injuries and improve the performance in your day to day activities, games, sports, etc.

1. Tadasana or Mountain Pose Helps in Making the Limbs Flexible

   Tadasana or the mountain pose includes standing on your toes with both hands stretched up with palm facing the ceiling. This is the very first step to start the exercise for stretching and increase your flexibility. It makes your spine flexible, improves back posture and balance and eliminates problems related to back.

2. Supta Padangustasana Stretches Hamstring, Calves and Inner Thigh and Relieves Stiff Back

   For this yoga pose, Supta Padangustasana, lie down with your hips on the ground. Raise one leg and pull the leg with a strap. This will make even the tightest of the hamstrings flexible. Hold it for a few breathes. Do it with the alternate leg and continue practicing it once in a day.

3. Halasana or Plow Pose for Stretching the Spine and Improving Overall Flexibility

   To do this yoga pose, lie on your back with your hands stretched and kept at the sides with palms facing the floor. Then, slowly raise your lower portion and bring your legs at the top of your head and slowly bring it down so that the toes touch the floor in a perpendicular direction. Do not bend your knees. This is one of the stretching yoga postures that keep your spines flexible.

4. Adho Mukha Svanasana or Downward Facing Dog Pose-An Effective Yoga Pose to Stretch Lumbar and Cervical Spine

   Adho Mukha Svanasana requires you to stretch your arms forward with your body balanced on the toes. Bend your head down as your stretched palms touch the ground. This posture helps in stretching the whole body.

5. Balasana or Child’s Pose Yoga Helps Stretch Your Lower and Upper Back and Improves Flexibility of the Spine

   To perform the Child’s Pose or Balasana, sit with your knees bent on the floor and head resting just in front of your folded knees. Stretch both arms in front. See that your forehead touches the floor. This yoga benefits in a number of ways besides stretching. It keeps your bowel movements regular.

6. Trikonasana or Triangle Pose for Stretching the Groins and Improving the Flexibility of Thoracic and Lumbar Spine

   In order to do this Triangle Pose or Trikonasana, keep your legs stretched on both sides. Now, slowly bend on any side with your one hand stretched upward and the other hand touching one leg, so that the body assumes a triangle. Now, slowly come back to the initial position and repeat this yoga pose on the other side. This pose stretches the legs and opens the shoulders and chest.

7. Baddha Konasana or Cobbler’s Pose for Stretching the Hip Bones

   For this Cobbler’s pose or Baddha Konasana, sit on the ground with your back kept straight. Now bend your both knees and bring the soles of each foot together touching as illustrated above and draw them as close as possible to your body as possible. Clasp both your feet with your hands and try to press your thigh and knees towards the floor. Start flapping your both the thighs up and down the ground. This posture of yoga benefits in keeping your hip bones stronger.

8. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana or Bridge Pose for Improving the Shoulders Flexibility

   The Bridge Pose or Setu Bandha Sarvangasana requires you to lie down on your back and lift the lower part of the body from the hip as shown in the video. This will exert some pressure on your shoulders and make the shoulders flexible. Keep your both hands under the hip when the hips are raised. Now, bring your lower part of the body to the ground the back to the initial position. Repeat this entire process for at least 10 reps.

9. Gomukhasana or Cow Head Pose for Stretching the Arms

   This Cow Head Pose or Gomukhasana yoga posture is a bit difficult one. Sit straight on the floor with one leg folded backward bent at the knee and kept on the other leg folded in the same manner as illustrated above in the video. This includes clasping both your hands behind the back with one elbow facing the ceiling and the elbow of the other hand facing the floor. Gomukhasana stretches the hands and shoulders.