Tag Archive for: #wonderfullyfit

How to Train Like an Old-Time Strongman

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When setting out to get into a shape, a good starting point is to find role models. Who are your fitness heroes? Whose physique would you like to emulate? Whose training philosophy most closely resembles your own?

Get this right and you can find yourself with a blueprint to follow and ample amounts of inspiration and motivation. Get it wrong and you’re asking for disappointment and frustration.

fitness

An example of a ‘wrong’ fitness role model might often be found on YouTube. While there are some great personalities on YouTube in the fitness community, there are also some destructive forces that you must contend with. In particular are those who spout unhelpful training advice and use steroid-driven physiques in order to sell us on its merits.

They tell us we can look like them by training like them. What they leave out is the chemical assistance that helped them get there, or the crippling back pain that is the cost of developing all those ‘mirror muscles’ and approximately zero ‘functional strength’.

Why Old-Time Strongmen Are Great Fitness Heroes

So who might we choose to look up to instead? A good alternative might be one of the legendary ‘old time strongmen’. These are individuals who trained long before we had protein shakes – let alone steroids and yet they achieved physiques that are well beyond many of our modern YouTube stars!

What’s more, they could actually use that strength and would be able to do incredible things like bending iron bars and lifting huge amounts of weight. These strongmen trained using completely different tools and methods and the results more than speak for themselves.

So if you want muscle that’s not just for show and that has an amazing historical heritage, that is a much better way to train.

How to Train Like an Old Time Strongman

So with all that said, how do you go about training in such a manner? What tools and techniques did they use that you could replicate?

The first trick is to use functional tools that train your body from multiple angles and that require you to use supportive muscles and balance in conjunction with brute strength. These force us to use our bodies as intended: as a single unit, working in unison. This is how we are able to generate the most strength and actually use it in ways that are useful.

Some tools that you can use to train this way include kettlebells, Indian clubs, ropes and barbells with especially thick bars. Training with one handed movements is also a particularly useful exercise, as well using more unconventional lifts, like the Turkish get-up and ‘anyhow lift’.

Another tip is to make sure that you are training your grip. This is the secret weapon of any old-time strongman and anyone interested in building truly functional strength needs to give it serious consideration in order to ensure no energy is wasted and that all of it is directed at moving the wei
ghts.

Finally, combine this with a protein rich diet and if you want to go truly old-time: lots of raw eggs!

(Although maybe a little cooking to avoid a biotin deficiency… not everything was better back in the day!)

Safe Weight Loss Supplements

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Many individuals are now becoming more and more watchful of their weight as the epidemic of obesity looms overhead. It is estimated that there are as many overweight individuals as the undernourished individuals in the world.

The surplus weight has been implicated on several factors; so many health-conscious individuals are looking for safe weight loss supplements available in the market. The increased awareness of lifestyle diseases attributed to obesity has also increased demand for such products.

supplements

It is normal to find and take diet supplements, as long as you are sure that they are safe. Remember that in the $30 billion dollar weight-loss industry, the market has been saturated with supplements. Some are effective and safe for public, others are little more than encapsulated powders with obscure origins, and the remaining niche contains unsafe habit-forming drugs that are packaged as safe and effective.

There are several factors that are needed to consider before being certain that a dietary supplement is safe. First thing to look is the label, check it has proper and clear label. Although weight-loss supplements classified differently from drugs, they must be treated as so because they still affect the body in regarding weight loss.

The label must include generic names, composition, manufactured and expiry dates, government safety approvals, unusual effects and allergy alerts. It must be genuine; it is wise to look in the internet about the drug and its contents to be sure that it does contain a weight-reducing supplement. In that way, you could prevent yourself from taking fake products that produce lot more harm than good.

Another thing to be certain that a weight-loss supplement is safe to use is to take a look at its ingredients. Many drugs derive their weight-loss properties from two sources; laboratory-produced drugs and herbal/plant sources, or a mix of both. Both are safe if approved safe to use by your local health department, and are clearly stated in the label.

The ideal weight-loss supplement must be clearly effective. The effectiveness must be proven by a scientific study done by medical professional and sanctioned by the health authorities. It would took some research in the internet but it is worth the try; there are a lot of supplements out there approved as safe and effective by the FDA that you might find.

All of weight-loss supplements acts on a part of the body that helps reduce weight; the hypothalamus of the brain, thyroid, intestines and liver that suppress appetite, increase metabolism, and inhibit fat absorption from food and bloodstream, respectively. A safe product can promote weight loss by using one or two of those pathways without harming or damaging the organs involved and the body as well. It should not have long-term undesirable effects to the user, and most of all, not habit-forming (notable was the drug Ephedra, which contains compounds similar to methamphetamines, and now banned by the FDA).

A popular idea that an herbal medicine has little or no side effects is not always the case. A lot of prescribed drugs in the market originate from plant sources. Some examples of these are Digoxin (from foxglove plant) that increases heart contractility, chemotherapeutic agents Vincristine and Vinblastine (from Madagascar periwinkle), and habit-forming drugs like Nicotine (Tobacco plant), Cocaine (Coca Plant) and Opium (Opium Poppies). These drugs have terrible side effects and they are derived from plants. All plant-derived supplements must be labeled with unexpected adverse effects.

The point is the consumer must be vigilant in choosing supplements because there are a lot of fake, unsafe, or improperly labeled brands that are highly-priced in the market that are ineffective, contains little or no active substance, or possibly dangerous adulterants. Unlike drugs, weight-loss supplements are not subject to rigorous testing, and they are only removed from the market once the health authorities receive large numbers of reports about adverse effects. In that case, consumers are likened as guinea pigs for tests. We must not easily believe advertisements telling their brands as safe and effective.

Being overweight is already a problem, and having unpleasant adverse effect presents additional problems; it wastes your time, hard-earned money and adds to the frustration of reducing weight. Anyone must be careful in choosing weight-loss supplements; it must be truly effective and safe to use.

Yoga | Wonderfully Fit

Beginning Yoga Classes for Seniors

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Over millions of seniors, age 60 and older, are practicing yoga today across the globe, according to a study conducted by yoga journal. This is not a surprise indeed as this exercising system has several benefits attached to it for people of all age groups.

Yoga is reckoned as the non-competitive and gentle method of meditation and exercise that is suitable for all age groups, even seniors can enjoy the benefits offered by this exercising system.

yoga

Features

The beginning yoga session for seniors is similar to the general beginning yoga for all. However, there are some differences in the classes offered to the seniors. The classes for seniors have modifications to postures that help the seniors to practice the postures easily and work within their physical abilities. The classes designed for seniors usually have less intense poses that focus on building strength in seniors. The classes for seniors comprise more time for warming up and additional time for mediation and breathing techniques are the prime focus on the classes for seniors.

Benefits

There are many benefits associated with this exercising system for seniors. This form of art can be practiced by anyone and at any level. The postures are modified for the seniors according to their health condition and physical ability. There are some postures that can improve flexibility in seniors and these special postures can be very helpful for seniors experiencing stiffness. There are many seniors who are suffering from depression and they find this exercising system quite helpful to alleviate the stress level and depression.

This exercising system is also very helpful for seniors who are suffering from the health conditions associated with aging including cholesterol levels, energy levels, blood pressure, bone weakness, blood sugar levels, and back pain. With regular practice of this exercising system seniors can also prevent diabetes, weight problems, strokes and heart diseases.

Types

According to Yoga Journal, there are some specific postures designed for senior practitioners and these postures focus on improving flexibility, strength and balance. Some of senior yoga classes also comprise backward and forward bends and twists. Corpse postures, Cross-legged Postures and Mountain Postures are the basic postures that are suggested to senior practitioners.

Warning

Although this exercising system is gentle in nature, but there are some postures that can be too intense for senior practitioners. So, it is always suggested to consult your doctor before starting any yoga program. The selection of postures must be done according to the body and physical condition. Some of the yoga studios make use of props to assist the senior practitioner in performing diverse postures. The studios make use of chair for seniors, instead of practicing on floor. So, you must enroll in yoga studio that specializes in offering yoga classes for seniors.

How to Lose Weight With a Kettlebell

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Kettlebell training has a large number of different advantages and lets you train your body from different angles and in a far more functional range of motion.

But what’s really great about the kettlebell is versatile it is as a tool and how it allows you develop your fitness and health in numerous different ways.

kettlebell

If you want to build bodybuilder-type muscle, then you can do so by using single joint isolation movements and heavy resistance. This will create muscle fiber tears, flood your muscles with metabolites and generally help you to encourage more growth.

At the same time though, you can also use a kettlebell to lose weight and it happens to be particularly well suited to that goal. Let’s look at how you might do that…

The Exercises

The great thing about the kettlebell is that it allows you to perform resistance cardio. This means you are using cardiovascular training that increases your heartrate and helps you to burn fat. At the same time though, you are also lifting weight, which protects your muscle from breakdown and increases the challenge, thereby increasing the amount of calories burned and the amount of effort involved.

Also useful, is that the kettlebell allows you to train in this manner on the spot and without a lot of tools. Unlike running, you can enjoy kettlebell training in any whether and in a short space of time.

And to get the very most of this, you can combine the kettlebell as a tool with the HIIT modality. HIIT is ‘high intensity interval training’ – a form of exercise that challenges you to alternate between brief bursts of high intensity exertion and shorter periods of relatively steady-state exercise.

In this case for example, you might perform the kettlebell swing for 1 minutes and then rest for 30 seconds before going again.

The kettlebell swing is an ideal movement for resistance cardio that involves swinging the kettlebell between your legs and then straight back up in the air using a slight hip thrust movement to provide the forward momentum.

The Diet

To lose weight, this training must be combined with the right type of diet.

That diet should be one that is relatively low in calories. The objective here is to burn more calories in a day than you consume. So if you normally burn 2,000 calories and consume 2,200 calories, you can increase that burn to 2,400 using HIIT training and you can then reduce the amount you eat to 2,100 calories. Now you’re losing 300 calories every day!

Try to eat more protein and you will support more muscle growth while reducing fat storage. Combine this with 4 workouts a week, lasting about 20 minutes each and you should start to see the results you’re looking for using just this one tool and one movement.

Remember though, weight loss is only achievable if you change your entire lifestyle and habits. It is not enough to simply add in an exercise and forget about it! Walk more, spend less time in front of the TV and reduce unhealthy snacks!

The Facts About Weight Loss Supplements

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Weight loss supplements are all the rage, they are everywhere and sometimes hard to ignore. Obesity is a problem that faces 2/3 of the American and UK adult population and 15% of the teenagers. I lecture young adults 17-24 and I have witnessed this increase in obesity over the last 10 years.

This problem with weight gain has been growing over the past several decades and is creating medical and emotional problems. As people’s waistlines expand so does the number of weight loss supplements.

Weight loss supplements

Although the way to lose weight is relatively simple, the execution is for many people difficult. Often people will turn to weight loss supplements because changing their eating habits is just so difficult and using supplements and pills can sometimes help reduce that challenge and in theory make losing weight much less painless.

We also want fast progress and instant results. We want fast food, fast Internet, fast service and fast weight loss. We want it all and we want it quickly and painlessly.

So let’s look at weight loss supplements. They fall into two large categories; over the counter and prescription medications. Prescription supplements are only available from your doctor and a pharmacist.

Prescription medications will have undergone severe testing by the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The manufacturing of these products will also be regulated.

Over the counter weight loss supplements are not regulated by the FDA and are not classified as drugs. As they are not classified as drugs there will be no regulation on their distribution or on the manufacturing process. Usually there are no stringently performed scientific research studies that evaluate their efficacy and possible side effects of the weight loss supplement.

An example of a weight loss supplement is Ephedra. This supplement has shown a good success rate with weight loss but also has many serious side effects. These side effects include blood pressure problems, cardiac issues and even death. The media eventually got to Ephedra and this made a huge dent in the sales volume of the supplement. This improved the health of those who thought that taking it would be an easy route to lose weight.

Hoodia Gordonii is another supplement that has some medical consequences. There is a credible weight loss in the small studies that have been done but only one type of the Hoodia has the P57 component that is the appetite suppressant. There is some pure Hoodia but there are in fact very few manufacturers that guarantee the authenticity and quality of the product. There have also been some research studies that have indicated significant side effects in the liver.

Many of the over the counter weight loss supplements also use caffeine as their active ingredient. Caffeine dehydrates the body and the client will feels an initial ‘thinness’. This feeling is followed by rebound bloating when the body attempts to retain as much fluid as possible for survival. It’s all part of Homeostasis where the body keeps the fluid balance constant and if too much water is lost it will readjust and retain more.

When you choose a weight loss supplement always look at the ingredients – both the active and inactive ones. Pills often will have inactive ingredients that can affect you adversely, sometimes even as much as the active ingredients. Check with the pharmacist if you are taking any other medications to ensure there are no known drug interactions between the tablets you already take and these over-the-counter ones you are considering.

Just remember this – anything you purchase and put into your body should be treated just like a medication or drug. Just because it has a label calling it a supplement, or all natural or herbal does not mean that it will not have side effects or will not interact with medications you are already taking. It also does not mean that it will not interfere with any underlying medical conditions.

Keep in mind that weight loss supplements should only be used together with eating habit changes. if you do not change your eating habits then once you stop taking the supplements and go back to old ways your weight will pile on again and you’ll gain even more weight than you originally lost.

Weight loss supplements are only a tool in the battle of the bulge. If they are Used correctly and with care then they will help you to develop good eating habits that you can continue when you no longer take the supplements

Yoga Series

Gentle Stretching for Increased Flexibility (Senior Yoga)

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Many senior citizens find that their mobility, flexibility and body strength has certain limitations. This can be due to injuries, the aging process, arthritis and other health conditions. There is also in some people a fear of falling and concern of the recovery involved in breaking a hip.

On the other side of things, many elderly people have more free time and wish to increase their blood circulation, range of motion and stay in shape. Women are advised by their physicians to exercise to help with bone density. Exercise is also advised for heart health and to maintain blood pressure levels.

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Fortunately, there are forms of yoga that help one stay active yet take into account some of the limitations that many people have. Senior yoga classes can include restorative yoga, gentle yoga and chair sessions. Breathing, relaxation, gentle stretching and body strengthening are part of the classes, but done much less vigorously than ashtanga or other types of classes. Of course, in any yoga class, one can modify the movements and do them in accord with one’s own circumstance.

It is important to not spend the days only in sedentary living but to continue some type of physical activity routine unless your doctor advises against it. Not only is this important physically, but mentally it is very encouraging and lifting to the spirit to be able to do some physical movements that might have seemed impossible. Senior yoga classes also are a social setting where friendships can be built and new interactions broadened.

Some people feel cautious of trying yoga because some of the postures or asanas can appear to be contorted or required developed balancing skills. Yoga for seniors classes are taught with modifications so that people with any degree of flexibility can join in. The teacher will discuss with students how to adapt poses for various conditions and situations so that you are comfortable and still challenge yourself.

Building an Unconventional ‘Functional’ Home Gym

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In the last few years, the face of fitness has changed a great deal. We’ve seen a move away from very static, single-joint movements like the bicep curl and a move towards more adventurous and engaging forms of training. These include things like kettlebell training, TRX (suspension training), Indian club training, weighted stretching, squatting, deadlifting and more.

These types of exercises effectively allow us to use our body in the way it was intended: by using all of our muscles together rather than in an isolated fashion. The result is that we produce more growth hormone and testosterone (triggering greater muscle growth) and that we build a more stable and functional body.

kettlebell

 

The problem is that this type of training often doesn’t extend to the home gym. It’s not easy to fit a squat rack in your front room… so what can you do?

Here are some items that will allow you to build an awesome, functional and unique home gym that might be a little different from the other gym bros…

Kettlebell

The first thing you need to make your home workouts more functional is a kettlebell. This will immediately challenge you more by providing a more dynamic workout and by moving the center of gravity in unpredictable ways.

What’s more, is that kettlebell training allows you to perform movements like squats, deadlifts and more that you couldn’t train on your own otherwise.

Parallel Bars

Here is a simple tool that everyone can use in order to train and that not enough people have in their home. Parallel bars usually cost about $40 and allow you to perform dips, hand stands, planche, inverted push ups, neutral grip pull ups and much more.
They’re fun, easy to store and build incredibly dynamic strength.

Gymnastic Rings

Gymnastic rings can be used for many of the same exercises as parallel bars. The big difference is that you have to balance them and hold them steady while you train. They cost a lot less than TRX and have the added bonus of letting you perform dips too, so they are far superior in that sense.

Indian Club

Indian Clubs are the lesser-known little brothers of kettlebells. These let you train with similarly unconventional shapes and another uneven center of gravity, this time using a tool that looks a fair bit like a bowling pin! Grab onto the end and swing, push, lunge and generally sword fight an invisible opponent. That’s a fun way to build strength!

Balance Board

If you want to make any movement more challenging, more functional and more interesting then simply perform it while standing on a balance board. This will force you to balance while also moving the weight, which is much more challenging for your entire body.

Rope

A rope can be used for all manner of exercises. One of the simplest ways to train with it is to hang it over a pull up bar and then perform neutral grip pull ups with it. This will build grip strength as well as allowing you to train your biceps and lats. Otherwise, you can perform rows or even wrap it around your weights and pick them up that way!

Healthy Weight Loss Supplements

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If you are overweight and diet and exercise regime can be somewhat of real challenge for you, a great step you can make is find weight loss supplements to make your weight loss more easy. Unfortunately most of the overweight people sink into the vast choice of weight loss pills available without researching what weight loss supplements are healthy.

In this article I will try to give some useful observation considering healthy weight loss supplements.

weight loss supplements

 

Well if we dig into weight loss supplements market and research it we will find two basic types of supplements available – chemical weight loss supplements and herbal or natural weight loss supplements.

First type is a known and approved way to assist in weight loss that was used for many obese people and really helped in their weight loss routines.

There are several most known brands of chemical supplements, like Xenical or Phentermine or Meridia – all based on chemicals affecting your weight in several ways of action.
For example, Xenical acts like fat blocker. It is known to reduce up to 25% of weight if used correctly. The pill is considered suitable even for long term weight loss.

Or Meridia, affecting our brain chemicals to increase body metabolism and suppress appetite. The supplement also showed effectiveness on obese patients.

Unfortunately, using chemical weight loss supplements is not a healthy way of weight loss for sure. Chemical combinations have side effects and in some cases can affect our health badly. They are used under doctor’s prescription usually and just in case patient does not have any serious medical conditions.

Another group is natural weight loss supplements, also known as herbal. These weight loss supplements are actually a mix of natural ingredients or both natural and safe chemical components designed to maximally affect our excess weight.

The only serious thing to mention here is that not every “natural” component is safe for your health. Well known example is ephedra or ma huang – herb that is used in many weight loss supplements as metabolism enhancer and thermogenic as well. Only after several fatal cases and severe side effects reported by many people who used ephedra, it has become clear that not every natural component is actually healthy one to use.

Ok, it’s not that bad at all – here we got several natural ingredients that can you can consider as a healthy aid for your weight loss. They are widely known – it is Hoodia Gordonii, Green Tea, Chitosan, Garcinia Cambogia, Fiber and some others… Though most of them hasn’t been researched thoroughly to prove their weight loss capacities, they showed real efficacy with many people using them in form of supplements and getting positive weight loss results.

So recommendation is simple – if you are not morbidly obese and in need of serious medical help, natural weight loss supplements are the healthy way for you to make weight loss faster and easier. Just don’t rely too much on “magic pills” and use them along with diet and exercise routines.

Be aware of dangerous herbal components and choose weight loss supplements only from reputable brands and distributors.

Yoga and the Elderly

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Yoga is ideal for people of all ages, but particularly for seniors for a number of reasons. Because yoga is not a purely physical practice, there is flexibility to adapt one’s practice to meet one’s needs.  This is a significant factor why yoga has become so popular with seniors.

In short,  there IS a yoga practice available to you, no matter your age, nor your physical limitations. And with the boon in senior specific classes available,  there’s never been a better time for seniors to discover yoga.

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Low Impact

The first is that in most cases, yoga is low impact. Hatha, Kundalini and Vinyasa yoga are all good examples of low-impact yoga that can be done safely even by complete beginners.

Increased Strength and Flexibility

A second reason is how much yoga can improve strength, flexibility and stability. This means less risk of slips, trips and falls, which can cause bones to break and even be life-threatening due to complications such as blood clots in the legs and pneumonia from inactivity.

Being more mobile and flexible also means greater independence well into your senior years. After all, it’s not just about how long we live, but the quality of life we enjoy as well. Staying fit and active is one of the best ways to care for your health, especially if you are a caregiver for an older relative or partner, have grandchildren and so on.

A Mental Workout

Yoga is also great for mental fitness. It improves mood, focus and concentration, especially in relation to the types of yoga which include meditation as part of their routines. Two such types are Hatha, the origin of all yogas, and Kundalini yoga. Kundalini yoga was formed in the 5th century AD to work on the energy centers of the body, known as the chakras in traditional Indian medicine (Ayurvedic medicine).

Increased Mobility

One of the biggest health challenges for the elderly tends to be pain and stiffness, such as that of arthritis. If we feel pain when we work out, we avoid working out. However, the less we move, the stiffer we become and the more pain we suffer. So we work out even less, leading to a vicious cycle of pain, stiffness and lack of exercise that can leave many people house-bound or even chair-bound when they could be out making the most of their golden years.

Starting Safely

As with all forms of exercise, it is important to start safely and sensibly through slowly adding activity to your day and not trying to overdo things. For this reason, certain types of yoga such as Bikram and Ashtanga are not a good idea. Bikram, known as hot yoga, is not just physically demanding – it is also known as hot yoga because of the roasting conditions in the studio, with temperatures often reaching 100F or more. This can lead to dehydration and a severe strain for anyone who has heart health issues.

Ashtanga has seven levels, a basic one and six more of gradually increasing difficulty. The fact that few practitioners have ever reached the most advanced levels will give you an idea of how demanding this yoga can be.

Finding the Right Studio for You

If you live in a moderately large urban area, chances are you have more than one studio close by to choose from. Many will offer free introductory lessons so you can try the yoga and see the studio for yourself. Many studios also offer discounted lessons or unlimited classes as part of a reasonably priced monthly membership.

You will naturally wish to focus on the classes themselves and how much health benefit you think you will get from them. Other important considerations in relation to choosing the right studio for you will be the skills, qualifications and experience of the teacher’s. Some specialize in yoga for seniors.

Check out an introductory class near you and see what a difference it can make to your health.

Yoga Series

5 Hatha Yoga Poses That Can be Performed a Home

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Hatha is comprised of many different asanas or poses as well as breathing techniques highly recommended for beginners doing yoga at home.

Here are 5 easy Hatha yoga poses you can learn:

Hatha

1. Lotus Pose

One of the easiest Hatha yoga poses, this pose teaches awareness, meditation and patience.

How to do it:

Start in a sitting position with your legs stretched out in front of you. Slowly bend your right leg and bring your foot close to your left groin. Then bend your left leg and slide it gently on top of the right. Keep the soles of your feet perpendicular to the floor. Bring your hands to prayer position in chest level, take several deep breaths then relax.

2. Plow Pose

This pose stretches and strengthens both your back and leg muscles. It’s a good pose to learn to help improve flexibility when doing yoga at home.

How to do it:

Start by lying on your back with your arms by your sides. Bend your knees slowly, bringing the soles of your feet close to your buttocks. Raise your heels towards the ceiling and with your arms and back pressed to the floor, lower your legs over your head as close to the floor as you can. Hold for 4-5 breaths before going back to the starting position.

3. Staff Pose

This Hatha yoga pose stretches the back of your legs, opens your chest and lengthens your spine.

How to do it:

Begin this pose in a sitting position, your legs stretched in front of you. Place your hands behind your hips with your fingers pointing away from you. With your back straight and your shoulders relaxed, slowly press your chest forward. Stretch your arms then pull your toes toward you. Hold this pose for 3-6 breaths.

4. Standing Forward Bend

Another easy pose to learn when doing yoga at home is the Standing Forward Bend. It helps stretch the legs, the hips and the spine while keeping the knees flexed. It is also known to help improve circulation.

How to do it:

Stand straight with your feet apart hip-width. Stretch your spine as you inhale then bend forward as you exhale. Place your hands under the front of each foot. Hold this pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute then inhale before going back to the starting position.

5. Bridge Pose

The Bridge pose helps strengthen the back, buttocks, neck, spine and thighs. It is also another Hatha yoga pose that helps improve circulation.

How to do it:

Start by lying on your back with your arms at your sides and your knees bent. Move your heels as close to the buttocks as possible before slowly raising your hips upwards. Press your shoulder blades down and slightly lift your chin. Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

When doing yoga at home, practice these easy Hatha yoga poses first before moving on to more complicated poses.