Winter Yoga: The 10 Best Yoga Poses for Winter

Winter Yoga: The 10 Best Yoga Poses for Winter

During winter we all look for various ways to stay warm. What better way to add some warming postures of yoga in your routine? Yoga during winter brings in warmth and strength which allows your body to fight the illness. Yes, staying in bed on a winter morning seems more relaxing and cozy but we have to push ourselves to wake up, get to work, or run errands, or just move.

Finding good time do yoga is very essential for our body. During winter our body tends to become more lethargic as the weather really ends up affecting our moods. Yoga can be like your protective blanket providing you the warmth and strength you will need.

A Winter Yoga Practice

Yoga boosts your immunity and uplifts your mood. There are many great yoga teachers that take up classes online & offline to help you stay active. Learning from a yoga teacher especially when you are a beginner can help you and guide you to learn the postures the right way without involving any injury. With great assistance you can ace the yoga poses that will help you mind, body and soul.

10 Effective Yoga Poses for Winter

The cool winter days can really take a toll on your energy levels. We have to start somewhere right? Dealing with feeling lethargic is tough but the only way to tackle is to get up and head straight to the mat.

Here are 10 effective yoga poses to keep warm this winter:

1. Downward Facing Dog

This posture requires you to find good & a firm balance to support your hands and feet. Once you find your balance, stay, breathe, and hold the pose for as long as you like. Downward dog calms your system, helps in great blood flow within, and helps you finding harmony. It gives you a great sense of balance between your upper body and lower body.

During winter try and focus on holding and balancing your energies as though you are drawing it from your hands to your lungs. This posture also teaches you patience.

2. Crescent Lunge

Get on your mat; get your right foot forward while you keep your back leg firm and straight. After you are stable in this position, get your hands on the hips and balance. If you are comfortable, you can widen your feet. Once you are all steady and stable, push your hips forward and stretch your arms overhead. Relax the tension in your shoulder and your face and look straight. Breathe in this pose as you hold it. Repeat the same thing on the other side.

Standing asanas/ yoga poses helps in building stamina, and generates heat in our body. This pose teaches you to open your heart and find direction. Once you find your focus and balance you end up having a great relationship with your poses that helps balance your vata energy. Don’t forget to mindfully breathe when practicing the poses, it release all that negative energy from your heart space.

3. Side Plank

This yoga pose helps to tone your body and strengthens your upper body, as well as the ower body. It is quiet a challenging pose as it needs immense concentration or you tend to lose your balance. It helps in sharpening your mind which really helps us stay alert and active during the winter season.

4. Prayer Lunge

The prayer lunge posture moves the energy to your spine all the way up to your body. Repeat this posture on both the sides and practice balance and mindful breathing. If you are looking for a great relaxant to your internal organs, this powerful pose helps you and your digestion during winter. The twists and poses you perform help us eliminate the sluggish feeling. These poses act as natural heaters to the body. The breathing performed during this pose also helps in pumping good energy to your lungs making a healthy respiratory system.

 5. Triangle Pose

This is another standing yoga pose that activates your legs and bones. The triangle posture just like the shape helps you in feeling sacred. This pose helps you in building your energy levels and improves your physical system. Using your legs help you stay firm on your ground while you open your heart and bring in a sense of calm and peace while you balance. All your muscles are activated at this point of time that helps in generating heat and keeps you active too.

 6. Fierce Pose or Chair Pose:

Just like the name, you go into a chair pose as though you are sitting in an invisible chair with your arms stretched out. This pose promotes strength, and makes you feel empowered. It is the best poses to build heat in your body in just a few breaths. This chair pose strengthens all your major muscles, joints, and helps in grounding your legs and tones your belly while promoting great digestion.

7. The Crow Pose

This pose requires a lot of self trust while you practice into getting in this posture. You can always place a pillow if you are a beginner to build trust. Many have the fear of falling and hurting themselves which is completely normal as it could be the first time you are allowing your body to try this pose.

The crow pose helps in building stamina and pumps your heart along with building strength. A good pump generates heat which is again a great pose to practice during the winter season. Remember to look forward when you are balancing, it helps you stay focused.

8. Headstand

If you are a beginner, please do not practice this without guidance or your yoga teacher or you will end up injuring yourself. This yoga pose requires a lot of mindful breathing and pushing your body to go upside down. This is the king of all poses as it has immense benefits. It helps you align your body while you are upside down and strengthens your arms, shoulders and pumps circulation to your brain and face. You feel an immense glow when you stay in this position. It helps in boosting your immune system and increases your stamina.

9. Half fish Pose

A great chest opener – the half fish pose twists and massages your digestive organs. It calms down your nerves and improves your immune system which is very much important to beat the flu season. For healthier respiratory system, practice staying in this pose to open the rib cage. 

10. The Laying Down Pose

Lie on your back and close your eyes. Take as many deep breaths possible and feel your body calming down and relaxing. It eases all your muscles, especially your lower back. This pose is great when you finish with all the yoga poses. It brings in great ease and helps you feel relaxed. This pose is very calming and aligns your energy during the cold season to allow your body to feel rested.

Benefits of Yoga in Winter

However much many of us enjoy this winter season, it does come with a lot of laziness, flu, cold, dry skin, body ache, and lack of interest to work or step out of your bed. Yoga on the other hand can help us beat all the laziness, build our immunity and fight the flu season.

Here are a few benefits of practicing yoga in winter –

1. Goodbye Winter Blues – Yoga is a mood lifter. Allow your body to get up and get on the mat, you will automatically start feel your energy levels rising. Try starting your day with yoga and meditation to keep you active throughout the day.

• Keeps Your Body warm – yoga is your new comforter. Practicing all these above poses regularly will help in pumping blood, build immunity and generate heat. When you add this to your daily routine, you won’t feel the need to lie on your bed all day.

• The Flu – many of us end up with seasonal flu. The ones with low immunity end up falling sick and have it a hard time to work or run errands. The best way to beat the flu season is to start yoga and practice it way before winter and strengthen your body to beat the cold and cough. Encourage your family members to also be a part of the yoga sessions.

Which Yoga is Best for Cold?

Uijayi Pranayama (breathing exercises) keeps the mind and body stress-free and avoids the triggers like cold and cough. Rest your body, and practice pranayama daily to nourish your respiratory system.

Which Pranayama Is Not Recommended During Winter?

Shitkari Pranayama is a breathing technique where you breathe through your mouth. But this should not be done for people who are suffering from cold, cough, low blood pressure or any respiratory issues especially during the winter season.

Can We do Pranayama In Winter?

Yes, pranayama is a great breathing technique, but there are few variations that you can follow especially during this season- Bhastrika, Kapalbhati, Surya Bhedanz Pranayama, Bhramari, Ujjayi, Nadi Shodhana, and Anulom Vilom.

Summary

We have given you great insights on the best yoga poses that you can add into your daily routine especially during the winter season. There are plenty of benefits involved in practicing yoga that beat all the blues and helps you stay active. We hope you follow these great tips and poses into your lives and encourage others also to be a part of this. Many people have taken their health seriously especially after the pandemic. You know how important it is to keep your immunity levels high and stay healthy. every article or news and health experts have time and again reminded us to boost our immunity and indulge in light to regular exercises. Start today, it is never too late!

Mrunal Pawar is an avid yoga practitioner and has shared great insights on yoga and written various blogs on why yoga is changing people and making our lives better. Do follow and learn the basics and start making it a habit.