Inflexibility, back pain, and poor circulation are common problems for many of us. Yoga can certainly help, which is why I got in touch with Riyadh-based yoga instructor Annika Fostock for her advice. Annika is YOGAMAZÉ 200 hour TT certified and trained in prenatal yoga. Currently, she teaches Vinyasa Flow to aspiring Saudi yoga students at her studio in Al Wurud, Riyadh as well as private classes at her students’ homes.
IMPROVE YOUR FLEXIBILITY
Annika explains to me that most asanas (yoga poses) are connected to flexibility. It’s common for her newer students to experience tightness in their hamstrings and recommends the Janu Sirsasana (head-to-knee forward bend) pose to open them, which will help ease flexibility in the legs and back.
If you can’t comfortably reach the extended leg foot pose, use a strap. Loop it around the sole of the foot and hold it with your arms fully extended. Be sure not to pull yourself forward when using the strap; walk your hands lightly along the strap while you keep your arms and the front of your torso lengthened.
Repeat this hamstring-opening asana daily to see an improvement in your hamstrings, and you should be able to touch your toes in no time.
RELIEVE BACK PAIN
Regular Vinyasa Flow or any well-balanced asana practice with plenty of backbends, forward bends, and twists will help keep your spine healthy. Yoga practice will also help diminish aches and pains, too. Tight hamstrings can lead to a flattening of the lumbar spine, which can cause back pain. Inflexible muscles and connective tissue such as fascia and ligaments can cause poor posture, which can also lead to back pain.
An easy pose to cure discomfort in your back (Annika’s favorite asana) is Balasana (child’s pose). It may look like you’re resting, but Balasana is an active stretch that helps elongate the back. It’s also a great stress reliever before bed following a long, exhausting day.
INCREASE CIRCULATION
Yoga gets your blood flowing. More specifically, yoga also promotes an increase in oxygen to your cells, which function better as a result. Inverted poses, where your legs are higher and your heart is lower, encourage venous blood from the legs and pelvis to flow back to the heart where it can be pumped to the lungs to be freshly oxygenated, which in turn, improves the circulation. Headstands, handstands, and shoulderstands are excellent for this.
If you prefer not to get inverted, the stretch during Trikonasana (triangle pose) prevents the thickening of the blood vessels and helps maintain blood pressure, leading to better circulation. Trikonasana can improve the muscle tone and muscle efficiency in your legs while the contraction and relaxation of the muscles has a pump effect where blood is pushed towards the heart, again further improving circulation.
MORE ABOUT ANNIKA FOSTOCK
Annika’s yoga gurus:
Tiffany Cruikshank is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to anatomy and her way of seeing yoga as medicine for your mind and body.
Jason Crandle is another yoga hero due to his calmness and accuracy when teaching.
Favorite yoga wear:
Liquido Active’s yoga pants are extremely comfortable and durable.
