#HealthBytes: Some yoga asanas useful for building muscles
What's the story
The most common way of muscle building is lifting weights and doing hours of intense workouts. However, that is not the only option. Yoga, which is effective for weight control, stress management, and whatnot, can help you in this cause, too. After all, many yoga asanas are based on the principle of lifting body weight. Here are some of those poses.
Bhujangasana
Bhujangasana, or the Cobra Pose
Lie down on your chest with legs slightly apart and toes touching the floor. Keep your hands by your side. Then, firmly place your palms beneath your shoulders, take a deep breath, and lift your head, chest, and waist off the floor. Look toward the ceiling. Hold for 15-30 seconds and breathe normally. Relax and repeat 10 more times.
Trikonasana
Trikonasana, or the Triangle Pose
Stand straight with your legs wide apart. Turn your right feet out 90 degrees, and left feet about 15 degrees inwards. Inhale and raise your arms sideways, parallel to the floor with palms facing down. Exhale and bend downwards with your right hand touching the back of your foot and left arm extended upwards, so that both the hands fall in a straight line.
Setu Bandhasana
Setu Bandhasana, or the Bridge Pose
To perform this pose, lie on your back with knees bent and heels kept near the buttocks. Keep your arms alongside your body. Slowly, lift your back until the thighs are parallel to the floor. Keep your feet firmly placed on the ground. You can intertwine your hands under the hips for support. Maintain the posture for one minute. Relax, and then repeat.
Kumbhakasana
Kumbhakasana, the Plank Pose
Kneel with your hands on your thighs. Then, bend forward and place your hands on the floor. Raise the buttocks, keeping the knees on the floor. Slide your feet backward and raise the knees so that the head, trunk, back, and legs form one straight line. Do not bend your hands. Hold for a while. Then, relax and repeat.