Novice, Intermediate and Advanced Yoga Exercises

These mind-body transforming yoga exercises are designed to super-sculpt your body and exhume calories.

Down-Facing Felid: Novice

• Starting with both hands, feet touching the mat, hands direct underneath the shoulder region and knees beneath the hip area.
• Walking hands a couple of inches ahead and extending fingers wide and press palms on to the mat.
• Curling toes beneath and gradually pressing hips in the direction of the roof to bring the body into an overturned letter ‘V’, press shoulder away from the ear on both the sides.
• Feet placement must be at a distance hip width away and bending knees to a slight extent.
• Holding for three complete breaths.

The Corvus: Novice

• Getting started with down-facing felid pose (pressing palms on to the carpet, feet placement at hip width apart) and walking feet forwards till knees come in contact with the arms.
• Bending the elbows, raising heel region away from the carpet and resting knees next to the outer side of the upper arm area.
• Keeping toes on the ground, engaging abdominals and pressing legs next to the arms. Holding for five to ten breaths.

Lunges: Novice

• Starting in the down-facing felid pose and stepping the left leg forwards to the inner side of the left hand.
• Dropping the right knee to the ground and lifting the trunk upwards. Keep the left knee in-line with the ankle and keeping back erect, placing hands on the knee and now holding this pose for ten breaths.
• Returning to down-facing felid, switching legs and then repeating.

Down-Facing Felid: Intermediate

• Starting in the novice pose.
• Straightening legs and pressing heels towards the mat when one raises hips upwards.
• Holding for five to ten breaths and hoisting one leg in the direction of the roof. Holding for three breaths and keeping hips levelled.
• Lowering, switching legs and repeating.

The Corvus: Intermediate

• Starting in the novice pose, squeezing inner thighs for raising heels away from the mat.
• Now spreading fingers widely, gradually moving the body forwards till the weight is balancing above the hands.
• Drawing abdominals inwards (as though one were drawing in the navel to the spine) for lifting hips upwards higher, keep the face forwards and holding this pose for five to ten breaths.

Lunges: Intermediate

• Starting with the novice position, pressing on to the heel of the rear foot and lifting into a stand-up lunge.
• Straightening rear leg, placing heel downward on the mat and turning the foot outwards a couple of inches.
• Lifting arms in the direction of the floor.
• Spreading fingers, turning palms inwards and opening up the trunk and holding for ten breaths.
• Switching legs and repeating.

Down-Facing Felid: Advanced

• Starting in the novice pose, straightening legs, pressing heels in the direction of the ground when one raises hips upwards.
• Walking feet together and raising a single leg in the direction of the ceiling.
• Pressing the palms and the opposite heel on to the carpet. When stabilized, gradually lifting the opposing hand and holding till three breaths.
• Lowering, swapping sides and repeating.

The Corvus: Advanced

• Starting in the novice pose and gradually moving into the intermediate position.
• With the torso tilting forwards, start raising the left leg towards the roof.
• Squeezing the gluteus, spreading apart the toes and holding till five to ten breaths.
• Lowering, switching legs and repeating.

Lunges: Advanced

• Beginning with the lunge pose, hinging trunk forwards from the hip area and gradually lifting rear leg while one straightens the fore leg.
• Halting when the back is flattish and the whole body is parallel to the mat. Balancing in this pose till ten breaths.
• Lowering, switching legs and repeating.

Irrespective of what level of fitness you have, these yoga exercises could be easily adopted into day-to-day existence for reaping optimal benefits.

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