International Yoga Day: Fun quirky ways of doing yoga to make it enjoyable yet effective

Janhavi Patwardhan performing yoga

By Shraddha Iyer,

Have you ever found yourself thinking, yoga is so slow, I should practise yoga once I turn 40, yoga is only about meditation? Well, yoga is so much more than all the myths that surround the practice. Yoga doesn’t need you to be flexible,or in perfect shape or need to have a certain kind of Yoga mat to begin your yoga practice today. Just start somewhere and see the transformation unfold.

Yoga is more than an hour’s practice, it is a lifestyle. Right from when you wake up to when you go to bed, yoga is everything in between and beyond. Even breathing mindfully is yoga.

The best part about this lifestyle is that it unifies with your daily routine, you don’t need to take out extra time or buy expensive equipment to get started.

Here are some fun ways you can quickly practise yoga:

1. Yoga when you wake up

You can do yoga in bed, yes you got that right. You can do some gentle stretches in bed when you wake up. Next time you wake up instead of scrolling through your phone try these asanas child’s pose, supine side stretch and seated cat-cow.

2. Yoga at the desk

Squeeze in sometime between those long work calls and boring presentations. Yoga is the best remedy when you feel overwhelmed with work or feel fatigued. Try these seated poses and rejuvenate yourself within minutes. Try, finger and wrists stretching, seated tadasana and gentle neck stretch.

3. Try Face yoga

Yes, there are yoga asanas for the face that will help you get the glow without expensive treatment. On a weekend when you want to treat yourself to a relaxing spa, try a fun face yoga session that will improve the blood circulation to your face, improve the quality of your skin and even reduce facial acne. Here are some face yoga asanas that you can practise; balloon pose, pout pose and tapping massage.

4. Add props to the mix

Props always add a fun factor to the yoga practice and also give you the additional support you may need to achieve advanced postures. You can add props like basketball, yoga bricks or yoga belt to your practice to make it fun and challenging.

5. Do high-intensity yoga

If you’ve ever thought yoga is just a low-intense practice you’re in for a surprise. Try a high-intensity yoga routine and you are sure to discover a couple of muscles in your body you didn’t even know existed. One round of Surya Namaskar is known to burn approximately 13.90 calories and takes between 3 to 4 minutes to complete 1 round. Start slowly by adding 5 rounds to your workout, moving up to 108 rounds in one session. That’s some high-calorie burn!

Yoga as a lifestyle is highly effective in improving body mobility, flexibility, stamina, strength, releasing stress, toning the muscles, des-tressing the mind, promoting happiness and the benefits can go on. All it needs is for you to get on the mat and start. #StartTohKaro

(The author is a senior Yoga instructor at SARVA. The article is for informational purposes only. Please consult Yoga experts and professionals before starting any practice. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the Financial Express Online.)