Poses for Your Lungs

How to avoid falling into autopilot while practicing this basic—but beneficial—stretch.

Bitilasana is an easy, gentle way to warm up the spine before a more vigorous practice.

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, a well-known backbend, will challenge you to lift and open your chest.

It might look straightforward, but there's more to Dandasana than meets the eye.

Adho Mukha Vrksasana boosts energy and confidence, and can literally give you a new perspective on life.

A standing posture centered around balance, Virabhadrasana III will strengthen your legs, ankles, and core.

Don't let the name fool you. If you're used to sitting in chairs, Easy Pose (or Sukhasana) can be quite challenging.

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana can be whatever you need—energizing, rejuvenating, or luxuriously restorative.

Find length in your side body, from your heel to your fingertips with Extended Side Angle Pose.

Virabhadrasana 1 is a foundational yoga pose that balances flexibility and strength in true warrior fashion.

This revolved variation of Utthita Parsvakonasana requires a lot of flexibility to twist so deeply and ground the back heel.

Incorporate these practices to help your body recover from the effects of COVID-19 or to simply strengthen your lungs and boost your immunity.

Low Lunge, or Anjaneyasana in Sanskrit, stretches the thighs and groins and opens the chest. It provides recovery post-workout, and boosts energy while consciously working to improve posture.

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A cross between Child's Pose and Downward-Facing Dog, Extended Puppy Pose lengthens the spine and calms the mind.

Can you practice Wheel with straight arms and Headstand without strain? Then, you're ready.

In Extended Hand-to-big-toe Pose, maintaining solid grounding through the standing foot helps keep you steady.

Kapotasana invigorates your body and gives your spirits a lift. This extremely deep backbend is appropriate for advanced practitioners only.

Sphinx Pose is the infant of backbends. It can be practiced with either an active or passive approach.

This pose gently lengthens and strengthens even stubbornly tight hamstrings.

Ease up into Half Frog Pose, called Ardha Bhekasana in Sanskrit. This pose strengthens the back while gently opening up the shoulders, chest, and thighs—a loving treat for the entire body.

You may know Pincha Mayurasana or Feathered Peacock Pose by one of its common aliases: Forearm or Elbow Balance.

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Dance with cosmic energy in this challenging yet graceful balancing pose that relies on equal parts effort and ease.

Salabhasana or Locust Pose effectively preps beginners for deeper backbends, strengthening the back of the torso, legs, and arms.

This version of Shoulderstand is performed with blanket support under the shoulders.

Need an energy boost? Urdhva Dhanurasana can help—and strengthen your arms, legs, abdomen, and spine in the process.

By providing a conscious opening in the chest and stretch in the shoulders, Cobra Pose, called Bhujangasana in Sanskrit, fights fatigue and relieves lower back pain, boosting both the energetic and the physical body.