The following briefly describes three poses commonly used in yoga exercise:

• Cat yoga pose—Situate in an all-fours position, with hands and knees on the ground. Calves and feet should be relaxed, with 90-degree angles at the knees, hips, and shoulders. Inhale and drop the belly to the floor and look up and over your head; exhale while pushing into your hands, taking the spine to the sky and looking to the belly. Whenever possible we want to link the movements with the breathing. Hold each position for 5 to 10 seconds.
• Cobra yoga pose —Lay flat on the stomach, with palms down on the ground underneath or slightly wider than the shoulders. Elbows should be pointing back and out—the body should be relaxed. From this position, push downward with arms, while the lower portion of the body is relaxed, causing the back to arch. Elbows may be used in place of hands for a more gentle stretch. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds, stretching the abdominal muscles and relaxing the back muscles, before slowly bringing the upper torso back down to the ground.
• Knee to chest yoga pose —Lay flat on the back, with body relaxed. Slowly and deliberately, bring one knee up towards the chest. Place hands underneath the knee (on the back of the leg) and gently pull towards the chest. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds, feeling the stretch in the hamstring, before slowly lowering the knee back down. Repeat with the other leg.

Yoga poses should not cause any pain, numbness or tingling, and if these sensations occur while moving into or holding a pose it is advisable to move out of the pose gently.

Discover a whole range of Yoga Poses in The Ultimate Yoga Kit