Let the lyengar yoga flow

Yoga wears many hats – from increasing flexibility to boosting relaxation. One reason why we love lyengar yoga is because of its amazing detoxing benefits. It’s great for stimulating blood flow, lowering blood pressure and removing waste products from the body – all of which play a huge role in the process of detoxification.

‘Yoga, with its focus on stretching and compressing every part of the body, is particularly well-suited to keeping the body functioning well,’ explains Aya Scrymgeour, personal trainer and yoga instructor at Equinox Kensington. ‘Any kind of yoga practice brings awareness to the body and mind and makes us reconnect to what we need as individuals to live a healthy, happy life.’

What’s more, there are specific poses within yoga that use twists and inversion that encourage a healthy bloody and lymphatic flow – essential for carrying the toxins out of the body. Teamed with the breathing technique, we’re onto a winner.

‘Besides the physical detoxification benefits, lyengar yoga also helps as a mental detox,’ Aya adds. ‘Yoga can help by bringing awareness away from the chaos of the mind and back to the present moment. It helps practitioners to not only sweat out toxins but consciously and mindfully live a healthy, more balanced lifestyle.’

So, grab a mat, give this sequence a go and reap the benefits of a happier digestive system – and a happier, calmer you!

 

Parivrtta Utkatasanna

Technique

 

Stand in Tadasana ‘mountain pose’ (standing up strait with your feet together).

 

Inhale your arms overhead. Exhale to shift your weight into your heels and bend your knees, shiting your hips back and down into a squat position.

 

Exhale to bring your hands into prayer in front of your heart. Inhale to reach up through the crown of your head, and lengthen the spine.

 

On an exhalation, hook your right elbow outside your left thigh and press your palms together. Try to bring your prayere hands in line with your heart as you twist.

 

Keep the weight in your heels and your hips even, with your knees together. Then push into your hands to gently twist from your waist, chest, neck, and head, gradually getting deeper.

 

Hold the pose for five breaths then exhale to come out and switch sides.