Yoga for Flexibility

Looking for the best beginner yoga workout for flexibility?  This beginner yoga sequence is a great place to start. 

Best Beginner Yoga Poses For Flexibility

Most people seem to exercise to lose weight or get into better shape. I get it! You don’t have a lot of time and want to fit in the best workout in the shortest amount of time.  Trust me, I was always the same way.

Unfortunately, stretching or doing yoga poses for flexibility are just not very high on many people’s lists.

I recently went through a life changing experience that completely changed my perspective on doing yoga for flexibility.

I came down with an infection that went from bad to life threatening virtually overnight. To make a VERY long story short I will just say that I found out I had a parasite infection in my liver that caused all kinds of issues.

We treated it but the damage had already been done.  My organs weren’t properly working together, then causing me to develop a syndrome called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.  Essentially my autonomic nervous system stopped working.

This left me bedridden for 4 years!  It was pure torture.

Thankfully, I slowly began to heal and I could feel my energy returning.  With this I was able to train my body to sit up (it took me 6 months to be able to sit up for 1 hour!), walk, run, and the hardest part…think again.

You don’t realize that when you’re body is working right, but thinking itself takes an immense amount of energy. I had to retrain my brain to read, write, talk to friends on the phone, and even focus in general without crashing afterwards. 

As I pushed my body past its limits every day I felt extreme anxiety.  It was hard to stay motivated to keep pushing when I felt so horrible afterwards, but as I continued to do this I noticed consistent improvements and my abilities gradually came back.

So what does all this have to do with doing yoga for flexibility?  Actually, a lot.

One of the most helpful things I learned to do throughout my recovery was stretch.  It REALLY helped calm my mind and body after intense days of pushing.

Effects of being bedridden

When you lay in bed for so many years your muscles not only get really tight, but also very restless.  I would do yoga for restless legs and flexibility before bed every night; it helped so much.  As you continue to work towards increasing your flexibility with these yoga stretches you realize just how quickly your flexibility will increase.   

What are the benefits of Yoga for Flexibility?

Yoga poses stretch your muscles and increase your range of motion. With regular practice, you will begin to see dramatic improvements in your flexibility. 

Flexibility has so many benefits for your body.  By taking a couple minutes to stretch every day can can see massive benefits. 

It can help prevent injury, reduce anxiety, relieve stress, heal muscle aches you may have, and help to balance out your emotions as you go through the ups and downs of daily life.

Anytime I would start to feel the agitation come on from trying to push too hard I would take a step back and do some deep breathing and beginner yoga stretches.  It helped so much.

Here is one of my favorite beginner yoga sequences I still try to do every day.  

Note – You can use this as a nighttime yoga sequence or even a restorative yoga sequence if you are like me and rehabbing from an injury or illness.  It works well as both.

Anyone can do the following yoga poses for flexibility. They’re easy to learn and the whole routine can take you as little as 5 minutes.

How Long do You Hold Each Pose?

Hold each yoga pose for 10-12 breaths or 30 seconds.  You want to listen to your body and make adjustments as necessary.  When I first started I probably only held for about 15 seconds as I was still pretty sick and would black out from bending over or standing for too long.  

What you will need: 

You really don’t need anything to do these stretches, but if you are looking to begin practicing yoga more regularly there are some yoga essentials that I recommend investing in.

All the yoga equipment for beginners is super cheap so you don’t have to worry about breaking the budget.

Yoga Equipment List for Beginners

Thick Yoga Mat – I recommend getting one that is thicker (mine is 1/2 inch) so it will be easier on your joints.

I bought this Amazon yoga mat and am honestly amazed at the quality for the price.  This cool yoga mat comes with a yoga mat carrying strap and has over 8,000 positive reviews on amazon.  It comes in 5 different colors with a low starting price.

Save yourself the money and don’t get tricked into the whole “higher prices = better quality”.  It’s just not true.

Check it out on Amazon.

Best Yoga Strap

Yoga Stretching Straps – When I first started experimenting with yoga I had no idea that “yoga stretching straps” were even a thing.  I found a yoga strap with loops while browsing Amazon one day and I fell in love with it.  It is great to use in bed or even at your desk at work (I work from home so this is easy for me to do).  It can really make a difference in helping to improve your flexibility quicker.

Check out this yoga strap with loops on amazon.

Best Yoga Poses for Flexibility

Downward Facing Dog

Standing Quad Stretch

Wide Legged Standing Forward Bend | “Ardha Uttanasana”

Plank Pose 

Have you guys tried using yoga for flexibility?  Which poses did you get the most benefit from?