5 Aqua Yoga Poses for Adventurous Yogis

Aqua yoga is really as easy as it sounds. It involves doing yoga in the water. It is a full yoga routine that includes asanas (poses), pranayamas (yogic breathwork), and floating meditation. All of these are based on the yoga philosophy.

Water is beneficial for both buoyancy and tension relief for the bones and joints. So why not utilize it to aid with yoga? Many physical therapists use it to help patients with arthritis and those recovering from procedures.

Because it is the best approach to building balance and calm in the body, aqua yoga is exactly what everyone who has anxiety needs in their lives. Aqua yoga enhances the nervous system and is the best method for treating back pain.

Best Aqua Yoga Poses

The same posture you perform on land can be performed in the water as part of aqua yoga. Some poses can be performed as they are, while some need to be altered as you would not want to put your head underwater.

These poses increase flexibility and aid in better body alignment. Check out this list of the best aqua poses:

1) Warrior III pose

Warrior III aqua pose works on the whole body. For this one, water noodles are required.

Here’s how to do it:

• Start in the mountain posture, placing the noodle between your hands that are out in front of you, shoulder-width apart.
• Lean forward, hunching at the hips, and bringing your left leg up behind you while applying downward pressure to the noodle.
• Flex your feet and square your hips so that your toes are pointed at the ground.
• Hold the position for 10-15 breaths.

2) Floating tree pose

You get to float in the water, which makes the floating tree a delightful step up from other beginner's positions. It is a great aqua pose that helps in improving balance and flexibility.

Here’s how to do it:

• Put your legs out in front of you and start floating on your back with your arms overhead.
• Put your thighs together and squeeze.
• In order to move your left foot up your leg as high as possible to rest on your shin or thigh, externally rotate your right hip while you bend at the knee.
• Put your hands in the position of prayer over your head, elbows bent, palms pressed together.
• Maintain this pose for 10-15 breaths.

3) Floating boat

The floating boat exercise is an excellent aqua yoga pose for developing your abdominal muscles. Don't forget to bring water noodles.

Here’s how to do it:

• Start by placing your hands on the noodles and standing in a mountain stance with your arms extended in front of your shoulders.
• Press down on the noodles while keeping your arms straight and bending your knees to raise your feet off the ground.
• Straighten both legs through the knees while pointing the toes of both feet upward.
• Stay in this pose for 10-15 breaths.

4) Half-moon pose

The intermediate pose, known as the half-moon can be somewhat difficult when performed on dry land. In addition to good balance, it calls for powerful legs and abdominals. Due to the buoyancy provided by the water, the aqua yoga version is a little simpler to execute. For this exercise, you will need water weights.

Here’s how to do it:

• Start out in the mountain stance, placing water weights beneath your shoulders and your hands outstretched at shoulder level.
• Lift the weights with gentle pressure.
• Until your left leg is parallel to the ground, slant your body to the right while lifting your left foot off the floor.

5) Big toe pose

This aqua yoga pose is great for balancing and flexibility as it requires balancing your bodyweight on a single leg.

Here’s how to do it:

• Use the pool's edge or one or two foam noodles as a starting point.
• In a standing position, bend the outside leg and pull the knee to your chest while keeping your back straight and grasping a noodle or the wall to your left or right with the other arm.
• If necessary, straighten the leg as much as you can without compromising the alignment of your back by grasping the big toe or the outer edge of the foot.
• Maintaining a straight back and both hips facing front, slowly move the leg to the side.
• Assist your equilibrium by sensing the water.
• Release the wall or noodle when you're prepared to do so.
• Stay upright and in balance.

Conclusion

The weight-loss benefits of water yoga have demonstrated that it need not be painful or taxing on the joints. Pool workouts, according to experts, boost calorie burning and are more effective than land-based exercises at lowering the risk of heart disease brought on by obesity.