5 Best Yoga Exercises & Poses For Muscle Recovery

Soniya
Yoga can be great way to relax your sore muscles on recovery days. (Image via Unsplash / Wolf Art)
Yoga can be great way to relax your sore muscles on recovery days. (Image via Unsplash / Wolf Art)

Yoga is a great way to exercise, but it isn't just for the body. Yoga can help you recover faster and breathe better, as well as increase your flexibility. If you're an athlete or someone who often works out, these poses will help with muscle recovery so that you feel better after workouts.


Five Best Yoga Poses to Help You Recover from Muscle Exhaustion

Here are the five best yoga poses that you can practice on your rest days.

1) Downward Dog Pose

Downward Dog Pose is a great way to stretch out your back and shoulders. It's a good pose to do before you work out because it warms up the muscles of your arms, legs, and back.

Downward Dog can also be done with or without a yoga mat at home or in the gym. This pose stretches your hamstrings, calves, lower back and shoulders all at once!

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How to perform?

  • On your hands and knees, form a table by making an upside-down V with your body.
  • Straighten your legs and arms, lifting your hips up and keeping your back flat.
  • Widen through the shoulder blades. Touch your ear to one arm; keep the neck long by looking at the navel.
  • Bend the knees and return to Table Pose.

2) Supine Pigeon Pose

This yoga pose is great for stretching your hips and lower back. Performed correctly, it may increase the flexibility of the hip flexors and lower back muscles while also supporting digestion. Since emotions are stored in the hips, so Pigeon Pose can also alleviate mental stress.

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How to perform?

  • Lie on your back with one knee bent and the opposite foot resting on top of it.
  • Thread your hands between your thighs and hold the knee behind you or hold onto the back of your calf.
  • Lift the knee off the floor, keeping your sacrum firmly pressed against the earth.

3) Bridge Pose

Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) is a wonderful way to stretch the hamstrings and open up the hips, as well as provide a good stretch for your lower back. This pose also helps you relax and breathe deeply, which can be helpful in relieving stress.

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How to perform?

  • Lie on your back with the knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place both hands by your ears, palms facing down.
  • Press strongly into your hands and lift your hips up off the floor until they're in line with your shoulders. Your whole spine will be lengthened as you do this—don't let yourself arch or curve at all!

4) Happy Baby Pose

In yoga and Pilates, Happy Baby Pose is a stretch that's performed by laying on your tummy and pulling your knees to your chest. The goal of both practices is to improve mental well-being by increasing flexibility, improving breathing and strength, and increasing range of motion.

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How to perform?

  • Lie on your back, bend your knees into your belly, and open your legs slightly wider than your torso.
  • Bring each ankle directly over its knee so that your shins are perpendicular to the floor.
  • Flex your feet and lift them up toward you as you gently pull on the outsides of each foot.

5) Supine Twist Pose

The supine twist pose is a great way to stretch your back, which can help reduce muscle soreness.

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How To Do It:

  • Lie on your back with arms at sides and palms facing down.
  • Bend both knees so that feet are flat on the floor, then slide one leg into the air with knee bent toward chest (you should feel a good stretch in your hamstrings).
  • Twist torso toward raised leg until you feel a deep stretch across lower back and side of body.
  • Hold for 30 seconds before switching legs and repeating on other side.
  • You can also do this pose by sitting instead of lying down, but it’s important that you keep your knees bent so they don’t lock out while twisting.

Why Athletes Should Add Yoga To Their Workouts?

Yoga is a great way to recover from exercise and helps you breathe better, as well as increase your flexibility. Yoga can also help you get the most out of your workouts, because it improves muscle recovery, breathing control and flexibility.

Yoga has many benefits for athletes, including improved recovery time and increased energy levels, which are all important aspects when it comes to staying healthy both mentally and physically.


Conclusion

Yoga is a great way to relax and recover, but it’s not just for athletes. Anybody can use these poses to improve their quality of life by improving flexibility and reducing stress levels. If you are an athlete looking for ways to recover faster after strenuous workouts or competitions, then try incorporating some of these poses into your daily routine!

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