6 Best Yoga Poses and Exercises to Help You Become More Flexible

Yoga poses to increase flexibility. (Image via Unsplash/Kike Vega)
Certain yoga poses increase flexibility. (Image via Unsplash/Kike Vega)

Consistent practice of yoga poses and exercises provides countless benefits, including greater strength and flexibility throughout the body. Other results are an improved range of motion, better body posture, strengthened muscles, toned body, reduced stress, and so on.

Flexibility is considered to be crucial for the overall health and fitness of the body. The more flexible you are, the better range of motion you'd have. That would place less stress on your joints and help you recover quickly from injuries as your muscles have little or no tightness.

We have created a list of the six best and most effective yoga poses that you can include in your daily routine to become more flexible.


Best and Effective Yoga Poses to Become More Flexible

1. Extended Side Angle Pose or Utthita Parsvakonasana

This is one of the best yoga poses to build more flexibility as it helps in opening up the pelvic and hip regions of the body. The side stretch will also build balance.

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How should you do it?

  • Start off in an elongated standing position before taking wide steps with your right leg and toe pointed outward.
  • Bring your right palm to the ground by stretching your body toward the right side and your left hand extended toward the ceiling.

2. Eye of the Needle Pose or Sucirandhrasana

Eye of the needle pose is a fantastic yoga pose to become more flexible by effectively stretching your hip flexors and leg muscles. This pose will also help in building a stronger core.

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How should you do it?

  • Start off by lying on the ground with your feet pressed on the ground and knees bent.
  • Position your left ankle on your right thigh, with your left knee open to its side.
  • Raise your right foot off the ground while bringing the same thigh toward the chest.
  • Loop your left hand through the space between both your legs and wrap your arms around your right thigh.
  • Hold for a few moments before swapping sides.

3. Garland Pose or Malasana

Garland poses are also some of the best yoga poses that will help you become more flexible through deep squatting movements. This pose will also help in improving your back health and reducing the chances of injuries.

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How should you do it?

  • Start off in a tall standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart and back erect.
  • With your toes pointed out slightly, bend your knees and push your hips backward to come into a deep squat.
  • Position your elbows to the inward of your knees with palms clasped in prayer position.

4. Reclined Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose or Supta Padangusthasana

This is one of the best yoga poses that will help you become more flexible by targeting and stretching the muscles of your legs, core, and arms. Reclined hand-to-big-toe poses will also help in toning and strengthening the targeted muscles.

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How should you do it?

  • Start off by lying on the ground with your back flat, feet flat on the floor, and knees bent.
  • Bring your left knee toward your chest before extending the same leg up toward the ceiling until it is completely extended.
  • Straighten your other leg to the floor while keeping your hips flat on the ground.
  • Hold for a few moments before swapping sides.

5. Revolved Side Angle Pose or Parivrtta Parsvakonasana

The revolved side angle pose is another effective yoga pose to become more flexible as it helps in stretching several muscle groups in the body with the side stretching movement.

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How should you do it?

  • Start off in a tall standing position before taking a wide step with your left leg to the side and toe slightly pointed outward.
  • Stretch your body toward the left side with your left forearm on the thigh and right hand extended to the ceiling.

6. Cat Cow Pose or Bitilasana Marjaryasana

This is a versatile yoga pose that brings flexibility to the core and spine. The cat cow pose will also help in strengthening and stretching your glutes.

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How should you do it?

  • Start off in a tabletop position before gazing upward and dropping your belly toward the ground.
  • Next, round your back toward the ceiling with your chin tucked in toward the chest. Repeat.

Bottom Line

The aforementioned yoga poses and exercises are some of the best if you want to become more flexible. Greater flexibility in the body provides both physical and mental benefits including fighting against insomnia, reducing stress from the body, releasing tension and tightness from the body, reducing the chances of injury, and overall greater fitness of the body.

There is often a misconception that if you want to inculcate yoga poses and exercises into your routine, then you need to have natural flexibility in the body. This is not true, if you begin with simple poses as the ones given above, and consistently perform them, you can build more flexibility over time.

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