Open Your Heart: Chest Opening Yoga Poses

Hunching over a computer as many of us do and bad posture not only has a damaging affect on our back and shoulders but it also affects the front of our body and our chest in particular.

When we round our shoulders we tend to ‘squash’ our heart and this can lead to an uncomfortable tight feeling around our chest. Chest opening poses or back bends as they are often called are great for lengthening the front and the back of our body and relieving tightness in our shoulders.

Bow Pose

• Lie with the front of your body on your mat
• Rest one side of your head on the floor or rest your forehead on a folded blanket in front of you
• Placing your chin on the floor bend your knees and take hold of the outer edges of your feet or ankles
• Keeping your knees hip-distance apart inhale and raise your chin off the floor and look straight in front of you
• Exhale and push the soles of your feet up towards the ceiling lifting your thighs off the floor whilst pressing your belly to the floor and lifting your chest.

Cobra

• Lie with the front of your body on the mat
• Place your forehead on the floor or on a folded blanket in front of you. Your hands are by your sides and your toes point to the back of the room.
• Bring your arms closer to your chest, inhale and raise your head, shoulders and front of the body keeping your pubic bone grounded onto the mat.
• Exhale and push your palms down into the mat and raise the front of your body as high as you can comfortably go, looking straight ahead.

Camel Pose

• Begin in a kneeling position with your knees hip-distance apart and your toes pointing to the back of the room flat on the floor.
• Keeping your pelvis over your knees
• Lean back, curling your back gently as far as you can go and grab your heels, lifting your heart and relaxing your throat.