HYDERABAD: Practising yoga, as therapeutic as it may be, can be a discomforting experience for people with joint pains and other bone-related ailments.
However, as with swimming, often recommended by physicians as a full-body exercise for such patients, aquatic yoga is slowly emerging as the preferred mode of regimen by many.
As the name suggests, aquatic yoga is practised in shallow waters, and help in relieving stress. “Yoga and water gel with each other.
As we know, 60 per cent of the body is made up of water. Aquatic yoga makes one calmer and helps to relieve stress faster,” said Pratibha Agarwal of Anahata Yoga Zone.
Pratibha said: “The challenging postures that one does on mats, are often, very easy to perform in water and vice versa.”
For instance, the ‘half moon’ posture can be pretty challenging on dry land. However, the buoyancy of water makes it easier for it to be performed in the pool.
Pratibha added that it also helps in ‘repatterning’ the new neuromuscular patterns. A neuromuscular pattern is essentially the functions that take place in the brain behind a physical movement. The more a pattern is used, the stronger it becomes.
So, by ‘repatterning’ it through aquatic yoga, Pratibha indicates that it would help bring a positive change in people’s daily physical activities and emotional states of being.
“It boils down to breaking the habit pattern,” she added.
Apart from this, Pratibha said that aquatic yoga helps in increasing the lung capacity of an individual. It can be practised by anyone and not just people with joint pains, she added.
Prescribed exercises under aquatic yoga-
Half Moon
Begin with the hands extended out to the sides at the shoulder level, resting on water weights. Apply light pressure on the weights.
Lean to the right and lift the left foot off the floor of the water until it is parallel to the ground. Hold for ten breaths before trying the same with the other side.
Floating Tree
For this beginners’ step, one needs to be floating on the water with arms and legs extended in front of them.
Pull the left leg so that it rests on the shin or thigh. Bend the elbows and bring the palms together. If one is having a hard time floating, the toes can be placed on the edge of the pool to keep the legs up.
Floating Boat
This exercise is ideal for strengthening abdominals. Stand with the hands outstretched while resting them on pool noodles.
Press down on the noodle and bend the knees, lifting them off the floor. Extend the knees so that toes are pointing towards the sky.
The Standing Tree
The standing tree or water vriksasana helps in increasing balance by having one stand on a single leg.
When performed in water, it helps one from falling over. It works on one’s ankles, glutes, inner thighs and quads.
Water makes it all easy
The challenging postures that one does on mats, are often, very easy to perform in water, says Pratibha. For instance, the ‘half moon’ posture can be challenging on land.
However, the buoyancy of water makes it easier for it to be performed in the pool