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6 Easy Yoga Poses From The Ranch At Live Oak

by Organic Spa Magazine

At the weeklong, intensive, luxury "bootcamp" that is The Ranch at Live Oak Malibu, health and fitness reign supreme. A 2015 Top Organic Spa award winner, The Ranch is results-oriented, helping guests detox, shed pounds and continue the momentum after they return home.

In honor of National Yoga Month, The Ranch shared with Organic Spa Magazine some of their favorite, at-home poses, straight from the program itself.

Lizard Pose

Benefits: Great for stretching the hip flexors.

  • From a low lunge position, with the back knee on the ground, walk the front foot a little wider than the hips and bring both hands to the inside.
  • Pull in with the lower abs to protect the back as you walk your hands forward, letting your hips drop towards the ground. Maybe coming to your elbows.
  • Slowly move hips to the right and to the left, finding a sweet spot where the stretch is nice. Some may be able to straighten their back leg for a deeper stretch of the hip flexors.

Pyramid Pose

Benefits: Fantastic for the hamstrings.

  • Standing tall with feet hip width apart (easier for most people), step one leg back about 2.5-3 feet, toes pointing toward 1 or 11 o'clock. Both legs should be straight.
  • Grab onto opposite elbows behind your back. Inhale nice and tall.
  • As you exhale, press through your front big toe to send the front hip back as you fold forward. Keep equal weight between both legs.
  • Hold for 10-15 breaths before rising on an inhale and switching legs.

Revolved Triangle

Benefits: Excellent for tight IT bands.

  • From Pyramid Pose, bring the same hand to the hip that is in front.
  • Reach the other hand up towards the sky on an inhale. As you exhale, keep the front hip reaching back and your spine long, folding forward as far as you can keeping length in the back.
  • Allow the hand that was reaching up to come to a block or to the ground.
  • Twist towards the front leg, keeping your legs straight, heels on the ground and front hip moving away from your foot. Maybe inhale your hand up towards the sky.
  • Exhale the hand down. Inhale coming up.

Reclining Twist

Benefits: The reclining twist is ideal to practice first thing in the morning.

  • Lying on your back, pull one knee into your chest and roll to the opposite hip.
  • Take a few deep breaths. It feels amazing to twist the spine first thing in the morning and sends signals to the body that you’re awake and ready to start moving.
  • Be sure to do both sides. Spinal twists liven up the body and are a wonderful way to spend the first moments of your day.

Viparita Karani

Benefits: If you are one of the many who suffer from anxiety and lack of sleep, Viparita Karani is a perfect pose to do in the evening before bed. Viparita Karani is great for digestion, headaches and more.

  • Find a wall or you can even use the headboard of your bed.
  • Flip around, lie on your back with your legs vertical against the wall.
  • Make sure your head, back and butt are on the floor and your legs are resting vertically on the wall.
  • Spend at least 2-5 minutes here. You will begin to feel all the fluids from your legs drain back toward your heart and your brain. You may feel tingling in your feet and calves, this is normal.

Savasana

Benefits: One of the most important poses in the yoga practice, Savasana is a great way to restore. A mindfulness technique to simply observe all thoughts and sensations without reacting to them, but simply accepting them with grace.

  • Simply lie flat on your back with your feet about shoulder distance, make sure your shoulders are away from your ears, and have your arms a bit out to the side. This pose should be wonderfully comfortable for your body.
  • If it hurts your back slightly, you can support your knees by putting a pillow under them.
  • At the end of a full yoga practice Savasana is held for 5-7 minutes. However, you can practice the pose at any point during the day and for as little or as long as you want. 30 seconds or 10 minutes will help with anxiety, help your body relax and help reduce fatigue. If your mind is on overdrive, make sure to follow your breathing and see if you can fall into the "witness" of your body.

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