Yoga Moves That Help Improve Heart Health

This is Yoga for Your Heart. These moves boost circulation and help increase your energy. Come over to your mat, and sit on your heels. And take your hands and just put your hands on your heart. Just send an intention of healing to your heart.

Unwind, just stepping the right leg forward, bent knee, into a Low Lunge. Left leg back. Knees on the ground. You can stay here with fingertips on the ground or lift the fingertips to the sky.

Moving into a long leg, straighten the right leg, bowing over toward the knee. Bend the knee. Plant the left hand on the floor. Lift the right arm to the sky. We're going to do this three times. So come back to your Low Lunge. Hands up, if you'd like, breathing through.

Lengthening the right leg, you're really stretching the hamstrings there. Coming into the Twist, left hand on the ground, right arm to the sky, opening up the intercostal muscles along the ribs. Coming right back to the center, breathing deeply. These poses help to bring more oxygen into the bloodstream.

One more into the Twist. Left hand on the ground. Right arm to the sky. Stepping back, going to do this on the other side. Left leg through. Right leg long. Easy on the knee. Either staying Low Lunge, hands on the floor, or reach the hands up to the sky.

Do your Runner's Lunge, lengthening the hamstrings, folding over. Peel the toes back toward the face. As you move into the Twist, right hand on the mat, left arm to the sky. Come back to center. Lift arms. When the arms are overhead, you're gently energizing the heart.

And once more into the Runner's Lunge. Moving into the Twist, right hand to the floor, left arm to the sky. And back to center.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

We did that three times on each side. Stepping back, take the legs back into a Down Dog Pose. Take a deep breath into the center of the heart. Lift the tailbone. Take the right leg to the sky. Three-Legged Dog. Bend the knee. Open up through the hip. And flex the right foot.

Straighten the leg. Start to bring it through. Step the right foot to the ground, bending the knee. Easy. Ground that back heel into Warrior II Pose. Your arms are parallel to the legs. Just gaze out over the right fingertips.

And then lifting the arms up, touching palms on the inhale, exhale back to Warrior II. We're doing this a few times. Arms overhead. Arms back to Warrior II. One more. Arms overhead. Back to Warrior II.

Take your hands to the floor. Move into a High Twist. Left hand to the floor. Right arm to the sky. Stepping back to Down Dog, open through the shoulders. Left leg to the sky. Three-Legged Dog. Bending the knee, open up the left hip.

You straighten the leg. Just slide it through. Move into Warrior II. Strong legs. Strong heart. Lift up, straightening the front leg. You can touch palms or just reach the arms to the sky. On the in-breath, back to Warrior II. Inhale. Lengthen the arms overhead. Exhale. Warrior II.

Come back into your High Runner's Lunge. Move into the Twist. Right hand to the floor. Left arm unfurls to the sky.

Look at your front toe. Step back, easy, into Down Dog, lengthening the back of the legs, grounding the fingers into the mat. Stepping the right leg forward, arms in line with the legs, straightening the front leg, just start to move into Triangle Pose.

Right hand goes anywhere on the right leg. You can put it on your thigh or right by the knee. Or you can move the arm longer, down to the toes. Left arm to the sky. Strong legs. Long spine.

And reach up through the torso. Just step the back leg in a little bit. Turn the hips forward. Left arm to the sky. Right hand on the right hip. And take the left hand over for Reverse Triangle. You can have the hand on the thigh or on the knee, below the knee, any place that's comfortable for you. You want to keep the spine long. Focus on the breath.

Step back to the front of the mat. Stepping your right leg back, we'll do the Triangle on the other side, lengthening the left leg. Left arm comes out anywhere on the left leg. Right arm to the sky. Anchor yourself with that back leg, strong and steady.

And step the right leg forward. Square your hips off. Right arm to the sky. Left arm on the hip. Just take the right hand, planting it on the right leg anywhere. The left hand goes to the sky. You're getting a deep twist here, said to be soothing for the spinal nerves of the body.

Step back to the front of your mat. And then open up for a wide-legged stance. Arms out, in line with the legs. Hands on the hips as you fold the torso through that triangle in the legs. Place your hands on the floor. Right arm on the floor. Left arm to the sky. Wide-Legged Twist.

If your hand doesn't reach the floor, you can also put a pillow or a block there. Left hand to the floor. Right arm to the sky. You could also keep the left hand on the leg if your hand doesn't reach the floor.

Clasp your hands behind you. We're squeezing the shoulders here, bringing your shoulder heads together. You can also box your elbows if this pose is too difficult for you. Just give a good squeeze to the shoulders, opening up the front of the chest, the muscles along the front of the chest and the heart.

And slow and steady, take the hands to the waist, and just gently come up through the torso. Turn your feet back to the front of the mat. Step back into Mountain Pose. Bring your hands to the heart. And just take a Squat. Take a Squat to the ground. Heels can be on the mat or off.

Find a seat, left leg long. Bend your right knee. And reach out toward that front foot, reaching out to the left foot. The aim here is knee to nose.

You can put your hands around the foot. You can put your hands on the floor or on the leg. Just really relax, relaxing the back, the spinal nerves, relaxing the heart. As you lengthen the hamstrings, you're relaxing the shoulders.

Moving to the other side as you bend the knee, left knee. Just get your seat oriented. Lengthen that right leg. Flex the foot as you reach toward the foot, hands anywhere. Really relax the upper body. As you relax, you'll go deeper into the pose. Stay for three to five breaths.

We're taking this cushion. You can use any type of cushion. This is a yoga bolster. You can also use a couch cushion or a rolled-up blanket or a pillow. And just sync it up to your tailbone. Legs are long and relaxed.

Just let your feet flop out to Fish Pose. This is Supported Fish. So you're getting a backbend. If you want a little extra boost for the heart, you can put arms overhead. Box your elbows. Take deep breaths into the lungs, helping to increase lung capacity here.

Lengthening the arm bones, relax the shoulders, creating more space in the whole area of the front of the chest, that area that we often compress when we're seated. So you're really opening up that heart space area.

You can end this sequence by putting hands on the heart, sending some love to your heart. Putting arms by your side, take rest. Make sure you allow yourself some time to rest-- three to five minutes in a resting pose.