Yoga Practical: Asana Practice, Alignment and Benefits
Classifying asanas
Group postures by position (standing, seated, supine, prone, inverted) and by movement (forward bend, backbend, twist, side bend, balance, traction). Know the classical references - Tadasana as the blueprint for standing alignment, Vrikshasana and Garudasana for balance, Bhujangasana, Ustrasana and Setu Bandhasana for extension, Paschimottanasana and Janu Sirsasana for flexion, Ardha Matsyendrasana and Marichyasana for rotation, Sarvangasana, Halasana and Sirsasana as inversions.
Surya Namaskara
The twelve-step sequence: Pranamasana, Hasta Uttanasana, Padahastasana, Ashwa Sanchalanasana, Dandasana (plank), Ashtanga Namaskara, Bhujangasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Ashwa Sanchalanasana, Padahastasana, Hasta Uttanasana, Pranamasana - saluting the sun, one round on each leg. It warms up the whole body and is a compact cardiovascular and mobility drill.
Alignment principles
Stack joints, distribute weight evenly, keep the spine long before bending, micro-bend rather than lock the knees, keep the lower ribs from flaring, and let the neck follow the direction of the chest. Never force range; range comes from breath and repetition. Every strong posture needs a counterpose (backbend after forward bend, twist to the other side, gentle forward fold after inversion), and every class ends in Savasana.
Benefits and cautions
Asana builds strength, flexibility, balance and proprioception; it supports joint health, posture, digestion and sleep, and reduces perceived stress. Cautions: avoid deep inversions in uncontrolled hypertension, glaucoma and neck injury; modify twists and deep folds in pregnancy; skip strong backbends in acute lumbar pain; use props for tight hamstrings.
Traps and a rule of thumb
Traps: naming the wrong first/last Surya Namaskara step, forgetting the counterpose, or claiming asana cures disease. Rule of thumb: one joint, one direction, slow and breath-led - if a student cannot breathe smoothly, the posture is too deep.