• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
PIOR Living

PIOR Living

  • Shop
  • Team
  • Ask Selina
  • Journal
  • FAQ
  • Partnerships
  • My Account
  • Cart

Energize Your Body and Mind with These Yoga Poses

PIOR Living / Yoga Life & Reflections / Energize Your Body and Mind with These Yoga Poses

Feeling sluggish or drained? Yoga is the natural energy boost your body and mind are craving! The right yoga asanas and sequences can invigorate and warm you.

According to Ayurveda, feelings of fatigue and low energy are often the result of an increase in the Kapha dosha. The antidote is creating more stimulation, warmth, and lightness in our lives. ⁠Sun salutations are an effective way to invoke these qualities and shake off any sleepiness, heaviness and lethargy.⁠ Sun salutations help to increase vigor, vitality and warm up your body, just as the sun does.

Once you’ve warmed up your body, the next best type of yoga for energy is backbend asanas. Backbends naturally stretch and activate the spine, expanding the heart space and making us feel more awake.

Here’s a list of the best backbends for increasing energy.

Backbends to Practice for Energy

Before practicing any type of yoga backbend, it is important to warm up. Try a couple of cat/cow poses and as always, listen and honor your body during your yoga practice.

  • Cobra Pose, also known as Bhujangasana, is a great pose to begin your backbend warm-up. While lying on the stomach, bring both palms to the outside of the ribcage. Press into your palms to lift up, never locking through the elbows. Allow your gaze to slightly lift while taking a few deep breaths. Feel the stretch and opening through the chest and front body.
  • Sphinx Pose is a great backbend to start with if you are new to backbending. Your forearms stay grounded with elbows under shoulders. Widen across the collarbones and heart space. To intensify, you can tuck the toes under to lift the knee caps off of your mat.
  • Upward-Facing Dog Pose, also known as Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, is a powerful pose in which the palms of your hands and the tops of your feet are the only surfaces grounded on the mat. This pose will ignite your upper body strength as the front body stretches. Take a few deep breaths, breathing in energy and exhaling anything no longer serving you.
  • Camel Pose, also known as Ustrasana, is a deeper backbend. From the shins, tuck the toes under. As you inhale, lift through the back of the heart. You can choose to keep your hands on the small of your back or reach for the heels. Energetically press your hips towards the front of your mat. To come out, slowly exit to sitting on your shins. Take a few calming breaths and give it one more try if you are up to it!
  • Bridge Pose is a type of backbend with so many benefits, including improving digestion, stimulating the endocrine system, improving nervous system function, and of course, boosting energy! Press into the palms and feet to lift the hips up towards the sky. You can try variations such as lifting the heels up or walking the shoulder blades underneath you while clasping the hands. Stay for 5 deep breaths before lowering down. Windshield wipe the knees side to side to release any tension.
  • Wheel Pose, also known as Urdhva Dhanurasana, is an advanced backbend that requires mobility in the spine and shoulders as well as strength. If wheel pose is not in your practice, it is best to learn this pose from a trained yoga teacher. If wheel pose is in your practice, it is a great pose to do daily after you move through a standing sequence and warm-up. Wheel Pose is energizing and will definitely boost your mood and lift your spirits! Get comfortable with other backbends before giving this one a try.

The combination of sun salutation and backbends will not only increase your energy, but also leave you feeling more empowered, embodied and inspired! Add this flow to your morning routine and notice how it fuels your day with vitality and passion.

For an extra energy boost, enjoy a delicious spoonful of Chyawanprash before your yoga practice. Chyawanprash is an organic superfood jam packed with herbs and spices – including adaptogens – that increase energy naturally and enhance focus and immunity for the day ahead.

Alexa Bull is an Ayurvedic Health Coach, Yoga Teacher and Aromatherapist based in Brooklyn.

Category iconYoga Life & Reflections Tag iconenergy,  nervous system,  yoga,  yoga benefits

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for education and reference purposes only. It is not meant as actual medical information. For advice about illnesses or healthcare, please visit a qualified physician.

Further Insights

self love yoga
Self Love Yoga to Deepen Your Connection to Yourself
January 16, 2021
morning meditation
A 15-Minute Morning Meditation Practice
January 3, 2021
early morning yoga
Energize Your Day with this Early Morning Yoga Sequence
January 2, 2021

Primary Sidebar

PIOR Living Chyawanprash

PIOR Living Chyawanprash
PIOR Living Chyawanprash is wild-crafted and ethically sourced.

Latest Yoga Life

Ayurvedic Herbs For Sex Power

There is a whole line of treatment in Ayurveda that deals with aphrodisiacs. It is called … [Read More...] about Ayurvedic Herbs For Sex Power

Gifts for Someone Who Meditates

9 Perfect Gifts for Someone Who Meditates and Lives Mindfully

Meditation is the gift that keeps on giving! It helps reduce stress, improve sleep, … [Read More...] about 9 Perfect Gifts for Someone Who Meditates and Lives Mindfully

Yoga Christmas Gifts

Yoga Christmas Gifts Inspired by The Chakras

Make this holiday a memorable year with these chakra inspired yoga Christmas gifts. … [Read More...] about Yoga Christmas Gifts Inspired by The Chakras

More Yoga Life...

  • Chakra Meditation Gift Ideas for Divine Alignment
  • 12 Gift Ideas for a Meditation Room to Inspire Peace and Balance
  • Meditation Tips to Inspire Your Practice
  • The Incredible Benefits of Ghee for the Vata Dosha
  • Yoga Gifts for Men that Elevate their Practice
  • Pranayama Benefits and Why You Should Practice Everyday
  • Gift Ideas for Meditation Lovers to Enhance Spirituality
  • The Best Gifts for Yoga Lovers
  • Energize Your Body and Mind with These Yoga Poses
  • Surprise Your Yogi with These Yoga Gift Basket Ideas

Stay aware with PIOR Living

Email Subscribe

Know about our exclusive recipes, specials, and offerings.
+ as with our products, no junk ever

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
digital marketing
Copyright © 2020 · Dreamzen, Inc. & PIOR Living. All Rights Reserved.
Contact |Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Trademarks | Copyright | Disclaimer
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsAccept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.