No access to the gym? Do these 6 wall asanas at home to stay in shape

You must have heard and practiced some exercises like wall push-ups, wall sit, and leg-up-the-wall before. But have you ever thought of doing yoga asanas with the help of a wall? Not yet? Well, a wall can be a big help when it comes to performing yoga asanas.

These days when we don’t have access to the gym due to the Covid-19 restrictions, why not make our daily workout routine at home more interesting? And the wall can be your big support.

According to yoga expert Grand Master Akshar, a wall can be a great support system in your fitness journey. It can be used by practitioners of all levels; from the beginner to the advanced. Wall asanas can help you in so many different ways. They can help you get over fear related to certain poses and also give you the stable support required for inversions, backbends, etc. Plus, the wall helps improve your stability and makes even the most challenging poses accessible to you.

Grand Master Akshar suggests the following asanas, which are for beginners also and can be done by using any tiny corner of your home without requiring too much space.

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Wall asanas to help you stay fit at home:

1. Padahastasana (Forward Bending)

Forward bending poses like this ,stretch your leg muscles and increases the blood circulation in the body. Normally, it is done without a wall but using one can help in improved stretching of your muscles.

Here’s how to perform it:

• Stand against a wall
• Keep your ankles close to the wall.
• Inhale and bend your body forward
• Drop your head down and think of touching your toes with your hands.
• Make sure your knees are straight while doing the asana.
• Try going as low as possible.

2. Utkatasana (Chair Pose)

This asana is very beneficial for the knees as it strengthens the quadriceps, which helps in supporting and stabilizing the knee joints. Using the wall for this pose can also be a helpful exercise if you have a hard time getting up from squats. A wall sit uses all the muscles in our lower body to increase endurance. This is a great way to train the muscles that become passive by sitting in a chair for long hours.

Here’s how to perform it:

• Stand with your back to the wall
• Lean back and slide down as if sitting back on a chair
• Bring your quads parallel to the floor and hold the position
• Keep pressing your back into the wall.
• Hold for 20 to 60 seconds and repeat 2-3 times.
• Maintain a 90-degree angle at the hips and the knees

3. Samakonasana (Equal Angle Pose)

Samakonasana using the wall is a great way to open the shoulders and hamstrings. The wall in this particular pose supports and elevates the upper body. It can be very beneficial to eliminate lower back pain if you are not flexible in the hamstrings.

Here’s how to perform it:

• Stand with your palms flat on the wall in front of you.
• Walk back till you come into an L shape with your torso parallel to the floor
• Keep your hips at 90 degrees angle, directly above ankles.
• Lower the head down in between the arms and push the wall away with your hands lengthening your spine
• Hold for 30 to 45 seconds.

4. Shirshasana (Headstand)

If you are a beginner learning how to perform a headstand, a wall can be the perfect support for you to learn how to balance. A headstand is all about balance and alignment.

Here’s how to perform it:

• Start in Cat Pose or Marjariasana.
• Now position your elbows and forearms down on the ground and clasp your fingers, place your head close to the wall but ahead of your elbows.
• Walk in slowly with your legs up and try resting your back against the wall.
• Do not strain your neck.
• When you are comfortable you can slowly lift up your legs one by one and place them on the wall

5. Wall side plank (Vasisthasana variation)

This is a beginner-friendly variation of Side Plank or Vasisthasana and is easier on the shoulder. The shoulder joint is very mobile and can go out of alignment if we don’t actively recruit the supporting muscles.

Here’s how to perform it:

• Face the wall sideways approximately one-arm length away from the wall.
• From the hands touching the wall position, bend your arm and place your forearm on the wall then hold that position for 7 seconds.
• Tighten the abdominal area.
• Keep the head, shoulder, mid-back, low back, hips, legs, and ankles in a straight line.
• Rest and repeat.

6. Wall stand (Ardha Adho Mukha Vrikshasana)

This pose definitely strengthens your arms and your core by using the muscles in those areas to balance your body while you’re upside down. Wall stand also brings in space in tight shoulders, allowing them to open and be more flexible.

Here’s how to perform it:

• Start with sitting away from the wall with your feet flat up against the wall.
• Take your hands, place them on the floor beside your hips; and flip over into a Tabletop Position.
• Lift your hips up and come into a short Downward Dog with your heels against the wall.
• Now engage your core and take both feet to the wall to come into L-Shape.
• Breathe, breathe, breathe!

With many gyms and outdoor workout spaces being closed due to Covid-19 restrictions, you can practice yoga indoors using the help of the wall. Yoga poses and practices are the best way to stay healthy and agile!