5 Yoga Asanas to Strengthen Your Lungs During Coronavirus Pandemic

Social distancing, wearing a mask and eating a healthy diet are among the few things you should do to up your immunity during the Covid-19 pandemic. To truly take stock of your health, it is also pertinent to spend some time for the wellness of your lungs.

So, even though your community parks and gyms may be shut due to the lockdown, you can always rely on Yoga to give your respiratory system a much-needed workout. All you need is a yoga mat to get started.

"Even if you do not own a yoga mat simply use a blanket or a soft cushion to place under your knees in order to protect them and get started with asanas. Yoga is a holistic science that takes care of your physical, mental, and spiritual well being. Yoga with postures, meditation practices, pranayama, mudras and more provides a full body-mind-spirit workout," says celebrity yoga guru and Himalayan Siddha, Grand Master Akshar. 

He shares his pick of yoga postures that are designed to improve your lung capacity while helping you to increase the oxygen intake, removing toxins from the body, and keeping your respiratory tract free from any infections.

Ardha Chandrasana

•    Begin in Padahasathasana 
•    Extend your left leg back, place your knee down extending your toes out 
•    Stretch your arms over your head and look upwards 
•    Align your right knee with your ankle 
•    Inhale and bend back 
•    Hold the pose for a while 
•    Repeat the same with the other leg

Dhanurasana

•    Lie down on your stomach
•    Bend your knees and hold your ankles with your palms
•    Lift your legs and arms as high as you can 
•    Look up and hold the posture for a while

Hastha Uthanasana

•    Begin in Samasthithi
•    Raise your arms and stretch up
•    Turn your palms to face each other
•    Align your head between your arms
•    Inhale and gently bend back 
•    Keep your knees straight, eyes remain open

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

•    Lie flat on your stomach placing your palms under the shoulders. 
•    With feet together, extend your toes on the ground. 
•    Inhale and lift up the head, shoulders and chest
•    Keep your navel on the floor, but broaden your shoulders. 
•    Slowly exhale down 

Khand Pranayama

•    Sit in a comfortable pose 
•    Straighten your back and close your eyes 
•    Place your palms on your knees 
•    As you inhale, divide your breath into two equal parts
•    Without holding in the breath, exhale in two parts 

He adds, "The ideal time to practice yoga is at the crack of dawn. The morning sun is very beneficial for your physical and mental health. And this will also keep you active, energized, focused, and positive for the rest of the day. Always start your practice with sukshm vyayam which are subtle exercises done in yoga to warm up the body. This consists of gentle ankle rotation; massaging the knees and ankles, rotating your hips, neck, and warming up the joints of your body and waking up the spine to prevent injuries."