Yoga With Benefits: 10 Every-Day Poses By Lim Lay Gaik & Sandra Woo

Whether the goal is to treat anxiety or encourage mobility, prominent yoga gurus Lim Lay Gaik and Sandra Woo show us the basic sequences that are functional and effective.

You don’t have to wait for a special occasion, like International Yoga Day every June 21, to start practising yoga. With its wide range of benefits, from physical to spiritual, factoring its low impact, meditative and strengthening principles, it is suitable for daily life. It is also a great exercise for any body, as demonstrated by seasoned yogis, Lim Lay Gaik and Sandra Woo. For the uninitiated, yoga can seem intimidating, but like everything else, it’s important to establish the foundations to a safe and efficient practice. Lay Gaik and Sandra show and tell 5 poses that invite energy and mobility, as told in their own words.

Above Lim Lay Gaik's yoga practice of almost 20 years has helped calm her mind and imparted an agelessness to her overall appearance (Photo credit: Khairul Imran)

Lim Lay Gaik

Lay Gaik has almost 20 years of yoga practice under her belt, and at the age of 56, she is a senior among her peers. Yoga has helped her be calm and in control of her emotions, as well as her fountain of youth. She shows us 5 moves to help release tension and anxiety, and aid in blood circulation—an ideal ritual to start the day.

1. Sugar Cane Pose

Also known as Ardha Chandra Chapasana. This builds endurance in the feet, strengthens legs, and opens the hips, among other benefits.

2. Intense Leg Stretch C

The Prasarita Padottanasana C pose stretches the back and inner muscles of the legs, a hip opener, and lengthens the spine, shoulders and chest. It grounds and calms the mind and relieves mild back pain, too.

3. 3-legged Downward Facing Dog

Tri Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana stretches the entire body, builds strength, and not to mention, energises and relieves stress, headache, fatigue and even indigestion.

4. Half Spinal Twist

Believe it or not, the Vajrasana pose stimulates the pancreas and is beneficial for people with diabetes. It also reduces belly fat and relieves a stiff spine.

5. Thunderbolt Pose with Eagle Arms

The Vajrasana Garudasana pose stretches the joints of the wrists, elbows and shoulders. It also improves posture and relieves the stress along shoulders and lower neck.

Above Sandra Woo is known for her flexy-bendy yoga poses, but she's a proponent of understanding and working with your unique range of motion (Photo: Khairul Imran)

Sandra Woo

Sandra has practised yoga for 5 years, and while she has reaped its benefits, it has also sharpened her mental and emotional well wellbeing. Famous for her flexible and core-tightening postures, Sandra cannot emphasise more on the fundamentals, which is to first get familiar with your own mobility. She shared 5 accessible postures that can be attempted by the most sedentary of office workers.

6. The upper trapezius stretch

Though not a traditional yoga postures, it’s been adapted to loosen and open up the back and neck. It can also prevent neck pain.

7. Heart and shoulder opener

This yoga drill prepares you for bigger yoga postures, and I like to break it down into very accessible movements.

8. 90-degree forward fold

This is a prerequisite to full forward fold, it opens the hamstrings, works through hips and core, very doable as it can be regressed or progressed to approach different people’s needs.

9. Reclining Hand-To-Big-Toe Pose

Also known as Supta Padangusthasana. I like doing this because the dynamic movement of bent knee to straight-leg will work you to more relaxed muscles with the breath.

10. Chair Pigeon

In other disciplines it’s called the 4-figure stretch or piriformis stretch. It opens the glutes, releases the lower back, works with hip flexors: general mobility work.

Credits

Photography

Khairul Imran

Video Editor

Dean Shaari

Location

Be Urban Wellness