Top Hot Yoga Poses For Flexibility

April 13, 2022 Jeremy Smolicz

When you clock out at the end of the day it’s not uncommon that you might find muscle tightness in certain areas of your body. Especially when so many of us are bound to a desk or on our feet all day. It’s easy for bad postural habits to kick in, and with that chronic pain. There are a lot of factors that play into one’s level of flexibility such as genetics, gender, age, body shape, and level of physical activity. Not to mention as people grow older, they tend to lose flexibility, usually as a result of inactivity, or lack of stretching. Proper posture, choice of exercises, and stretches will prevent tightness due to decreased range of motion. Maybe some of you are out there scratching your head not seeing how improving flexibility is going to improve your overall health. It’s true! A little extra time each day devoted to stretching can give you big health gains in the long run. Speaking of the benefits of yoga, check out all the physical and mental health benefits of hot yoga practice.

Some benefits of flexibility training include:

Increases mobility
- The more flexible your muscles are the greater your mobility is likely to be. Flexible muscles tend to make moving more comfortable and allow your joints to move in proper sequences. AKA your body will know how to kick in and support itself during your preferred method of exercise (like yoga!)
Improves posture
- Stretching and strengthening your muscles can reactivate them to better support your core so you are less likely to hunch over and strain your neck.
Releases muscle tension and soreness
- Stress can easily cause our muscles to tighten, leading to discomfort and chronic pain. Increasing flexibility, through light stretching at home and yoga, can increase blood flow to the muscle and cartilage. This helps to increase the delivery of nutrients to the muscle and reduce muscle soreness. Stretching can also increase serotonin levels – i.e., the hormone that makes us feel good – which can decrease feelings of depression and anxiety.
Reduces the risk of injury
- Stretching might help prevent muscle and ligament sprain injuries because it helps improve the flexibility of muscle tissues and ligaments. This could mean you could be less likely to get as many injuries as you would if you had a restricted range of motion and were less flexible.

Why our members are loving practicing hot yoga

“Yoga can be a fabulous way to improve your flexibility, balance, and mental health. Hot yoga can particularly be an effective way to achieve a greater range of motion as the heat allows you to stretch further. So, if you’re looking to add some yoga poses for flexibility to your daily roster look no further. I love the hot yoga classes at Fast Twitch. The teachers make the classes fun and enjoyable.“

Here are 10 of our favourite yoga poses to increase flexibility

Standing forward bend (Uttanasana)
Wonderful beginner pose that will provide you with a deep stretch while improving your flexibility and revitalising your mind. This pose will stretch your hips, hamstrings, and calves while strengthening your thighs and knees. It will also keep your spine strong and flexible.
Seated Wide-Legged Straddle (Upavistha Konasana)
Stretches, strengthens, lengthens. A big win all around! If you’re in a pinch in the middle of the day looking for some relief in your lower back, then this stretch is a must-do. This pose can also help boost energy in your body and be a calming practice for you. It will stretch your lower and upper back, core, gluteus, hamstrings, hips, neck, pelvic region, and quadriceps.
Eye of the Needle (Sucirandhrasana)
This pose will stretch the muscles around your hips, lower back, and hamstrings. It will also increase blood flow and circulation to the legs and hips, relieves cramps, and reduces anxiety.
Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana)
An ideal total body stretch. The folded legs are said to resemble a cow’s mouth; the elbows form the shape of a cow’s ears. What a way to increase flexibility to get your body moo-ving! Be aware this pose can make for an incredible challenge. That being said, the attention to your alignment will certainly help the future of your posture.
Pyramid Pose (Ardha Parsvottanasana)
Here we have a pose that encourages balance and body awareness. This deep forward fold will stretch hip muscles and hamstrings and lengthen the spine. The narrow stance emboldens you to nurture your stability and find the power in your strength. It can be challenging to truly let your head fall in this pose but be bold! Go ahead and release all that tension you’ve been holding onto in your day to reap the benefits you so truly deserve.
Head-to-Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana)
This is an effective stretch to release the tightness in your hamstrings and calves. It will also concurrently reduce pain in the waist and legs and stretch out your spine, liver, spleen, groin, and shoulders. We also dig this pose because of its calming effect on the brain.
Bow Pose (Dhanu)
This is a great way to open up your hip flexors, which often go underused. By unlocking the hips, you can improve circulation, reduce lower back pain, and increase mobility in the area. Not only that, but you are simultaneously stimulating the organs in your digestional tract. Did you know you can massage your organs with certain yoga poses? Seriously! This pose can help relieve constipation and or stomach discomfort.
Cat/Cow Pose (Marjaryasana/Bitilasana)
Like Bow Pose, we love this pose for the extra love it gives our organs. Cat/Cow massages and stimulates the kidney and adrenal glands. This stretch will also do wonders in strengthening your spine by activating your tailbone and releasing neck and upper back tension.
Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana)
Stretches the thighs and opens the chest simultaneously. This pose can also help with post-workout recovery and boosts your energy levels as you consciously improve your posture. For those of you who hold tension in your hips, this stretch will be ideal for you!
Down Dog (Adho Mukha)
This pose is a perfect way to observe and correct your body’s imbalances. We know all too well how the throes of daily life can offset our balance and flexibility. It uses your leg and arm strength to evenly stretch your spine. At the same time, it will also stretch your hips, calves, and hamstrings, while strengthening your quadriceps and ankles. Down dog is a staple basic in yoga and will prepare you for other poses in your practice at our Hot Yoga Studio.

As you practice these stretches, please go easy on yourself. Increased flexibility is a long-term practice and rushing into stretches too deeply could leave you at risk for injury. Remember to listen to your body and breathe. We hope these poses will be just the thing you need for you to forge a mind/body connection in your practice at Fast Twitch’s Hot Yoga Studio.