12 Health Benefits of Vyaghrasana Yoga Asana And Step-By-Step Guide

Welcome, readers! Have you ever felt the urge to move with the grace and power of a tiger? Well, yoga offers a way to channel your inner feline with the benefits of Vyaghrasana, the aptly named "Tiger Pose." 

Why are we talking about tigers and stretching? Well, in this fast-paced world, finding time to relax and unwind is often tricky. This, coupled with an increasing workload, usually leads to various mental and physical ailments, affecting lifestyle and relationships. The solution? Yoga. Yes, indeed, because yoga helps relax and calm the mind and improves physical function like nothing else!   

Yoga is an art that controls the body and mind. According to Panch Koshy, yoga can balance mind-body disorders by using breathing techniques and practising yoga postures. Powerful yoga poses can help you maintain a healthy body and mind, and one such pose is Vyaghrasana.   

So, in this blog, you will learn how to channel your inner tiger—not literally, but with the benefits of Vyaghrasana. We'll discuss the pose in detail with a step-by-step guide so that you can perform it flawlessly and decongest from the daily stress of life. Keep reading to know more!   

Table Of Contents 

1. About Vyaghrasana Pose  

2. 12 Science-Backed Vyaghrasana Benefits For Health  

3. Benefits Of Vyaghrasana For Females  

4. How To Perform Vyaghrasana Steps?  

5. Dietitian’s Recommendation  

6. The Final Say 

7. FAQs  

8. References 

About Vyaghrasana Pose  

Vyaghrasana is a simple and effective pose that stimulates the spinal nerves. The name comes from the Sanskrit words “Vyaghra,” meaning “tiger,” and “asana,” meaning “posture.” Vyahrasana asana is also called tiger pose because it mimics the stretching movements of a tiger.  

Like many other animals, tigers stretch their limbs generously in asana movements, especially after waking up from a deep sleep. This powerful pose involves a series of coordinated movements that provide flexibility and strength to the body while engaging the mind in focused awareness. Tiger poses yoga improves flexibility in the spine and strengthens the muscles of the abdomen, back, legs, thighs, and buttocks. 

The benefits of Vyaghrasana are many, including increased physical strength and flexibility, mental focus and spiritual awareness. Incorporating Vyaghrasana into your practice can help you achieve a harmonious combination of strength, flexibility, and awareness.   

Also Read: Explore Trikonasana Yoga Benefits, Types And Steps  

12 Science-Backed Vyaghrasana Benefits For Health  

Below are the key benefits of Vyaghrasana (tiger pose):   

1. Strengthens Your Arm Muscles 

One of the most well-known benefits of Vyaghrasana is that this pose places your body on all fours, knees, and hands, so your entire body weight rests on them. It’s essential to distribute your weight evenly, but if you’re a beginner, all your weight will be on your arms. This further improves strength around the elbows, wrists, and shoulders.   

Also Read: Yoga: A Key To Healthy Lifestyle! 

2. Strengthens Your Knees And Hips 

Since the weight of the hips is on the hips and knees, strengthening the muscles around the knees and hips while doing this posture will also improve your strength. If left free, the person will have less control over their body and cannot remain calm. Therefore, it is essential to keep these muscles strong. Tensing your muscles repeatedly strengthens them and allows you to stay in that Vyahrasana position longer.    

3. Provides Balance And Flexibility 

Vyahrasana focuses on the lower abdomen and lower back and helps considerably open the hips. Opening the hips means eliminating pressure around them. The exercise should be done equally on both legs, but it also balances the hip joints. Well-balanced hips ensure internal alignment and improve flexibility in the muscles around the hips.     

4. Burns Excess Fat And Tones Thighs 

While doing this pose, strengthening your buttocks and thigh muscles will help eliminate and burn excess fat. This is where your hips and thighs get their elasticity.     

5. Improves Digestive System  

During Vyaghrasana practice, the focus should be on the core. Good posture requires pulling your core muscles in with your stomach, but the internal organs around these muscles begin to function properly, improving your digestive system.  Further, your abdominal muscles will tone, which helps maintain abdominal health.   

6. Relieves Stress On Your Back 

Another chief benefit of practising Vyaghrasana is expanding and contracting the lower back muscles while drawing the abdomen deeply, making breathing slow and even. Continuous movement of the back muscles reduces stiffness and relieves pain or tightness in the lower back.    

7. Tones Spinal Nerves 

While the breath expands and contracts all the muscles around the spine, the nerves receive enough prana to help heal and keep them in good condition. This nerve also relaxes the sciatic nerve, reducing the symptoms and pain of sciatica.    

8. Reproductive Organs Become Stronger 

This deep stretch trains the deep movement and extension of the lower abdominal muscles toward the abdomen, where they stretch the most when lifting the leg. This stretch also helps tighten the muscles around the vagina, making it a good posture for postpartum women.    

9. Great Chest Opener 

A variation of this pose, Tiger Pose, can be a great stretch to open your chest by lifting your neck upward while maintaining balance. Opening the chest is suitable for treating allergies related to asthma.    

10. Helps With Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) 

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a gastrointestinal and intestinal condition that causes abdominal pain, bloating, discomfort, and headaches. A 2015 study by Kavuri et al. found that a yoga practice that includes breathing techniques and asanas, such as Vyaghrasana, can reduce irritable bowel disease.   

Also Read: Transform Body With These 24 Yoga Positions  

11. Beneficial For Type 1 Diabetes 

Type 1 diabetes is a genetic disease in which the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas are destroyed. Insulin is used to control blood sugar levels. A study by Maurya et al. 2020 revealed that following a yoga regimen that includes vyayama and Vyaghrasana, purification processes, and controlled breathing has been shown to benefit people with type 1 diabetes.  

Studies have shown that yoga poses like Vyaghrasana repair pancreatic cells, improve blood flow to the muscles, and increase insulin secretion, which regulates blood sugar levels.  

12. Helps With Depression 

Depression, a prevalent mental health issue globally, affects millions. A 2022 study by Kim et al. discovered that participation in eight yoga sessions, combining asanas and meditation, including Vyaghrasana, for 120 minutes weekly notably reduced depression symptoms among single mothers. Additionally, yoga has shown promise in alleviating anxiety and fostering mental well-being and tranquillity. However, further research is imperative to comprehensively grasp the benefits of Vyaghrasana and yoga for depression management. Individuals grappling with depression should seek professional medical guidance alongside exploring complementary practices like yoga. 

Also Read: Discover 9 Best Yoga Poses For Weight Loss And Its Benefits 

Benefits Of Vyaghrasana For Females  

The following are the benefits of Vyaghrasana for females:  

1. Increases Flexibility Of The Spine 

Tiger pose causes your spine to move in waves. This relaxes the intervertebral joints and provides good lubrication with cerebrospinal fluid. Thus, the spine becomes flexible and supple. Tiger pose is especially recommended for postpartum women. It tones and strengthens the female reproductive organs and the muscles in this area. However, it also restores reproductive health in fertile women.   

2. Stimulates Blood Circulation In The Abdominal Cavity 

Raising and lowering your legs in this asana compresses and relaxes your abdomen. Due to the activity of the abdomen, blood circulation in the abdominal muscles increases, which is very important for women. Blood circulation also increases. Improve feedback from relevant local authorities.   

3. Reduces Weight 

A revitalised metabolism burns excess fat around your hips, thighs, stomach, and waist. Thus, it reduces weight and makes a person healthy in the long run.   

4. Calms And Relaxes Mind 

Moving your head up and down relieves tension in the neck that supports your head. Shaking your head induces relaxation and ultimately calms the mind.  

5. Good For Your Joints 

Applying pressure to your hips, knees, ankles, shoulders, elbows, wrists, and neck improves joint movement. Thus, it wakes up your body and keeps your joints flexible and toned. Females specifically have joint problems, and that’s why this asan is very helpful for female joint health.  

Also Read: Yoga For Hair Growth: Best Asanas, Benefits & Instructions 

How To Perform Vyaghrasana Steps? 

After reading about the benefits of Vyaghrasana, here is a detailed guide on how to perform Vyaghrasana: 

Dietitian’s Recommendation 

Practising Vygahrasana allows you to massage the lower muscles and organs responsible for digestion, excretion, and reproduction. And strengthen the muscles in this area. After pregnancy, women should regularly practice Vyaghrasana to tone their reproductive organs and abdominal muscles.  

If your job involves sitting on a chair/desk all day, practice Vyaghrasana to relax your muscles, spine, hips, and leg joints. You can achieve a healthy work-life through regular yoga practice. 

Dt. Lavina Chauhan  

The Final Say 

Vyaghrasana, the Tiger Pose, may seem deceptively simple at first glance. But as you've explored, it offers a wealth of benefits of Vyaghrasana that extend far beyond a basic stretch.  Remember, mastering Vyaghrasana takes practice, patience, and a playful spirit. Don't be discouraged if you don't achieve perfect form right away. So, incorporate Vyaghrasana into your yoga routine and unleash your inner tiger. With each practice, you'll feel your body grow stronger, your spine more flexible, and your overall well-being soar. 

FAQs 

1. What are some Vyaghrasana variations that can be added to the yoga routine? 

The Vyaghrasana variations are Athena Vyaghrasana-Raised tiger position; Vyaghrasana, foot touching head; Vyaghrasana, foot resting on the head and Eka hasta Vyaghrasana (Handed tiger position). 

2. Who shouldn’t do tiger pose?  

People with hernias, weak wrists, slipped discs, joint pain, spinal injuries, migraines, severe back pain, cervical pain, hip, hip and knee problems, and those who have recently had back, neck, chest, stomach, or leg problems Viagra Sana ( Vyaghrasana ) should not be used.