Yoga Day: Amitabh Bachchan, Dia Mirza stress on breathing asanas amid Covid-19

International Yoga Day 2021: While Amitabh Bachchan performs Padmasana and calls Yoga ‘the best friend of your body’, Dia Mirza roots for ‘daily practice of breathing’ through Anulom Vilom Pranayam and Bhramari Pranayama and that is all the Monday motivation we need as beginners

If you are looking to regain stamina and immunity amid Covid-19 pandemic, search no further as Bollywood celebrities got you sorted with a plethora of Yoga exercise suggestions on International Yoga Day 2021 this Monday but Amitabh Bachchan and Dia Mirza’s recent fitness motivation is not only for beginners level but also handy in current health crisis. Stressing importance of breathing exercises, while Big B performed Padmasana and called Yoga “the best friend of your body”, Dia was all for “aligning the mind, body and soul with a daily practice of breathing” through Anulom Vilom Pranayam and Bhramari Pranayama and that is all the Monday motivation we need to get our workout routine back on track.

Taking to their respective social media handles, the actors encouraged fans towards a healthier lifestyle as we enter the mad rush of the work week. Sitting on the floor with right knee placed on the left thigh and the sole of the feet point upward while keeping the heel close to the abdomen, Amitabh repeated the same step with the other leg and placed his hands on the knees in mudra position.

Keeping his head straight, spine erect and eyes closed in a meditative state, the megastar was featured in the midst of a forest clearing as he nailed the lotus pose of Yoga or Padmasana. He captioned the picture, “… and Yoga .. the best friend of your body .. (sic).”

Dia added, “Miss you @abhisheksharmayogafitness! Let’s do yoga and take new pictures please P.S. - These are #ThrowBack pictures. #InternationalYogaDay #Yoga #YogaDay #ForNature (sic).”

Benefits of Padmasana:

This pose helps promote good posture and maintains flexibility in one’s gluteal muscles along with the deep rotator muscles of hips. Since any vigorous activity like running can tighten the piriformis, half lotus pose helps in stretching it.

The piriformis can also be tightened due to inactivity by sitting too much. This asana opens the hips and stretches the feet and ankles.

Precautions: Padmasana should not be performed by those who have knee injury or any form of injury in the ankle or calf or those suffering from any back or spine discomfort or suffering from sciatica infections or weakness in the sciatic nerves.

Benefits of Pranayama:

As the ancient practice of controlling breath, Pranayama connects body and mind, supplies body with oxygen while removing toxins and is meant to provide healing physiological benefits. The stress-relieving effects of pranayama include improving one’s sleep quality, increasing mindfulness and reducing high blood pressure.

Bhramari Pranayama helps generate up to 15% more nitric oxide through the vibrations of the humming sound, ‘Aum’. This, in turn, helps early recovery and healing from Covid-19, relaxes the mind, lowers stress, improves concentration and alleviates anxiety.

Anulom Vilom Pranayam has a number of benefits like improving immune system, boosting your memory, improving respiratory and cardiovascular health and regulating blood pressure. This Yoga asana also improves sleep and helps to de-stress.

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