To suit various body conditions it is advisable to consult your Doctor before undertaking, any exercise. The Yogic exercises given earlier were for certain common ailments, and the suggestions made here in under are to take care of body as it grows and performs different functions for better health.
Pregnancy: It is natural to emulate the position for delivery (like commonly used squat birth) with exercises practised daily for few minutes. These help later in easy delivery. They can be continued in association with other exercises even after delivery to get your muscles back to normal.
Babies and Children: Besides verbal affection, it is essential to give loving touch, and playing movements to a baby. Simple massage and gentle stretching movements help to develop the child better and make his body flexible for future. The basic Splits, Ploughs, and Bowing by keeping the child on your straight legs promote natural and healthy growth. The child can be taught the shape of letters with easy set of movements of his own body. Later the Lotus positions with normal breathing can be started by children to develop and maintain flexibility.
Older Age: As the age advances various body systems and organs get weak and need to be given some exercises to keep them fit, and compensate for daily sedentary and inactive conditions. The commonly affected parts are described here:
limbs: In case regular exercise schedule has not been followed all through, the Yoga in middle or later age has to be performed gradually in various bends and stretches with a support against a wall. Keep your weight evenly distributed on both feet and observe normal breathing. With regular practice you would regain flexibility and confidence.
Baldness: This is commonly seen with the advancing age, and a person feels shy in the society. People are found spending a lot on different treatments to check it and later use alternative wigs to cover it. It is suggested the Shirshasana, which is considered the king of an Yoga exercises, helps increase the blood supply to the head, and then scalp and hair resulting in hair growth through the pressure and release effect of the exercise.
Deafness-Exposure to constant loud noises cause wear of the ear drums. Every one undergo some loss of hearing power with the age. There are exercises which can defer the on slaught of deafness in lifetime. Also there are mantras to chant loudly or internally, which prove beneficial to the ears, eyes and throat. Sitting in Padmasan (Lotus) or any other comfortable pose and chant any of the chosen mantra sounding for about 4-5 minutes each day, feeling the vibration of the sound. The words could be OM, HAM, or any other of your choice. Inhale deeply, and exhale, using your chosen mantra. The exercise of pendulum formation by bending head and torso downwards with complete breath, and another stretching up with raised arms over head in standing position and yawning several times prove helpful.
Weak Eyesight: With age the muscles behind the eyes get weak and our eyesight starts falling. The good eyesight can be maintained by Tratak exercise. In addition the Bhujangasana (Cobra) and Dhanurasana and other balancing exercises can be performed. When these exercises and asanas are done regularly, the weak eyesight can be improved, and good eyesight is prolonged. The eye movements help strengthening of eye muscles, and thus use your eyes as much as possible during yogasanas in natural condition even without spectacles.
Cold Conditions: It is important to prepare body for cold weather by doing certain exercises. These movements improve blood circulation. Warming of breath, upper limbs, lower limbs, and body is undertaken by different postures involving circling, and crossover movements of various parts and joints including fingers, ankles and toes. Such exercises for improving circulation if performed right from the summer season can prevent chilblains later. Exercises on throat relaxation and massaging stimulates the circulation of blood to the throat giving relief to sore throats.
Sportspersons : Concentration has been and will always be a key factor for success in sport as in many other spheres of activities. Yoga provides tips on it, and the practice of yogic exercises asanas help a Lot in improving the concentration among sports persons thereby eliminating the miss in the game. Yoga is basically uncompetitive, but it is dynamic enough to provide stimulating drive to sports persons. They play games so aggressively, and in competition, and thus need to improve their physical and mental powers. Different stretching, bending, sitting, and breathing exercises according to the game requirements need to be performed to prepare and condition the body. The yogic exercises help even the disabled persons. These can be practised alone, or with the help of somebody depending on the severity of the handicap.
Weight Control: One needs to have a normal weight to keep himself fit, active, and free from many obesity-related diseases. When one is idle, underemployed, or overworked and tired, it is all easy to recoup Lost energy by extra eating of tasty items rather than nutritious ones. The yogic exercises provide mental and physical tonic. The Shirsasana and Sarvangasana help in flexibility of the spinal column and the compression in inverted poses increase blood supply to the face and thyroid benefits which are so essential for weight control. Various bending exercises for abdominal muscles and toning poses can be practised to keep agile and young.