Physical exercise (30 minutes a day! Every day). This is where yoga is at its strongest: in terms of exercise, it's hard to compete with it.
Daily we do dynamic Surya-namaskar, Shakti-bandhasana and static physical exercises of yoga, including for joints are extremely useful (according to the famous yogi and yoga therapist Sri Ravi Shankar):
Trikonasana - "Triangle Pose" (knees; strengthens the legs and lower back, arms; helps open the hips; useful for sciatica and for lower back pain);
Preparatory joint stretching exercises
Our experts recommend starting yoga practice with the simplest exercises to develop plasticity. People who have stiffness should definitely start training with preparatory poses.
At this stage, you will strengthen, and sufficiently stretch your body. Your body will be ready to perform difficult asanas. Do not rush, otherwise you will be provided with stretching of ligaments and even their damage.
Here is a stretching complex that will help to make all the joint components elastic:
Sit on the floor with your back and legs straight. Extend your arms in front of you and try to put them around your calves. Tilt your body as far forward as possible. Make sure that there is no overstretching along the spine. Stay in this position for a few seconds. With each performance, try to tilt the body deeper. Your knees should not be bent. At first, do 2-3 bends. Each week add one more time and bring their number to 6.
Stand on all fours so that your toes rest on the floor. Keeping your body balanced, start to rise gradually. Thus, the highest point of this pose will be the lumbar part. Feel the tension in the muscles of the thighs and legs. To make it stronger, keep your heels on the floor.
Lying on your back, slowly raise one of your legs. It will form a right angle with your body. Look ahead of you, keep the extended limb straight. When you lower it, keep a slight tension. Hold this position for no more than 12 seconds. Repeat two to five times.
Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Grasp the bent left leg with your left hand. And pull it up as far as you can. At this time, raise your right arm above you, pointing it upwards. Bend your neck, tilt your head back a little. Take 6-8 seconds to perform. Repeat 4-5 times. Do the same with the other leg.
Dhanurasana - "Bow Pose" (knees, ankles, loki, shoulders);
Sethubandhasana - "Short Bridge Pose" (knees; useful for osteoporosis);
Ushtrasana - "Camel Pose" (knees, elbows, shoulders, plus lower back);
Titali asana - "Butterfly Pose" (performed in dynamic and static) - opens the pelvis, can help with knees and ankles;
Balasana - "Child's Pose" (another of the hip series);
Dandasana - "Plank" (helps to strengthen the joints of the arms, and at the same time the lower back);
Vasishthasana (strengthens the wrists);