Bikram Yoga

BELOW ARE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE POSTURES IN OUR SERIES AND THEIR BENEFITS

 

 

Standing Deep Breathing: Pranayama

 

 

• Make sure to breath slowly as this will facilitate lung expansion.
• Keep your back straight all the time and do not bend backwards. This will be easier to achieve if you suck your belly in so that your rib cage protrudes a bit.
• As you exhale, tilt your head back slightly, while keeping your eyes open.
• Shoulders should be kept in line with hips. Hips should be kept forward (you’ll achieve this by slightly squeezing your buttocks).
• When exhaling, make sure to breath out completely to get rid of every bit of CO2 in your lungs.
• Don’t worry if you feel a little dizzy or if you feel a slight pinch in the shoulder area – these are completely normal symptoms and indicate that you are doing things right.

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Helps transfer as much oxygen to your muscles and organs as possible, expands lungs, and increases focus.
• Improves blood circulation, and helps regulate blood pressure.
• Opens cervical vertebrae.
• Increases lung capacity and elasticity.
• Relieves irritability.
• Helps disturbed sleep.
• Counteracts emphysema, asthma and other breathing problems.
• Helps detoxify the body.
• Exercises the nervous respiratory and circulatory systems.

 

 

Half-Moon Pose with Hands-to-Feet Pose: Ardha Chandrasana with Pada Hastasana

 

 

• Lock arms and fully engage arm muscles
• Straighten body towards ceiling
• While bending backwards, evenly distribute this bend over all of your spine
• During Hands-to-Feet pose, glue body to legs and move elbows as close to each other as possible behind calf muscles
• Lift hips up towards the ceiling while moving face further down your legs

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Half Moon Pose strengthens every muscle in the body’s core, especially in the abdomen, and flexes and strengthens the latissimus dorsi, oblique, deltoid and trapezius muscles.
• Lessens anxiety and mental stress
• Increases the flexibility of the spine comprehensively, from coccyx to neck; promotes proper kidney function; and helps to cure enlargement of the liver and spleen.
• Firms and trims the waistline, hips, abdomen, buttocks and thighs. Strengthens thighs, calves, and all of body’s central muscles
• Helps cure constipation, and improves bowel activity by toning abdominal organs and spinal nerves.
• Provides quick energy and vitality for your practice session
• Corrects any issues with posture, and helps to alleviate lower back pain, bronchial distress, sciatic deformities, frozen shoulder.
• Exercises circulatory, glandular, pancreatic, muscular, respiratory, renal, and skeletal systems. Exercises kidney and colon.
• Stimulates pituitary gland.
• Helps detoxify the body.

 

 

Awkward Pose: Utkatasana

 

 

• Maintain 6-inch gap between knees and hands while keeping them parallel to floor
• Ensure that shoulders stay down by relaxing them throughout all 3 stages of this pose
• Ease exhaustion by focusing on stretching arms out
• Keep fingers together
• Breathe at normal pace through nose

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Continues warming up body for all other yoga poses
• Circulates fresh blood to knees and ankles
• Increases hip flexibility and relieves muscular aches and cramps
• Increases blood circulation in the knees and ankle joints; opens pelvic area
• Relieves menstrual cramping.
• Uses all major muscle groups; shapes lower muscles.
• Strengthens, firms, tones and shapes upper arms and all muscles of thighs, calves and hips.
• Cuts fat pocket under buttocks.
• Heals chronically cold feet.
• It also helps relieve rheumatism, arthritis, sciatica and gout in the legs, and helps to cure slipped discs and other problems in the lower spine.
• Good for digestion, joint pain, immune disorders.
• Improves overall body strength.

 

 

Eagle Pose: Garurasana

 

 

• Pull in stomach and keep it away from thighs
• Position fingers below nose
• Keep palms together
• Enter sitting posture and maintain straight spine
• Squeeze knees and thighs together in all areas that you feel contact between them to increase tourniquet effect
• Focus body weight onto heel of standing foot and eventually eliminate gap between wrapped foot and back of standing leg

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Warms body and readies it for next 3 poses
• Opens up and improves joint mobility in the hip girdle, ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, wrists and mobility of scapula.
• Supplies fresh blood to the reproductive system and sex organs, plus the kidneys, which increases sexual vitality and helps clear up reproductive problems and helps prostate problems..
• Promotes health of central nervous system
• Enhances lymphatic functions
• Improves balance, hip-joint mobility, and immune system
• Strengthens deltoid, trapezius, and legs
• Firms legs, arms and abdomen.
• Reduces varicose veins
• Helps reproductive organs
• Relieves tension in neck and shoulders.
• Helps detoxify the body.
• Improves balance and grace of the body.

 

 

Standing Head-to-Knee Pose: Dandayamana Janushirasana

 

 

• Evenly distribute weight over 4 points of standing foot
• Lock knee of standing leg
• Maintain tight grip with all 10 fingers, including thumbs
• Keep non-standing leg parallel to floor
• Suck in stomach and contract abdominal muscles
• Move heel away from you and toes toward face and past perpendicular position
• Touch elbows to calf muscle
• Tuck chin to chest, round spine, and touch forehead to knee

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Improves the flexibility of the sciatic nerves and strengthens the hamstrings, tendons, leg muscles and biceps, triceps, deltoids, trapezius, back muscles, latissimus dorsi, and scapula
• Strengthens muscles around the knee joint.
• It also works the muscles of the back, the biceps and the triceps.
• Helps to squeeze and flush out the internal abdominal organs, such as the gall bladder, pancreas and spleen, as well as the uterus and ovaries. Helps combat acidity and relieves flatulence.
• Uses all major muscle groups
• Exercises and massages digestive and reproductive organs
• Improves concentration, memory, mental strength, determination and patience, unifying body and mind.
• Tightens abdominal and thigh muscles
• Lessens/mitigates diabetic disorders
• Improves circulation and flexibility.
• Relieves nervousness.

 

 

Standing Bow-Pulling Pose: Dandayamana Dhanurasana

 

 

• Grab ankle joint and maintain firm grip using all 5 fingers
• Bring knees together to start to keep hips in one line
• Raise arm up and stretch it toward ceiling
• Keep standing knee locked
• Charge body forward
• Kick and then feel spine arching backward
• Visualize foot steadily moving past top of head

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Standing Bow moves all the blood from one side of the body to the other, then back again. Transfers circulation from one side of the body to other side and then equalizes circulation, exemplifying the “tourniquet” effect
• Increases circulation to heart and lungs and stimulates cardiovascular system
• It develops balance, increases the size and elasticity of the rib cage, firms the abdominal wall and upper thighs.
• It improves the flexibility and strength of the lower spine.
• Builds patience, determination and concentration.
• Opens shoulder joints and diaphragm
• Eases frozen-shoulder conditions
• Tightens buttocks, hips, and upper arms
• Reduces abdominal fat

 

 

Balancing Stick Pose: Tuladandasana

 

 

• Keep knees locked and stomach in
• Point toes of non-standing foot
• Look four feet ahead of you to keep neck in line with spine
• Press arms against ears and remove any arm-to-ear gaps
• Stretch body toward both sides as though playing tug of war

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• The forward tilt of your torso sends high-speed blood pouring into the heart, especially the neglected region, cleaning out the veins and all the arteries, strengthening the heart muscle.
• Same rejuvenating flood rushes into the brain as well.
• Increases cardiovascular circulation, especially to blood vessels of heart. May help to clear blocked arteries and to prevent cardiac problems
• It strengthens your powers of concentration.
• Provides full spinal stress relief
• Refines control and balance by enhancing physical and mental powers
• Improves posture and relieves spinal stress
• Gives many benefits for legs that standing head-to-knee pose also gives
• Reduces varicose veins
• Exercises liver, pancreas, spleen, and circulatory and nervous systems

 

 

Standing Separate-Leg Stretching Pose: Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Paschimottanasana

 

 

• Take a step (4 feet or more) to your right (wider stance = easier stretch)
• Move feet increasingly closer (if touching your forehead to the floor between your legs is easy, then use small steps; the higher the difficulty, the larger your steps)
• Keep spine straight for as long as possible
• Grab outside bottom of heels or feet when they’re within reach with locked knees, and then use arms to pull yourself further down

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Cures and prevents sciatica by stretching and strengthening sciatic nerves, as well as all the tendons in the legs.
• It also massages and improves functioning of the internal abdominal organs and the small and large intestines, and gives you added flexibility in the pelvis, ankles, calves, thighs, hip joints and especially in the bottom five vertebrae of the spine.
• Boosts circulation to brain and to adrenal glands. Exercises adrenal, muscular, and reproductive systems.
• Mitigates diseases of nervous system and effects of constipation, diabetes, and hyperacidity.
• Reduces abdominal obesity.
• Releases lower back.
• May alleviate depression.

 

 

Triangle Pose: Trikanasana

 

 

• Stretch one arm up and other one down
• Touch chin to top shoulder
• Keep shoulders down
• Push both hips toward mirror
• Touch lowered fingers between 1^st toe and 2^nd toe
• Keep torso flat and in a straight line as you stretch arm toward ceiling
• Avoid letting rib cage stick out
• Keep hips down, and prevent hips from moving up

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• It improves every single bone, muscle, joint, tendon and internal organ, and it revitalizes nerves, veins and tissues.
• Flexing and strengthening the last five vertebrae in this posture can alleviate crooked spines, as well as rheumatism and lower back pain.
• Benefits the heart and lungs, forcing them to work together.
• Stretches both sides of body and revitalizes it
• Opens and increases flexibility of hip joints
• Provides cardiovascular exercise
• Reduces saddle bags
• Helps kidneys, thyroid glands, and adrenal glands
• Opens shoulder joint and alleviates frozen shoulder
• Strengthens and tones buttocks and legs
• Aids in regulating hormonal levels
• Mitigates effects of appendicitis, colitis, spondylitis, constipation, low blood pressure, and menstrual disorders

 

 

Standing Separate-Leg Head-to-Knee Pose: Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Janushirasana

 

 

• Remember to breathe throughout pose
• Bring feet together and raise arms above head
• Form steeple grip with hands and move right leg 3 feet toward right
• Turn 90 degrees and do same with torso, hips, arms, and head
• Rotate back foot in about 45 degrees to keep hips squared forward, heels in one line and feet flat on floor
• Tuck chin into chest and maintain straightened arms and legs
• Round down from hips until forehead touches front knee
• If hamstrings or spine is tight, bend front leg until forehead touches knee
• Keep arms and back leg straight, and if you need balance, separate hands on floor
• Engage abdominal muscles, round spine by lifting belly, and straighten right leg
• Work toward these 3 goals: Keep forehead on right knee; Straighten legs; Bring hands together into prayer position
• Align hips to square hips to floor
• Keep eyes open and ensure chin is tucked tightly into chest
• End pose by doing these: Keep arms straight and next to ears; Engage abdominal muscles; Round up slowly with chin on chest and hips square

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Trims the abdomen, waistline, hips, buttocks and thighs.
• It massages and compresses the thyroid gland, which helps to regulate the metabolism and the immune system.
• Compresses belly and throat to flush out and stimulate abdomin
• Alleviates diabetic disorders
• Balances levels of blood sugar
• Aids immune system and metabolic functions by stimulating thyroid
• Helps regulate pancreas and revitalizes kidneys
• Works digestive, endocrine, and reproductive systems
• Enhances flexibility of calves, hamstrings, sciatic nerves, and spine
• Strengthens abdominal muscles and legs (particularly calves and quadriceps)
• Invigorates and stretches shoulders (especially deltoids and trapezius)

 

 

Tree Pose: Tadasana

 

 

• Choose a point for visual focus
• Concentrate and relax by deepening breath
• Balance on left leg
• Use right hand from underneath and behind to hold right foot up in front of left upper thigh
• Keep sole of right foot facing toward ceiling
• Tighten buttocks, straighten spine, and ensure the following:
• Tailbone is lengthening down
• Ribs are drawn in
• Shoulders are moving back rather than rounding forward
• Open right hip and work right knee down and back until knees are in one line
• If right foot remains above left thigh, bring hands into prayer in front of chest
• Prevent right foot from slipping by pushing hips forward and bringing right knee back
• Hold pose for 10 seconds and do opposite side.

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Improves posture and balance and increases the flexibility of the ankles and knees as well as the hip joints.
• Strengthening the internal oblique muscles and prevents hernia.
• Strengthens leg muscles–particularly calves and quadriceps.
• Prepares body for Locust pose when combined with Toe Stand
• Relieves lower-back pain
• Releases tension in belly
• Stretches spine and adductors along inner thigh
• Enhances mobility of knees and hip
• Helps correct posture 

 

 

Toe Stand Pose: Padangustasan

 

 

• Begin in Tree pose and then hinge forward from hips while keeping standing leg straight and stomach in
• Distribute weight evenly through thighs, calves, and all areas of standing foot before descending
• Reach for floor and transfer body weight to hands so that knees are protected as standing leg starts to bend
• Keep standing leg locked, bend down to ground, and focus on a point on floor in front of you
• Once you’re sitting on heel, walk hands back by hips, lift chest, and straighten spine
• If foot of folded leg slips, hold foot with opposite hand
• Maintain balance by visually focusing on floor about 2 feet away and by using core strength to straighten spine
• Lengthen spine by pretending to touch top of head to ceiling
• Bring hands into prayer
• Breathe, stay in balance, and gradually lift gaze to meet your eyes in mirror
• Engage abdominal muscles and inhale deeply through nose
• Finish pose by:
• Walk hands forward
• Push away from floor, lifting hips up and straightening standing leg with weight in hands
• Stomach in, bring upper body up to standing
• Once you’re standing, raise and then lower bent knee

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Opens up the knee and hip joints, and helps cure hemorrhoid problems.
• It also develops mental strength, balance, concentration, core strength, focus, and patience.
• Helps relieve arthritis in hips and in all leg joints.
• Strengthens joints, knees, stomach muscles, biceps, triceps, and shoulders.
• Invigorates ankles, feet, and knees–especially effective for curing gout and rheumatism.
• Prepares body for relaxation and stillness of next pose.

 

 

Corpse Pose: Savasana

 

 

• Lie back on floor, touch heels together, and let feet fall sideways
• Relax arms by letting them gently fall to both sides with palms facing up
• Keep eyes open and gaze softly at a spot on ceiling
• Pull shoulders down and back flat against floor
• Breathe slowly and deeply, in and out by nose, letting belly rise and fall with every breath, encouraging more tension to leave body with each exhale
• Focus on breathing, especially if mind wanders

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Dead Body Pose facilitates powerful blood flow, then lets circulation return to normal, creating internal cleansing and greatly magnifying the benefits of the postures that precede it.
• Optimizes circulation of freshly oxygenated blood to all areas of body.
• Maximizes release of tension by completely relaxing entire body
• Slows heart rate and reduces blood pressure
• Lessens fatigue and headache
• Calms mind, reduces insomnia, and improves sleep
• Cures fatigue and jet lag
• Improves absorption of nutrients
• Balances blood pressure, brain waves, and respiratory rate
• Strengthens immune system

 

 

Wind-Removing Pose: Pavanamuktasana

 

 

• Interlace all 10 fingers and take hold of right leg two inches below knee
• Draw right knee out and down toward chest, and pull right knee to right shoulder
• Keep elbows in close to body and relax shoulders flatly on floor
• Tuck chin into chest and press neck bones into floor.
• Keep left leg firmly on floor; if left calf muscle lifts, flex foot
• Hold pose for 10 seconds and remember to breathe
• While holding pose, allow pose to work into right hip
• Lower right leg, and repeat above steps using left leg
• Raise knees toward chest and grab onto opposite elbows, hooking arms just below knees
• If grabbing elbows isn’t possible, grab forearms, wrists or fingers
• When pulling in knees, look down through diamond shape created between arms and legs
• Work toward getting every vertebra of spine on floor by doing these: Tuck chin to chest to lengthen neck; Flatten shoulders against ground to extend upper spine; Push hips and tailbone down to work lower spine
• Remember to breathe and hold pose for 20 seconds
• Lower both legs slowly

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Wind-Removing Pose compresses and massages the ascending colon, descending colon, and transverse colon.Enhancing body’s nutrient absorption
• Strengthens the arms, prevents flatulence, improves hip flexibility, and firms and tones the abdomen wall, hips and thighs.
• Regulates and normalizes levels of hydrochloric acid in stomach
• Alleviates most chronic abdominal discomforts
• Relieves lower back pain
• Boosts functions of immune system and metabolism by compressing thyroid gland
• Stretches shoulders and entire back side of spine
• Strengthens biceps and hand muscles

 

 

Sit-Up: Pada-Hasthasana

 

 

• Start from Corpse pose
• Flex toes up toward ceiling and lock knees
• Bring both arms overhead and cross thumbs, palms facing up
• Inhale as you sit up and exhale as you start diving forward to reach for toes, keeping your arms with your ears
• Work toward keeping legs on floor, grab big toes with middle and index fingers and aim forehead towards knees and elbows towards floor
• If hamstrings and lower back are too tight, bend knees slightly to grab toes and touch forehead to knees or roll to side and push up
• Stay motivated, even if you think you have no abdominal strength; building strength takes time!

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Stretches the spine and increases flexibility.
• Strengthens and tightens abdominal muscles, and tones torso.
• Firms and trims the lower body, where many problem areas reside.
• Works the muscles, ligaments and tendons of the legs and improves circulation there as well.
• Realigns spine and enhances its flexibility
• Increases flexibility of hamstrings
• Massages abdominal organs
• Energizes body to prepare it for next pose

 

 

Cobra Pose: Bhujangasana

 

 

• Lie on belly
• Put palms flat on floor directly underneath shoulders, fingertips in line with tops of shoulders
• Keep legs and feet together and keep them stretched down and back
• Draw shoulders down and keep elbows in close to ribs
• For next step, use strength of spine and legs rather than arms (it’s not a push up)
• Inhale, look up to ceiling, and arch head and torso back until belly button just touches floor.
• Ensure that arms are “L-shaped” at 90 degrees
• Maintain slightly raised gaze and avoid supporting body weight with hands
• To prepare for 80-20 breathing, keep elbows tightly to sides of body and relax face
• Hold pose for 20 seconds while doing 80-20 breathing
• Lower chin to floor

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Strengthens the lumber spine, relieving pain and combating slipped or herniated discs, scoliosis and arthritis in that region.
• Improves digestion, provides relief from menstrual disorders (backaches, cramps, and irregularity), improves appetite, and raises low blood pressure.
• Improves the functioning of the liver and spleen.
• Helps to cure lumbago, rheumatism, and spinal arthritis
• Aids in correcting posture
• Boosts concentration
• Increases spinal flexibility and strength
• Invigorates deltoids, trapezius, and triceps
• Massages and tones back muscles

 

 

Locust Pose: Salabhasana

 

 

• Lie on belly with chin forward on towel
• Lift hips, move arms underneath body by lifting one hip at a time and rolling to one side
• Keep palm flatly on floor, spread fingers, and point fingers toward knees. Lock elbows as closely underneath you as possible.
• Relax and keep body firm and steady
• Without lifting hips, raise right leg straight up to 45-degrees, and keep left leg relaxed on floor
• Maintain tightened muscles in right leg, point toes, and lock knee
• Touch hipbones to forearms and ensure right hip is not twisting out
• Keep stretching right leg back and up and hold pose for 10 seconds
• Repeat with left leg

 

 

Both legs:

 

 

• Protect neck by tilting head down, tucking chin in, and keeping mouth on towel
• Keep arms underneath body
• Straighten legs, point toes, and lock knees
• Lift legs up away from floor, breathe through nose, and hold pose for 10 seconds
• Strive to lift legs and hips away from floor all the way to belly button
• Lower both legs without collapsing
• Turn to one side arms out from underneath you, palms up, toes touch and heels out.

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Locust Pose has many of the same benefits as Cobra, but it is even better for slipped discs, sciatica and gout.
• Strengthens shoulders, pectorals, elbows, wrists, and upper spine, and the uncomfortable stretching of the arms can actually relieve tennis elbow.
• Locust can also help with varicose veins in the legs.
• Encourages concentration and perseverance.
• Targets upper back.
• Boosts circulation.
• Increases flexibility and tone in spinal muscles.
• Firms hips, buttocks, and legs.
• Invigorates arm and back muscles.
• Builds core strength.

 

 

Full Locust Pose: Poorna Salabhasana

 

 

• Lay belly down on floor
• Turn chin out and stretch arms out to sides in line with shoulders
• Face palms down, fingers together
• Keep legs, knees, and feet together
• Ensure that calves, thighs, and buttocks remain tightened throughout pose
• Exhale completely, then inhale
• Lift arms, legs, chest, head, and torso away from floor
• Keep gaze lifted to direct whole body to lift
• Remember to breathe; a deep inhale will help you lift
• Draw arms back so fingers are in line with top of shoulders and face palms toward floor
• To arch body more: Use back muscles, and maintain straightened arms and legs and keep them engaged. You should also use core strength.
• Set goal to eventually balance body on abdomen
• Hold pose for 10 seconds while doing 80-20 breathing

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Full Locust increases strength and flexibility in the middle spine; it is good for scoliosis, kyphosis, spondylosis and slipped discs.
• It opens up the rib cage and increases its elasticity.
• It also firms the abdominal muscles, upper arms, hips and thighs.
• Strengthens deltoids and trapezius.
• Improves function of liver and spleen.
• Includes benefits of Standing Bow-Pulling pose and Cobra pose.

 

 

Bow Pose: Dhanurasana

 

 

• Lie on belly, bend knees, reach back, and grab outside of each foot, two inches below toes with all five fingers together
• Keep feet and knees together as close as possible.
• Ensure the following: Wrists remain straight by grabbing; feet with fingers, not palms; Hips aren’t tilted to one side.
• Inhale deeply and simultaneously kick back and up into hands and lift thighs and upper body away from floor
• For more power, push hips and pelvis into floor before lifting legs back and up.
• Release shoulders back as you lift torso
• Roll body weight forward to balance on middle of belly
• Use inner-thigh strength to keep knees and feet 6 inches apart
• Work toward these goals: relax neck and drop head back as much as possible; look for toes and use equal strength in both legs to kick
• Hold pose while doing 80-20 breathing for 20 seconds
• Slowly lower torso and legs to floor

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Opens up the rib cage, which allows the lungs to expand more fully. Improves oxygen intake by opening rib cage; this enables maximum expansion of lungs.
• This 360-degree flexion of the spine revitalizes all the spinal nerves by increasing circulation, and strengthens the spine along its entire length.
• Aids digestion, fights constipation, and combats bronchitis and diabetes while improving the functioning of the large and small intestines, the liver, kidneys and spleen.
• Relieves backaches by invigorating entire spine and helps with all manners of back problems.
• Boosts circulation to heart and lungs
• Upgrades functioning of spleen, kidneys, liver, and small and large intestines by massaging abdomen
• Enhances digestion
• Opens shoulder joints
• Helps correct posture
• Invigorates mental focus and perseverance
• Betters flexibility of deltoid, latissimus, scapula, and trapezius muscles
• Stretches hip flexors and psoas muscle
• Revitalizes all spinal nerves by increasing circulation to all of spine
• Strengthens abdominal muscles, hips, thighs, and upper arms

 

 

Fixed Firm Pose: Supta Vajrasana

 

 

• Start by sitting between heels with feet facing up and knees together
• If knees feel sharp pain, separate them a bit, but ensure that feet are hugging sides of hips
• Keep knees on floor throughout pose by doing these: Spread knees as much as you need to avoid straining knees. If needed, refrain from lowering your back all the way; use hands to support body weight
• Place hands on soles of feet with fingers facing forward
• Lower back an elbow at a time, and then look back and let top of head drop back
• If going all the way down, get back bend by lifting chest up and dropping head back before touching head to floor
• Slowly put shoulders down onto floor as you slide elbows out
• Rest upper back on floor
• Raise arms overhead and grab your opposite elbows
• Push arms and shoulders down and then bring them flat against floor
• Tuck chin into chest, press back with arms, and lift ribs up to feel chest stretch
• Simultaneously ground knees and feel the stretch along stomach, hip flexors, front thighs and knees
• Relax more deeply into pose by breathing, bringing knees closer together on floor, and pressing buttocks into floor
• Remember to avoid letting knees lift away from floor and be very mindful of pain
• Hold pose while breathing
• Exit pose slowly by using an elbow at a time and ensure that head is last thing to move up
• For advanced yogis, walk shoulders down toward hips and touch knees together

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Strengthens and improves the flexibility of the lower spine, hips, knees and ankle joints.
• Increases circulation to the lower limbs, is therapeutic for lower back pain, sciatica, gout, rheumatism and varicose veins.
• It helps prevent hernias.
• Stretches into diaphragm and hip joints; lengthens and invigorates abdominal muscles
• Heals and improves weak or injured knees
• Lubricates and increases circulation to joints
• Relieves lower back pain
• Tones thighs and calf muscles

 

 

Half Tortoise Pose: Ardha Kurmasana

 

 

• Enter kneeling position: sit on heels with feet and knees together (Experiencing difficulty sitting on your heels is completely normal.)
• Raise arms above head and bring palms together with thumbs crossed
• Maintain straightened arms and spine throughout pose
• Inhale while stretching up
• Exhale slowly while bending forward in a straight line, bringing upper body towards thighs
• Stretch forward all the way until forehead and sides of pinky fingers touch floor
• Engage arms and straighten elbows so that wrists, elbows, and triceps lift away from floor
• Keep sliding fingertips forward
• To deeply stretch spine, do these simultaneously: Reach buttocks back to heels; keep using abdominal muscles (eventually, buttocks will touch heels throughout pose)
• With arms stretching forward and hips reaching back into heels, bring chin forward and away from chest
• Relax shoulders, breathe, and feel the deep stretch along your back
• If you feel tightness in the hips or lower back, you may need more time before you can relax in this pose.
• Exit pose slowly by moving hips back toward heels and by maintaining straightened arms and spine, arms coming up with ears.
• When moving in and out of pose, use abdominal muscles to avoid rounding and buckling spine

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Assists in regulating sleep-wake cycle by stimulating pituitary gland
• Great for tense necks and shoulders. Improves flexibility of deltoids, latissimus dorsi muscles, scapula, and triceps
• Boosts blood circulation to the brain, which enhances memory and mental clarity.
• This posture also stretches the lower part of the lungs, which is therapeutic for asthma, and counter indigestion, flatulence, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome.
• Aids in relaxing body and mind
• Stretches spine, hips, and gluteal muscles
• Increases flexibility in hips, strengthens abdomen and tones thighs

 

 

Camel Pose: Ustrasana

 

 

• Start standing on knees, and maintain 6 inches of space between knees and feet
• Support spine by placing hands on back of hips with fingers pointing down and thumbs outside
• Keep elbows drawing in towards one another and let shoulders roll back
• Inhale while lifting chest, and exhale while dropping head back
• Inhale again while lifting chest, use hands to support spine, and exhale while arching torso back farther
• Keep chest lifted throughout pose to minimize compression in lower back
• Ensure that hips are forward and lined up above knees by doing these: Bring right hand down to grab right heel and left hand down to grab left heel; thumbs on outside of feet and place fingers on soles
• Maintain tight grip on feet so you can push hips forward
• If hips collapse back and you sink into spine as you grab heels, keep hands on hips and keep lifting chest
• Keep arching spine back and work hips forward while lengthening tailbone down toward floor
• Continue lifting chest to ensure that body weight hasn’t sunk back into heels and hands
• If you’re feeling anxiety/fear, relax and breathe; breathing can also help you go more deeply into pose
• (NOTE: If you have high blood pressure or any heart condition, please do the next step, which is holding the pose, for only 5 seconds. With more practice, you can gradually ease into the hold and increase the time.)
• Breathe deeply as you hold pose for 20 seconds, and allow heart to open and lift
• Reverse out of pose by bringing right hand to right hip, and then bring left hand to left hip
• Press knees down and use abdominal strength to lift and straighten up spine
• If you feel dizzy during this pose, keep pushing your hips forward and remember to breathe. The backward bend causes a change in blood pressure, which can result in dizziness.

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Creates maximum compression of the spine, which stimulates the nervous system.
• It also improves flexibility of the neck and spine, especially thoracic spine, relieves backache, and helps degenerative spinal problems such as kyphoscoliotic deformities and cervical spondylosis.
• By stretching the abdominal organs, Camel helps constipation, and it also stretches the throat and thyroid and parathyroid glands.
• Flushes blood through kidneys
• Promotes elimination of toxins
• Opens shoulders, rib cage, lungs, and digestive system
• Strengthens back and shoulder muscles
• Slims abdomen and waistline

 

 

Rabbit Pose: Sasangasana

 

 

• Kneel on a towel that extends back past toes
• Reach back and fold edges of towel over heels
• Grab heels and towel together
• Maintain firm grip with thumbs outside feet and with fingers inside
• Lean back, exhale, suck stomach in, keep chin tucked into chest
• Begin curling torso slowly and tightly forward and inward until forehead touches knees and top of head touches floor
• As you curl inward, lift hips into air, firmly pull on heels, and roll body forward like wheel, straightening arms
• If you notice a gap between forehead and knees, walk knees forward to meet forehead
• Push feet firmly into floor and pull on heels with all your power to maintain about 25% of body weight on head
• Tuck chin securely into chest, engage belly to lift hips, and stretch more deeply into lower back
• Work toward these goals: completely straighten arms; reach upward using hips so that thighs are perpendicular to floor; shoulders away from ears; heels together
• Remember to breathe normally
• To reverse out of pose, lower hips back toward heel, uncurl slowly, and lift chin last

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Maximum extension of the spine increases its mobility and elasticity, and does the same for the back muscles.
• Spine stretching also expedites the feeding of the nervous system with fresh blood and oxygen.
• Rabbit Pose relieves tension in the neck, shoulders and back.
• It helps alleviate colds, sinus problems, and chronic tonsillitis and, through compression of thyroid and parathyroid, rejuvenates those glands as well.
• Rabbit Pose can also be therapeutic for insomnia, diabetes and depression.
• Balances out spine and releases tension after doing Camel pose
• Prepares body to do final 2 poses by rounding out body
• Improves digestion, and regulates metabolism
• Improves flexibility of scapula and trapezius

 

 

Head-to-Knee Pose with Stretching Pose: Janushirasana with Paschimottanasana

 

 

• Face mirror and start by doing these: Extend right leg out 45 degrees; Bend left leg until left sole pushes against right inner thigh; bring left heel up to crotch (legs form 90 degree angle)
• Inhale, raise arms overhead, twist toward right, and stretch down over right leg
• Hold right foot with hands tightly interlaced under foot; bend right knee if needed
• Tuck chin into chest and round your back until forehead touches right knee. Bend right knee to touch forehead to knee if needed
• If right leg is straight, flex right foot until heel lifts away from floor
• Pull toes back toward face until toes are flexed
• Begin bending elbows straight down toward floor, wrists straight
• Keep spine evenly aligned over right leg by rolling left shoulder and elbow down farther
• Repeat pose on left side by doing these: Keep left quadriceps engaged to safely extend hamstring; Engage abdominals to safely stretch lower spine;
• Extend both legs out in front, lie back, arms overhead and immediately sit up
• Hold big toes with first 2 fingers of each hand, palms facing each other
• Walk hips back, trying to lock knees and pull back flesh of buttocks back to prepare to bend torso forward with lengthened spine
• Flex feet by pulling all toes back, feet touching
• Inhale while lifting and lengthening spine
• Exhale while stretching forward and work toward lifting heels up away from floor
• Bend elbows to floor, wrists straight, draw in stomach, and point chest and face toward legs
• Spine must be straight and not rounded; bend knees slightly if needed
• If hamstrings burn and lower back feels stiff, breathe and exhale to relax muscles into deeper stretch
• Aim to touch top of head to toes

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• It is excellent for the immune and lymphatic systems, increases circulation to the liver, pancreas, spleen, thyroid, thymus and intestines.
• It improves digestion and is good for allergies and arthritis.
• It also relieves chronic diarrhea by improving the circulation in the bowels.
• Balances blood sugar levels and metabolism
• Nourishes kidneys and enhances kidney function
• Improves concentration and mental endurance
• Expands solar plexus
• Enhances flexibility of ankles, knees, hip joints, and sciatic nerves
• Stretches deltoids, trapezius, and hamstrings, particularly erector femoris
• Extends lower back, especially last 5 vertebrae
• Strengthens biceps and quadriceps

 

 

Spine Twisting Pose: Ardha Matsyendrasana

 

 

• Bend left leg on floor until left heel meets side of right buttock with toes pointed; bend right knee to bring right leg up and over left leg; Line right heel up to touch left knee
• Ensure that left knee and both buttocks stay on floor throughout pose
• Line right hand up behind back near tailbone to keep body weight forward and lifted throughout pose
• Inhale while stretching left arm up alongside left ear
• Exhale while drawing left arm over right knee to firmly hold left kneecap (or mat or towel near left knee)
• Inhale while lifting spine
• Exhale while turning head over right shoulder, chin level, and twist shoulders and torso toward right
• Deepen twist by doing these: Press left elbow into right knee; Reach right hand behind your back all the way around to hold left thigh or hip
• Breathe normally and work toward twisting more deeply, specifically during an exhale
• (NOTE: Keep abdominal muscles engaged to support spine, and use core strength to avoid twisting from a rounded, unsupported spine.)
• As you twist, think of lifting up on the inhale
• Lift abdomen out of pelvis, and lift upper body up toward ceiling
• Work shoulders down and away from ears
• Breathe, hold pose for 20 seconds, and unwind out of pose
• Repeat this pose on your left side by twisting to your left

 

 

BENEFITS:

 

 

• This is the only posture that twists, compresses and stretches the spine from top to bottom, which increases circulation to all the spinal nerves, veins, and tissues, and improves the elasticity and flexibility of the spine.
• Spine Twisting relieves lower back pain, and helps prevent slipped discs, rheumatism of the spine, kyphosis, scoliosis, cervical spondylosis and arthritis.
• It also calms the nervous system.
• Creates equilibrium in spine and in left and right side of body
• Twists and rinses out spine
• Increases flexibility of hip joints and back
• Stretches chest, upper back, and outer thigh muscles
• Firms thighs, buttocks, and abdomen
• Strengthens abdominal muscles and buttocks
• Advances digestion and removes flatulence by rinsing out abdominal organs
• Opens shoulder joint

 

 

Blowing in Firm – Final Breathing Exercise: Kapalbhati-in-Vajrasana

 

 

• Seated on your heels, knees and feet together or legs crossed.
• Keep your body firm and do not move anything at all except for your stomach (no bouncing).
• Spine straight, belly and shoulders relaxed and not tensed.
• Pull your belly in and up to sharply exhale out your lips.
• Inhale happens automatically as you pump your belly in and out, like a billow.
• During the second set of this pose, increase your breathing speed.

 

 

Benefits:

 

 

• Improves digestion and circulation, and increases the elasticity of the lungs with every forceful exhale.
• You generate prana, and push out every ounce of carbon dioxide, replacing it with life-giving oxygen.
• It also strengthens the abdominal organs and increases circulation to them.
• Stimulates the digestive system as well, improving bowel movement and oxygen flow to the body.
• Clears your mind.
• Helps normalize blood pressure.