How to practise
■ Stand straight with feet together and hands by your side (slightly away from body). Spread your weight evenly across feet
■ Open your legs wide apart
■ Elongate spine while pulling your tailbone up
■ Slightly tense abdominal muscles by drawing navel in towards the spine
■ Focus the gaze in front keeping neck straight (Do not tense neck muscles)
■ Exhale and bend forward from hips till the back is in line with hips
■ Neck, shoulders, spine and hips should be in one straight line (parallel to floor)
■ Place your right palm down in the centre of opened legs and lift left hand up
■ Try to bring both shoulders in one line and staking them over right palm
■ Keep knees straight and gently tilt neck to focus the gaze at left palm
■ Breathe rhythmically
■ Raise the trunk as you inhale and lower arms as you exhale, coming in samasthiti
■ Open legs again to change the orientation of your palm for completing one cycle
■ Repeat the cycle 5-6 times
Benefits
■ Corrects posture
■ Strengthens front and outer thigh, as well as knee muscles
■ Strengthens and releases tension from shoulders and back
■ Stretches inner thigh and hamstring muscles
■ Stimulates digestive organs by providing the benefits of twist to forward bend
■ Improves body alignment
■ Calms the mind, instilling the feeling of positivity
■ Improves concentration and analytical bent of mind
■ Relaxes stiffness in the legs, hip muscles and joints
■ Alleviates feeling of lethargy and energises mind and body.
Caution:- Care should be taken to bend from hips rather than waist to avoid strain on the back. Yogis with spine, knee and shoulder injuries should go slow.
Akshar Power Yoga Academy, #4004, 100 Feet Road Indiranagar m akshar@aksharyoga.com