Beginner
Standing
Inversion
Restorative
Description
An iconic yoga pose that stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, and calves while strengthening the arms and legs.
Instructions
- Start on your hands and knees, with your hands slightly in front of your shoulders and knees below your hips.
- Spread your fingers wide and press firmly into your palms.
- Exhale and lift your knees away from the floor, sending your hips up and back.
- Straighten your legs as much as comfortable, keeping a slight bend in the knees if needed.
- Let your head hang freely and gaze towards your navel or between your feet.
Benefits
- Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression
- Energizes the body
- Stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches, and hands
- Strengthens the arms and legs
- Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
- Relieves menstrual discomfort when done with head supported
- Helps prevent osteoporosis
- Improves digestion
- Relieves headache, insomnia, back pain, and fatigue
- Therapeutic for high blood pressure, asthma, flat feet, sciatica, sinusitis
Modifications & Safety
- Bend knees to reduce hamstring stretch.
- Use blocks under hands if wrists are sensitive.
Video Tutorial