Dhanurasana

https://www.rishikeshyogisyogshala.org/dhanurasana/ The name Dhanurasana refers to the bow-like shape that the body assumes when practicing it. Bows are called dhanu in Sanskrit which is why it is called the Bow Pose in English. Your arms mimic the string of the bow, while your chest and legs represent the bow’s body. In this pose, you lie on your stomach, pull up your torso and legs, and hold the feet with your hands. Ding this deeply bends your back while opening your chest and strengthens your arms and shoulders as you hold your feet with your arms. Through this movement, you can increase your spine’s flexibility and strength in your arms, legs, and back. In addition to strengthening your back, this heart-opening backbend stretches your hamstrings and hip flexors. Expanding your chest and shoulders enhances your posture by making up for the time you spend slumped over a computer. It also serves as a warm-up position for many challenging and advanced backbend practices. Let us have a look at the steps to perform the pose and its benefits. How to Do  Dhanurasana(Steps) Lie down on your stomach keeping your forehead on the ground and arms beside your body. Spread your legs hip-width apart Bend your knees to bring your feet as close to your buttocks as possible. Your toes should be pointed towards you. Stretch your arms backward to grab your ankles. Pull up your head and chest so that your arms can be taken towards your feet. Pull your legs towards you and upwards while further lifting your torso. Keep your gaze in the front to align your head properly. Lengthen your tailbone so that your spine remains flexible and easy to bend. If you feel comfortable, you can keep pulling your legs up to deepen the stretch. Stay in this pose for at least 3-5 breaths and gently release your legs and torso towards the ground. Beginners’ Tips Do not force yourself to stretch your legs for achieving the final pose. If you are only able to lift only your head and chest, keep it that way and gradually increase the lift. You can use a strap if your hands are unable to hold the ankle shoulders or your knees are stiff. Loop the strap around the ankles and hold the ends with both hands to bridge the gap. To give extra cushion to your pelvis and abdomen, place a folded blanket before your lie down to practice. Make sure your head is kept in a natural position rather than tilting it back or hanging it. There is a tendency for the body to automatically hold its breath. Make sure you have a continuous flow of breath for as long as you are performing this pose. Contraindication Patients suffering from hernia, appendicitis, and severe sciatica should not perform this pose. If you suffer from Spondylitis, insomnia, migraine, or headache, you should proceed with extreme caution or avoid practicing this pose altogether. If you have any heart condition and suffer from high or low blood pressure, it is better to avoid practicing this pose or consult your teacher and doctor beforehand. People who have a recent injury or have undergone surgery on the lower back, core, thighs, knees, and shoulders should avoid this asana. Do not perform this pose if you are pregnant or menstruating. Benefits of Dhanurasana Practicing dhanurasana can be beneficial to people who want to get rid of lower back pain. It massages your abdominal organs which improves their functions. Women can especially benefit from it by reducing their menstrual pain. This pose is great to open your chest while strengthening and toning the arm and leg muscles. Below are some of the benefits of this pose. Stretches and strengthens the spine and back muscles Improves the range of motion and flexibility of the knees and shoulders Stretches the thigh muscles, especially the quadriceps Improves posture and balance Tones the arms and leg muscles Opens and expands the chest improving lung capacity Improves the metabolic and digestive functions Enhances the functions of kidneys, liver, and other abdominal organs Aid in alleviating menstrual and reproductive disorders Reduces the fat around the tummy by burning calories Can cure lower back pain Fights off weariness, stress, and anxiety Gives you more energy, focus, and stamina.  Read More...  Read Less...

Setu Bandhasana Pose Steps and Benefits

https://www.rishikeshyogisyogshala.org/setu-bandhasana-pose-steps-and-benefits/ Setu Bandhasana is a pose in which the body is inversely bent in a U- position or bridge position. There are many benefits of Setu Bandhasana. In this article we will discuss the steps to perform this pose and its benefits. Setu is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘bridge’ and Bandha meaning ‘bind’.  Setu bandhasana should only be practiced with empty bowel and stomach and therefore preferred in the mornings.  You can also practice it in the evening, just make sure you have had your food 5-6 hours earlier. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The science behind the Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose) In this asana or pose your heart, chest, and shoulders get a really good stretch along with your neck and lower abdomen and thighs. In this asana, as you lift your torso, your heart is placed above your mind, which is considered to be a good inversion.  It gives you various benefits, especially targeting your psychological health while relieving your anxiety, stress, headaches and helping with your depression. While performing this pose, your chest opens up which provides a great advantage for people with asthma. It is a great asana for people who spend a major chunk of their day in front of the computers. Step- by- step Guide Setu Bandhasana Lie down flat on your back on a hard surface, preferably on a mat. Bend your knees and make sure to place your legs hip-width apart. Put your hands beside you with the palm facing downwards. Putting the pressure on the floor through your hands, lift your back. Lift such that your chin is touching your chest, without any movement or effort. Inhale and lift your torso is little up. Make sure your knees and ankles are aligned in a straight line. Your thighs should be parallel to the floor. Hold on to your breath for a few seconds and release. Repeat the process a few times. Tips for Beginners While trying out the pose for setu bandha, make sure you don’t stretch your roll your the top of your shoulders out or away from your ears as it may overstretch your neck causing soreness.  Also, make sure your buttocks are firm while you are in the bridge pose. When you are not putting your conscious towards the pose, the point of doing this asana might be pointless as there will be no stretch in the lower back or back.  Setu Bandhasana( Bridge Pose) Benefits Helps in improving your digestion. Calms down your brain, reducing anxiety and stress. Strengthens your back muscles. Helps in pumping more air to your lungs and improves the overall performance of the body. Helpful in high blood pressure and asthma. Stretches your neck, back, and legs. It helps in soothing the symptoms of menopause. Setu Bandhasana Precautions Make sure to practice this pose on an empty stomach for efficient results. Avoid practicing this asana in a back injury. Don’t over roll or stretch away from your shoulders from your ears to avoid neck soreness or sprain. Do not turn your head right or left when you are in the pose. Be careful while practicing this asana if you are suffering from knee pain. Try to practice this asana under some professional guidance when performing for the first time. Contraindications of Setu Bandhasana Do not practice this asana if you have a neck injury. People with severe migraines should avoid this pose. People with a weak stomach or intestine should avoid this pose as maximum pressure is put on the internal organs. Conclusion In all, Setu Bandhasana can be practiced by everyone by making sure there is professional guidance in the initial stages. Bridge pose is an easy intervention for the body but you have to be careful to make sure you don’t get a sprain in your neck. If you are trying this at your home make sure to check out different videos and articles just to add up to your information while practicing the setu bandhasana. Plenty of information can be found out there regarding this topic. Also, it is a feasible option for a healthy lifestyle as this can be done in the comfort of your home and provides various benefits for your mind and body. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});  Read More...  Read Less...

Benefits of Samakonasana or Right Angle Pose

https://www.rishikeshyogisyogshala.org/samakonasana-or-straight-angle-pose/ There are many benefits of Samakonasana or the right angle pose.  This pose is great when it comes to flexibility in your leg joints, ankle, back, lower back, etc. Along with your back, it is a great posture for your hamstring, hip bones, and the side hip bones. Along with stretching out your most tense muscles, it will provide you with a good productive state of mind throughout the day.  This asana surely requires a little bit of patience and effort but is a great practice when considered in the long run for your physical as well as mental health. With the busy days and stuffed schedule we usually don’t realize the importance of stretching out our bodies and releasing the tension from the same. Samakonasana is a simple asana which requires least effort when practiced religiously and maximum benefit. Importance of Samakonasana in Daily Life It is a great posture for a daily dose of revitalization and rejuvenation. Along with stretching out your muscles, it helps to make them more flexible which in turn improves the workability of your muscles. Helps in increasing the blood circulation in the lower abdomen is usually not an area we give much attention to but holds an important aspect. It helps in providing good stability along with improving your psychological health. Step-by-Step Guide Sit on a hard surface with your back straight. The surface should be firm enough to support you and hold your posture when you will split your legs. Sit with both your legs straight and start to breathe in and out slowly. Breathing in and out will help to relax your muscles and will help your body to go into more intense positions. Slowly, start to separate your legs towards either side. Don’t stretch beyond your capacity. Split your legs till they are perfectly straight on either side and keep breathing in and out while holding the posture. Repeat this process a few times. Benefits  of Samakonasana Inner thigh muscles or hamstring are stimulated through this pose, which helps in toning your inner thigh as well. Very effective in reducing pain in the hip joints as it stretches your hip muscles, groin, etc. Very good posture for the children in their growing age as it provides good flexibility and stretches your body to its optimum. Blood circulation is increased in your lower belly is improved. A very good posture for better functioning of your lower abdomen which in turn helps in better digestion. Very useful pose in the strengthening of your hip joints, lower back joints, etc. People suffering from neck pain can practice this asana regularly for relief. This pose helps relief from stress and provides good mental health. It helps to give a nice boost of hormones to the body. Samakonasana Precautions This asana should be practiced with an empty stomach or 5-6 hours after you have taken your meal. People with severe back pain or injury should avoid this asana. People with leg problems should practice this asana under professional guidance. Contraindications In case of any severe injury or surgery, you should let your instructor know about the problem and should practice this asana only under professional guidance. People having a slip disc problem should avoid this posture. Pregnant women should particularly avoid this posture. Conclusion To sum it all up, Samakonasana is a typical posture but can be mastered with regular practice and patience.Make sure you are not exceeding your capacity while stretching your legs. There are several benefits to this single posture which makes this asana unique. It is a great posture for daily stress-relieving and gaining a balanced spectrum. It can be easily performed in the comfort of your house but will require a bit of professional guidance especially when you are a beginner. There is plenty of matter and guidance available on the internet regarding this posture in the form of articles or videos. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});  Read More...  Read Less...