Yoga Alone Blog

Open wide into Prasarita Padottanasana I to increase flexibility by leaps and bounds. Wide-Legged Forward Bend: Step-by-Step Instructions Step 1 Stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose), facing one of the long edges of your sticky mat, then step or lightly hop your feet apart anywhere from 3 to 4 1/2 feet (depending on your height: taller people should step wider). Rest your hands on your hips. Make sure your inner feet are parallel to each other. Lift your inner arches by drawing up on the inner ankles, and press the outer edges of your feet and ball of the big toe firmly into the floor. Engage the thigh muscles by drawing them up. Inhale and lift your chest, making the front torso slightly longer than the back. Step 2 Exhale and, maintaining the length of the front torso, lean the torso forward from the hip joints. As your torso approaches parallel to the floor, press your fingertips onto the floor directly below your shoulders. Extend your elbows fully. Your legs

Plow Pose reduces backache and can help you get to sleep. Plow Pose: Step-by-Step Instructions Step 1 From Salamba Sarvangasana, exhale and bend from the hip joints to slowly lower your toes to the floor above and beyond your head. As much as possible, keep your torso perpendicular to the floor and your legs fully extended. Step 2 With your toes on the floor, lift your top thighs and tailbone toward the ceiling and draw your inner groins deep into the pelvis. Imagine that your torso is hanging from the height of your groins. Continue to draw your chin away from your sternum and soften your throat. Step 3 You can continue to press your hands against the back torso, pushing the back up toward the ceiling as you press the backs of the upper arms down, onto your support. Or you can release your hands away from your back and stretch the arms out behind you on the floor, opposite the legs. Clasp the hands and press the arms actively down on the support as you l

This version of Shoulderstand is performed with blanket support under the shoulders. Supported Shoulderstand: Step-by-Step Instructions Step 1 Fold two or more firm blankets into rectangles measuring about 1 foot by 2 feet, and stack them one on top of the other. You can place a sticky mat over the blankets to help the upper arms stay in place while in the pose. Then lie on the blankets with your shoulders supported (and parallel to one of the longer edges) and your head on the floor. Lay your arms on the floor alongside your torso, then bend your knees and set your feet against the floor with the heels close to the sitting bones. Exhale, press your arms against the floor, and push your feet away from the floor, drawing your thighs into the front torso. Step 2 Continue to lift by curling the pelvis and then the back torso away from the floor, so that your knees come toward your face. Stretch your arms out parallel to the edge of the blanket and turn them outwa

Strengthen your wrists, arms, and abs, hanging in the balance of Tolasana. Scale Pose: Step-by-Step Instructions Step 1 Perform Padmasana (Lotus Pose). Place the palms on the floor beside the hips. Step 2 Exhale, push the hands against the floor, contract the abdominal muscles, and lift the legs and buttocks away from the floor. Step 3 Hold suspended for 10 to 15 seconds. Then lower your legs and buttocks on an exhalation, change the cross of the legs, and repeat for the same length of time. Modifications and Props With the hands on the floor, it's often difficult to lift the legs away from the floor. Use a block under each hand to increase the length of the arms and assist the lift of the legs. Benefits Strengthens the wrists, arms, and abdomen Modifications and Props With the hands on the floor, it's often difficult to lift the legs away from the floor. Use a block under each hand to increase the length of the

Need an energy boost? Urdhva Dhanurasana can help—and strengthen your arms, legs, abdomen, and spine in the process. Upward Bow (Wheel) Pose: Step-by-Step Instructions Step 1 Lie supine on the floor. Bend your knees and set your feet on the floor, heels as close to the sitting bones as possible. Bend your elbows and spread your palms on the floor beside your head, forearms relatively perpendicular to the floor, fingers pointing toward your shoulders. Step 2 Pressing your inner feet actively into the floor, exhale and push your tailbone up toward the pubis, firming (but not hardening) the buttocks, and lift the buttocks off the floor. Keep your thighs and inner feet parallel. Take 2 or 3 breaths. Then firmly press the inner hands into the floor and your shoulder blades against the back and lift up onto the crown of your head. Keep your arms parallel. Take 2 or 3 breaths. Step 3 Press your feet and hands into the floor, tailbone and shoulder blades against your

Bend back into the shape of a bow to feel energetically locked, loaded, and ready to take aim. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose): Step-by-Step Instructions Step 1 Lie on your belly with your hands alongside your torso, palms up. (You can lie on a folded blanket to pad the front of your torso and legs.) Exhale and bend your knees, bringing your heels as close as you can to your buttocks. Reach back with your hands and take hold of your ankles (but not the tops of the feet). Make sure your knees aren't wider than the width of your hips, and keep your knees hip width for the duration of the pose. Step 2 Inhale and strongly lift your heels away from your buttocks and, at the same time, lift your thighs away from the floor. This will have the effect of pulling your upper torso and head off the floor. Burrow the tailbone down toward the floor, and keep your back muscles soft. As you continue lifting the heels and thighs higher, press your shoulder blade