Strengthens the back muscles. Bow Pose.

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 blades firmly against your back to open your heart. Draw the tops of the shoulders away from your ears. Gaze forward.

Step 3

With the belly pressed against the floor, breathing will be difficult. Breathe more into the back of your torso, and be sure not to stop breathing.

Step 4

Stay in this pose anywhere from 20 to 30 seconds. Release as you exhale, and lie quietly for a few breaths. You can repeat the pose once or twice more.

Benefits

Stretches the entire front of the body, ankles, thighs and groins, abdomen and chest, and throat, and deep hip flexors (psoas)
Strengthens the back muscles
Improves posture
Stimulates the organs of the abdomen and neck

Modifications and Props

If it isn't possible for you to hold your ankles directly, wrap a strap around the fronts of your ankles and hold the free ends of the strap, keeping your arms fully extended.

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Yoga exercise for lower back pain. Knees to chest with slow rock pose

Yoga exercise for lower back pain. Knees to chest with slow rock pose The knee to chest pose is a classical yoga asana with therapeutic benefits for lower back pain. When coupled up with a slow rock either side to side or back and forth, it offers a gentle massage to the lower back that helps relieve pain. It also stabilizes and aligns the spine as your release the weight of your body to the ground. Furthermore, it massages the abdominal organs promoting digestion and detoxification – constipation can worsen lower back pain How it to do it Lie on your back with legs extended forward. Draw your knees towards your chest. Interlace your fingers and firmly rest them on your shins, to nudge the knees nearer to your chest. This allows your upper and middle back to ground down and for a deep stretch on the lower back. Hold for 5-10 breaths. Modifications For added comfort, you may place a thin blanket under your neck or ...

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Cat Pose - This pose provides a gentle massage to the spine and belly organs.

Cat Pose: Step-by-Step Instructions Step 1 Start on your hands and knees in a "tabletop" position. Make sure your knees are set directly below your hips and your wrists, elbows and shoulders are in line and perpendicular to the floor. Center your head in a neutral position, eyes looking at the floor. Step 2 As you exhale, round your spine toward the ceiling, making sure to keep your shoulders and knees in position. Release your head toward the floor, but don't force your chin to your chest. Step 3 Inhale, coming back to neutral "tabletop" position on your hands and knees. Step 4 This pose is often paired with Cow Pose on the inhale for a gentle, flowing vinyasa.

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Stretches the inner thighs, groins, and knees. Reclining Bound Angle Pose

A classic restorative posture, Supta Baddha Konasana or Reclining Bound Angle Pose can be modified for any level of hip and groin resistance. Reclining Bound Angle Pose: Step-by-Step Instructions Step 1 Perform Baddha Konasana. Exhale and lower your back torso toward the floor, first leaning on your hands. Once you are leaning back on your forearms, use your hands to spread the back of your pelvis and release your lower back and upper buttocks through your tailbone. Bring your torso all the way to the floor, supporting your head and neck on a blanket roll or bolster if needed. Step 2 With your hands grip your topmost thighs and rotate your inner thighs externally, pressing your outer thighs away from the sides of your torso. Next slide your hands along your outer thighs from the hips toward the knees and widen your outer knees away from your hips. Then slide your hands down along your inner thighs, from the knees to the groins. Imagine that your inner gr...

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