- Sit with your legs
extended, feet
flexed
- Press your hands
into the floor and
lengthen your spine
upward
- Sit on the front of
your sitting bones
by pressing your
tailbone back
- Bend your right leg,
moving your knee out
to the right
- Place your right
heel on the inner
edge of your right
thigh
- Rotate your left leg
inward, so your knee
and foot point
straight up
- Turn your torso to
face your straight
leg
- Inhale, raising your
arms to shoulder
height, keeping them
shoulder width apart
- Exhale, reach
forward, bringing
your belly towards
your thigh,
lengthening your
spine
- Keep your chest open
and leading with
your heart
- Drop your hands to
your leg (thigh,
knee, calf, ankle or
foot) depending on
flexibility
- Only lower down as
far as you can go,
while keeping your
chest open (no
rounding in upper
back)
- Lower your head
slightly, only to
the point where your
neck is in a neutral
position, neither
arched nor rounded
- Press back through
your tailbone to
lengthen your low
back
- Relax your muscles,
surrendering to the
stretch (no forcing
or straining)
- Take 5-10 long slow
smooth breaths,
focusing on your
exhalation (focusing
on your exhalation
will help relax your
mind and body)
- Note: It’s more
important to keep
your spine extended
than to come down
further by rounding
your back. Rounding
from the waist up
can put strain on
your back.
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- Stretches the calf,
hamstring and lower
back muscles
- Opens the chest and
lungs
- Improves digestion
- Relieves fatigue and
headache
- Strengthens the low
back
- Soothes the nervous
system
- Relieves stress and
anxiety (calms the
mind and body)
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