Tyagaraja

Yoga Vidyalayam

Tyagaraja’s

Asana of the Week

Pada Hastasana

(Standing Forward Bend, Touching the Feet)

Stand with the spine straight and the chin level.  Fully exhale.  Inhale, raising the arms overhead stretching from the web of the thumb lifting the rib cage at the top of the inhale.  Exhale, bend forward with back and legs straight.  Once you feel the pull in the back of the legs let the knees bend slightly as the back rounds and the head drapes over the knees (all done on the exhale matching the movement with the breath).   Gently place the palms of the hands underneath the feet.  Inhale straight the spine and the legs as you pull against your feet with your hands.  Exhale and deepen the stretch.  Repeat 5 times.  To come out of the bend inhale, straighten the spine completely as you come up half way, then ad the weight of the arms as you come to standing with arms overhead.  Exhale lower the arms.  Repeat entire sequence 5 times.

Pada Hastasana

Counter Pose

Bhujangasana

(Cobra)

Lay down flat on the stomach with the spine straight and the legs passive.  Bring the hands near the rib cage palms down fingers pointed toward the head, forehead on the ground.  Inhale, pull with the palms lifting the upper body half way. Exhale lift the hands off the ground maintaining the half arch in the upper back.  Inhale press the palms back into the round as you lift the body and arch the spine.  Repeat 5 times.

Bhujangasana