Author: nadayogi

Sanskrit: Adho Mukha Svanasana

AH-doh MOO-kah shva-NAH-sun-uh

Benefits

Strengthens the abdominals, arms, shoulders, and chest
Relieves stress and mild depression
Improves posture
Stretches the hamstrings, calves, and arches of the feet

Standard Cues

Begin in Downward-Facing Dog. Inhale and move your body forward into Plank pose, aligning your shoulders over your wrists and hands.

Lower your forearms to the ground, one at a time, placing your elbows directly beneath your shoulders. Keep your forearms parallel to one another and to the sides of your mat.

Firm your shoulder blades across your back. Press your palms and forearms down, or bring your palms together in prayer position.

Engage your core. Firm the front of your thighs (quadriceps) while lengthening your tailbone toward the heels.

Gaze slightly forward and down to keep your neck in line with your spine.

Hold this pose for five to 10 breaths. To release, exhale and lower your knees and hips to the floor.

Short Cues and options

Relax the shoulders away from the ears.
Gaze slightly forward and down to keep your neck aligned with your spine.
Align your shoulders directly over your elbows.
Keep the legs engaged and strong.

Precautionary Warnings

Avoid if you have Shoulder, neck, or spinal injuries

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Sanskrit: Chaturanga Dandasana

chut-oor-ung-ah dahn-DAH-sah-nah

Benefits

Strengthens arms, wrists and core
Tones abdominal organs
Improves focus and perseverance

Standard Cues

Begin in Plank. Bend your elbows with an exhale, lowering your body until your upper arms are parallel to the floor.

Engage your core and legs, hugging your elbows toward your body.

Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths.

Lower your knees and then whole body to the floor with an exhale.

Modification

Lower your knees to the floor.

Short Cues and options

Keep elbows in, above wrists
Upper arms parallel to floor
Abs engaged
Hands shoulder width apart

Precautionary Warnings

Avoid this pose if you have carpal tunnel syndrome or shoulder or wrist injury.

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Sanskrit: Camatkarasana

kah-maht-car-AH-sah-nah

Benefits

Stretches spine and shoulders
Opens chest and lungs
Gives vitality and energy

Standard Cues

Begin in Downward Facing Dog. Reach your right foot toward the sky with an inhale.

Bend your right knee, open your pelvis to the sky, and shift your weight into your left hand as you rotate to the outer edge of your left foot.

As your right foot touches the floor, lift your right arm up and reach it overhead. Lift your hips toward the sky and relax your neck.

Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths.

Carefully rotate your body to the left to return to Downward Facing Dog.

Change sides.

Short Cues and options

Lift chest
Lift hips
Relax neck
Stay on toes

Precautionary Warnings

Avoid this pose if you have shoulder or wrist injury.

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Sanskrit: Bitilasana

bee-tee-LAHS-anna

Benefits

Opens the chest and heart space
Increases flexibility of the spine
Strengthens the backside of the body
Massages the abdominal organs
Improves digestion, lung capacity, and circulation

Standard Cues

Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position.

Make sure your shoulders are aligned above your wrists and your hips are aligned above your knees.

Come to a flat back by lengthening the spine. Place your head and neck in a neutral position, and gaze down toward the floor.

Inhale and arch your back. Lift through your glutes and the crown of your head, and allow your belly to drop toward the floor.

Roll the shoulders up and down the back, feeling the backbend in your thoracic spine. Open the chest.

Exhale and come back to a neutral, tabletop position.

Short Cues and options

Push down through your hands to help arch the back.
Draw the shoulder blades away from the ears to protect the neck.
Lift your gaze toward the sky.

Precautionary Warnings

Avoid if you have wrist, back, or neck injuries.

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Sanskrit: Bhujapidasana

bhoo-jah-PID-AH-sah-nah

Benefits

Strengthens shoulders, arms and wrists
Strengthens abdominal muscles
Develops willpower and focus

Standard Cues

Begin in a low squat with your feet a little less than shoulder distance wide.

Lift your bottom and bringing your hands in between your legs, place your hands on the floor behind your feet. Rest the backs of your thighs as high on your upper arms as possible.

Carefully shift your bodyweight back so that your feet lift from the floor. Squeeze your arms with your legs. Hook one ankle over the other. Once you feel balanced, work toward straightening your arms.

Balance in the pose and take slow, deep breaths. Bend your elbows and release your feet to the floor with an exhale.

Short Cues and Options

Shift body weight back to balance
Bring thighs high on upper arms
Hug arms with thighs
Spread fingers wide
Keep your arms bent.

Precautionary Warnings

Avoid this pose if you have wrist, arm or shoulder injury.

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Sanskrit: Saral Hasta Bhujangasana

sar-ahi ha-stah bhoo-jong-AH-sah-nah

Benefits

Increases spinal flexibility
Massages abdominal organs
Relieves stress

Standard Cues

Lie on your stomach. Separate your feet hip-width apart. Place your hands under your shoulders and spread your fingers.

Rest your forehead on the floor.

Push into your hands and lift your head, chest and stomach with an inhale. Keep your pelvis on the floor.

Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths.

Lower with an exhale.

Short Cues and Options

Draw shoulders away from ears
Bend elbows slightly
Bring feet hip-width apart
Keep pelvis on floor

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Sanskrit: Utthita Balasana

oo-tee-tah bah-LAH-sah-nah

Benefits

Stretches hips, spine and knees
Brings fresh blood to brain
Calms mind and relieves stress

Standard Cues

Sit on your heels.

Bring your feet together and knees hip-width apart.

Bend forward with an exhale and rest your torso between your thighs.

Relax your tailbone toward your feet.

Reach your arms far forward. Spread your fingers and press your palms into the floor.

Rest your forehead on the floor.

Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths.

Rise with an inhale.

Short Cues and options

Release tailbone toward feet
Draw shoulder blades toward tailbone
Bring knees hip width apart
Rest forehead on floor

Precautionary Warnings

Avoid this pose if you have a knee injury.

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Sanskrit: Baddha Konasana

bah-dha ko-NAH-sah-nah

Benefits

Stretches inner thighs and groins
Stimulates kidneys, bladder, prostate and ovaries
Relieves anxiety and fatigue

Standard Cues

Sit with your legs stretched in front of you.

Bend your legs and bring the soles of your feet together, close to your groin.

Hold on to the outsides of your feet.

Lengthen your spine upward with an inhale.

Bend forward with an exhale and release your torso toward the floor. Relax your neck.

Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths.

Rise with an inhale.

Short Cues and options

Keep neck in line with spine
Draw heels close to groin
Do not force knees toward floor

Precautionary Warnings

Avoid this pose if you have a knee or groin injury.

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Sanskrit: Astavakrasana

AHSH-tak-vah-KRAHS-anah

Benefits

Strengthens the inner thighs, triceps, and pectorals
Tones and stimulates the abdominals organs
Strengthens the spinal rotators
Strengthens the forearm, wrist, and hand musculature
Improves balance

Standard Cues

Start in a seated position. Bend your left knee and ground your palms down into your mat with slightly bent elbows. Draw your right knee over your right shoulder as high as possible.

Cross your left ankle over the right and press the feet together to bind.

Inhale, ground your palms, and bend your elbows—making sure they don’t splay out to the side.

On an exhale, begin to draw your body forward and lift your hips, feeling the weight transfer into your hands. Allow your elbows to bend deeper to bring the chest parallel to the floor.

Squeeze your thighs together to hug the upper arm, and press through your heels to extend the legs.

To exit the posture, exhale and slowly draw your body back to a sitting position. Gently release your legs. Repeat on the opposite side.

Short Cues and options

Keep the upper and lower spine lifted through the crown and firm your abdominals.

Squeeze the thighs together and press through the feet to extend the legs. Keep the palms active.

Be careful not to overstretch the shoulder joint by letting your chest sink through the arms.

Be cautious of your low spine and release if you feel any strain or tension while rotating or lifting.

Precautionary Warnings

Avoid if you write or should injuries.

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Sanskrit: Ardha Pincha Mayurasana

ard-ha PIN-cha my-YUR-AH-sah-nah

Benefits

Strengthens shoulders and back
stretches hamstrings
Improves digestion
Calms mind, relieves fatigue

Standard Cues

Begin on all fours. Align your knees under your hips. Lower your elbows to the floor and align them underneath your shoulders, forearms parallel.

Tuck your toes under. Lift your knees from the floor with an exhale. Reach your tailbone up and back toward the sky behind you, straightening your legs. Align your head in between your upper arms.

Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths.

Lower your knees to the floor with an exhale.

Modification

Bend your knees.

Short Cues and options

Draw lower ribs in
Draw shoulder blades onto upper back
Widen collarbones
Press forearms into floor

Precautionary Warnings

Avoid this pose if you have high blood pressure or shoulder or neck injury.

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