Category: Yoga Poses

Sanskrit: Purvottanasana

purr-vo-tahn-AHS-ah-nuh

Benefits

Strengthens your arms, wrists, and legs
Stretches shoulders, chest, and front ankles.

Standard Cues

From Staff posture with the arms behind your hips and the fingers pointed either towards or away from your body, begin to lean back into the palms.

Inhale and press down into the palms to lift the hips up toward the ceiling. As the hips lift, engage the legs by pulling up the knee caps and squeezing the thighs.

Press the bottoms of the feet flat down into the floor, gently squeeze the buttocks and engage Mula Bandha. Draw the shoulder blades together to lift up through the sternum.

To release: slowly exhale the hips back to the floor.

Short Cues and options

Align the body from the toes to the shoulders in one straight line.
If it feels safe you can carefully drop the head back.

Precautionary Warnings

Avoid if you have injury to the neck, back or shoulders.

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Sanskrit: Supta Padangusthasana

soup-TAH pod-ang-goosh-TAHS-anna

Benefits

Lengthens the hamstring of the extended leg
Stabilizes the hip joint of the grounded leg
Improves hamstring flexibility
Strengthens the quads and hip flexors of the extended leg; hamstrings and glute of the grounded leg
Relieves low back pain, sciatica, and high blood pressure
Stimulates the prostate gland and digestion

Standard Cues

Gently recline onto your back.

Inhale and lift your right knee toward your chest. Reach for the inside of your big toe only if you are able to maintain a neutral spine.

Exhale and draw your left toes toward your shin to flex the foot. Squeeze your left knee down to the mat.

As you inhale, extend your knee by engaging your quadriceps and pressing the heel upward. Allow your leg to lengthen toward the ceiling.

Exhale and draw your shoulders down to ground into the mat.

To exit, inhale and release the toe, but keep the leg extended. With an exhalation, release your arm and extended leg to the floor. Repeat on the opposite side.

Short Cues and options

Reach for the inside of the big toe with your first two fingers.
Keep the sacrum grounded into your mat.
Draw your knee toward your chest, reach for the inside of the big toe, and extend through the heel.
On each inhalation, feel your chest lift and spine lengthen. On each exhalation, draw your leg closer to your torso.

Precautionary Warnings

Avoid if Hip pathologies, Limited hip range of motion, Low back pathologies (avoid rounding), Ankle, knee, or shoulder injury

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Sanskrit: Anjaneyasana

ahn-jah-neh-YAHS-anah

Benefits

Stretches the hip flexors, hamstrings, and groin
Decreases sciatic pain
Opens the chest and abdomen
Creates low spine stability
Strengthens the thighs, quadriceps, and glutes

Standard Cues

Start in Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog).

On an exhale, step the right foot forward between the palms, and stack your knee in line with your ankle.

Gently lower your left knee down and allow the top of the foot to settle on the mat. Slide your left knee back as far as feels comfortable.

Inhale and slowly rise, sweeping your hands overhead to frame the ears. Turn the palms to face one another. Take your gaze up to your fingertips.

As you exhale, draw your pubic bone to your navel and lift the ribcage away from the hips.

Hold this pose for up to a minute. Use your inhales to lengthen the spine and exhales to deepen the stretch.

To release the posture, inhale and lengthen your torso. Exhale, release the hands to the floor, and step back to Downward-Facing Dog. Repeat on the opposite side.

Short Cues and options

Lift the torso to lengthen the upper and lower spine, and firm your abdominals.
Lift your ribcage away from your hips and press the hips forward to deepen the stretch.

Precautionary Warnings

Avoid if you have a groin injury or knee injury

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Sanskrit: Janu Sirsasana

jah-noo SHEER-SHAH-sah-nah

Benefits

Stretches spine, hamstrings and groin
Tones abdominal organs and uro-genital system
Calms mind and relieves anxiety

Standard Cues

Sit with your legs stretched in front of you.

Bend your right leg and place the sole of your foot against your left upper thigh. Flex your left foot.

Turn your upper body toward your extended leg. Slowly bend forward with an exhale.

Walk your hands down your leg and grasp your shin, ankle, or toes. Relax your neck.

Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths.

Rise with an inhale. Change sides.

Short Cues and options

Keep neck in line with spine
Bend elbows
Flex extended foot

Precautionary Warnings

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

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Sanskrit: Ardha Matsyendrasana

ard-ha mats-yun-DRAS-unna

Benefits

Tones the spinal nerves
Stretches the back muscles
Massages the abdominal organs and improves digestion
Improves kidney function

Standard Cues

Begin sitting on your heels in Thunderbolt pose (Vajrasana).

Shift your hips to the left so that you’re sitting on the floor to the left of your feet.

Cross your right foot just outside of your left knee. Keep the foot flat on the floor.

Bring your right hand to the floor a few inches behind you. Lightly push your hand into the ground to straighten your spine.

Inhale and reach your left hand toward the sky.

Exhale and bend your left arm, using your elbow like a lever against your right knee. Gaze over your right shoulder.

Stay in the pose for several breaths. Inhale and untwist, then change sides.

Short Cues and options

Begin with a vertical spine and then twist.
Twist from the core, not the upper body.
Grow taller with each inhale. Twist deeper from the core with each exhale.

Precautionary Warnings

Avoid if Sciatica, Slipped disc, Peptic ulcer

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Sanskrit: Eka Pada Koundinyasana

eh-kah pah-dah cown-din-YAHS-anna

Benefits

Strengthens the arms and wrists
Strengthens the core
Improves balance

Standard Cues

Begin in Downward-Facing Dog with your hands shoulder-width apart. Bring your left foot forward, just outside of your left hand, and place it flat on the floor, bending your left knee.

Thread your left arm underneath your left leg. Press your palm into the floor, next to your left foot.

Bend your arms deeply. Your elbows should point straight back, and your upper arms should be parallel to the floor.

Using your left upper arm as a shelf for your leg, slowly straighten your left leg out to the side. Lift your toes from the floor.

Shift your weight slightly forward. Slowly raise your right toes from the floor, reaching your right leg straight back. Gaze forward.

Stay in the pose for up to five breaths. Exhale and lower your back foot to the ground; then push back to Downward-Facing Dog. Change sides.

Short Cues and options

Hug your elbows toward each other.
Powerfully reach your left leg forward and out to the side in order to lift your toes from the floor.
Bring your body weight so far forward that the back toes lift off the floor.
Keep your forehead soft.

Precautionary Warnings

Avoid if Wrist injuries or Low back injuries

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Sanskrit: Vrksasana

vrik-SHAH-sah-nah

Benefits

Lengthens spine; mobilizes joints; Brings emotional and mental balance

Standard Cues

Stand with your feet together. Shift your weight onto your right leg. Place the sole of your left foot along the inside of your right thigh; either above or below your knee.

Slowly reach your arms out and then up with an inhale. Bring your palms to touch overhead. Gaze at one point ahead of you. Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths.

Release your arms and leg with an exhale. 

Change sides.

Short Cues and Options

Draw shoulders away from ears
Gaze at a fixed point to balance
Lengthen spine
Open knee to the side
 If you find it difficult to balance, place your heel on top of the opposite foot.

Precautionary Warnings

Avoid this pose if you have low blood pressure.

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Sanskrit: Virasana

VEER-AH-sah-nah

Benefits

Improves knee and thigh flexibility
Improves digestion and respiration
Stabilizes mind

Standard Cues

Sit with your legs folded underneath you.

Lift your hips and open your feet a few inches to either side. Carefully sit in between your feet. Use your hands to pull your calves up and out so that your bottom is snuggled in between your feet. Point your toes behind you.

Rest your hands on your thighs. Lengthen your spine. Close your eyes. Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths. Carefully lift your bottom with an inhale, then swing your legs to one side to return to sitting.

Modification

Sit on top of a block or bolster placed between your feet.

Short Cues and options

Lengthen crown of head toward sky
Point toes back
Keep both sit bones on floor
Sit in between calves

Precautionary Warnings

Avoid this pose if you have knee or ankle injury. Discontinue practice if you feel knee pain.

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Sanskrit: Virabhadrasana III

VEER-ah-bhah-DRAH-sah-nah three

Benefits

Strengthens legs, shoulders and back
Tones abdominal organs
Balances nervous system; improves balance

Standard Cues

Begin standing. Reach your hands toward the sky with an inhale, palms facing each other.

Bring your weight into your right foot. Bend forward from your hips with an exhale, lifting your left leg straight back.

Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths. Rise with an inhale, then exhale and release your arms. Change sides.

Short Cues and Options

Keep arms, torso and lifted leg in one line
Draw belly toward spine
Point toes toward floor
Don’t lock knee
Reach your arms to the sides for balance.

Precautionary Warnings

Avoid this pose if you have high blood pressure.

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Sanskrit: Virabhadrasana

VEER-ah-bhah-DRAH-sah-nah two

Benefits

Strengthens legs and arms; stretches groins and chest
Stimulates abdominal organs
Increases stamina; improves focus

Standard Cues

Begin standing. Step your feet 3 12 to 4 feet apart with an inhale. Bring feet parallel.

Bring your arms to shoulder height, palms facing down. Turn your right foot 90 degrees to the right.

Bend your right knee with an exhale, bringing the thigh parallel to the floor. Align knee over ankle. Gaze past your right fingers.

Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths. Straighten your leg with an inhale, then exhale and step your feet together. Release your arms. Change sides.

Short Cues and Options

Stretch hands away from each other
Lengthen tailbone toward floor
Anchor outer edge of foot to floor

Precautionary Warnings

Avoid this pose if you have high blood pressure.

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