Category: Yoga Poses

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.

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 you have Wrist injuries or Low back injuries

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Sanskrit: Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana

dwee PAH-dah vip-ar-EE-tah dahn-DAHS-anna

Benefits

Strengthens the legs
Increases spinal flexibility
Opens the chest and shoulders
Soothes the mind

Standard Cues

Prepare to come into Urdhva Dhanurasana (Wheel pose). Lie on your back, bend your knees, and place your feet near your bottom, hip-distance wide. Inhale and reach your arms overhead. Bend your elbows and place your palms next to your head, fingers pointing toward your feet.

Exhale and push into your hands to bring the crown of your head to the floor.

Inhale and push your hands and feet into the floor to lift into Wheel pose.

Exhale and lower your head to the ground. Lift your heels to bring your forearms to either side of your head. Clasp your hands together.

Walk your legs away from you. Bring the big toes together to touch

Extend the chest. Stay in Upward Facing Two-Foot Staff pose for several breaths.

Walk your feet in slightly. Place your palms next to your head and push back up into Wheel. Exhale and lower first the crown of the head and then the whole body to the floor.

Short Cues and options

Maintain a steady breath.
Rotate the shoulder blades toward the tailbone.
Open the chest.

Precautionary Warnings

Avoid if you have Shoulder, neck, or back injuries

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Sanskrit: Dhanurasana

dhah-noor-AH-sah-nah

Benefits

Stretches entire front body; mobilizes spine
Tones abdominal and reproductive organs; massages heart
Relieves fatigue and anxiety

Standard Cues

Lie on your stomach and separate your legs hip-width apart. Bend your knees and hold on the outsides of your ankles. Rest your forehead on the floor.

Kick your legs away from you with an inhale and lift your head and chest from the floor. Balance on your low belly. Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths.

Lower with an exhale.

Short Cues and Options

Kick feet away from you
Keep neck in line with spine
Bring knees hip-width apart
Balance on navel

Precautionary Warnings

Avoid this pose if you have a serious back or neck
injury.

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Sanskrit: Dandasana

dahn-DAH-sah-nah

Benefits

Strengthens spine, lengthens hamstrings
Tones kidneys
Develops patience and focus

Standard Cues

Sit with your legs outstretched and touching. Flex your feet.

Place your hands flat on the floor next to your hips, fingers facing forward.

Reach the crown of your head toward the sky. Relax your shoulders.

Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths.

Release with an exhale.

Modification

Bend your elbows if needed. Place a block underneath either hand if your palms don’t reach the floor.

Short Cues and options

Lengthen spine
Relax shoulders
Flex feet
Press thighs against floor
Gently press palms into floor

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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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