Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend for Sciatica & Detoxes the Kidney

(oo-pah-VEESH-tah cone-AHS-anna)
upavistha = seated, sitting
kona = angle

Step by Step

Sit in Dandasana, then lean your torso back slightly on your hands and lift and open your legs to an angle of about 90 degrees (the legs should form an approximate right angle, with the pubis at the apex). Press your hands against the floor and slide your buttocks forward, widening the legs another 10 to 20 degrees. As with Dandasana, if you can’t sit comfortably on the floor, raise your buttocks on a folded blanket.

Rotate your thighs outwardly, pinning the outer thighs against the floor, so that the knee caps point straight up toward the ceiling. Reach out through your heels and stretch your soles, pressing though the balls of the feet.

With your thigh bones pressed heavily into the floor and your knee caps pointing up at the ceiling, walk your hands forward between your legs. Keep your arms long. As with all forward bends, the emphasis is on moving from the hip joints and maintaining the length of the front torso. As soon as you find yourself bending from the waist, stop, re-establish the length from the pubis to the navel, and continue forward if possible.

Increase the forward bend on each exhalation until you feel a comfortable stretch in the backs of your legs. Stay in the pose 1 minute or longer. Then come up on an inhalation with a long front torso.

▼
Anatomical Focus
Hamstrings
Calves
Hips
Thighs
Knees
Spine
Groins
▼
Therapeutic Applications
Arthritis
Sciatica
Detoxes kidneys
▼
Benefits
Stretches the insides and backs of the legs
Stimulates the abdominal organs
Strengthens the spine
Calms the brain
Releases groins
▼
Contraindications and Cautions
Lower-back injury: Sit up high on a folded blanket and keep your torso relatively upright.
▼
Beginner's Tip
Upavistha Konasana is a difficult forward bend for many beginners. If you have trouble bending even a little bit forward, it’s acceptable to bend your knees slightly. You might even support your knees on thinly rolled blankets; but remember, as you move into the forward bend, it’s still important keep the knee caps pointing toward the ceiling.
▼
Variations
Upavistha Konasana has a twisted variation. From the upright position described in step 1, turn your torso to the right with an exhalation. Press your left hand to the outside of your right thigh and right hand on the floor to the outside of your right hip. With a series of exhalations, walk your left hand down along the outside of the leg. Press the top of the left thigh into the floor to serve as the anchor for this movement. Stop at a comfortable place along the way or, if your flexibility allows it, reach your left hand to the outside of your right foot. Make sure, as you twist to the right and move the hand along the leg, that you don’t shorten your right side; continue pressing your right hand against the floor to help lengthen that side of the torso. Stay for a minute. To leave this pose, exhale and swing your torso back to neutral. Then return to upright with an inhalation and repeat to the left.
▼
Modifications and Props
Beginners might not be able to bring the torso forward toward the floor. Take a bolster or a thickly rolled blanket and lay it on the floor in front of you, its long axis perpendicular to your pelvis. Exhale into the forward bend and lay your torso down on this support.
▼
Partnering
A partner can help you get a feel for the action of the inner thighs in this pose. Perform steps 1 and 2 in the main description above. Wrap a strap on top of your left hip crease and around the left leg and have the partner, sitting off to your left side, hold the two free ends. She should press her right foot against your sacrum, her left foot against your outer left thigh. Then, as the partner pulls on the strap perpendicularly to the line of your thigh bone, exhale and turn your torso to the right. Feel, as you turn, how the strap drags the inner left groin away from (and so anchoring) the twist. Press your left hand on the floor between your legs, your right hand on the floor outside your right hip. Spend a minute twisting away from the deepening left groin, then release with an exhalation, and repeat on the other side. Finally, perform the full pose as described above. As your torso lengthens forward between your legs, pretend that each inner groin is being pulled away from that movement by an imaginary strap.

▼
Deepen The Pose
Advanced students can help themselves move into the forward bend. Perform steps 1 and 2 in the main description above. Then reach out and wrap your index and middle fingers around the big toes, each pair of fingers secured in place with the thumb. Pull back on the toes as you lean forward, but push actively through the bases of the big toes to keep the inner and outer ankles even. Bend your elbows out to the sides and lift them away from the floor as your torso

Bound Angle Pose - for Sciatica & Stimulates internal organs

(BAH-dah cone-AHS-anna)
baddha = bound
kona = angle

Step by Step

Sit with your legs straight out in front of you, raising your pelvis on a blanket if your hips or groins are tight. Exhale, bend your knees, pull your heels toward your pelvis, then drop your knees out to the sides and press the soles of your feet together.

Bring your heels as close to your pelvis as you comfortably can. With the first and second finger and thumb, grasp the big toe of each foot. Always keep the outer edges of the feet firmly on the floor. If it isn't possible to hold the toes, clasp each hand around the same-side ankle or shin.

Sit so that the pubis in front and the tailbone in back are equidistant from the floor. The perineum then will be approximately parallel to the floor and the pelvis in a neutral position. Firm the sacrum and shoulder blades against the back and lengthen the front torso through the top of the sternum.

Never force your knees down. Instead release the heads of the thigh bones toward the floor. When this action leads, the knees follow.

Stay in this pose anywhere from 1 to 5 minutes. Then inhale, lift your knees away from the floor, and extend the legs back to their original position.



▼
Anatomical Focus
Thighs
▼
Therapeutic Applications
Sciatica
▼
Benefits
Stimulates abdominal organs, ovaries and prostate gland, bladder, and kidneys
Stimulates the heart and improves general circulation
Stretches the inner thighs, groins, and knees
Helps relieve mild depression, anxiety, and fatigue
Soothes menstrual discomfort and sciatica
Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
Therapeutic for flat feet, high blood pressure, infertility, and asthma
Consistent practice of this pose until late into pregnancy is said to help ease childbirth.
Traditional texts say that Baddha Konasana destroys disease and gets rid of fatigue.
▼
Contraindications and Cautions
Groin or knee injury: Only perform this pose with blanket support under the outer thighs.
▼
Beginner's Tip
It can be difficult to lower the knees toward the floor. If your knees are very high and your back rounded, be sure to sit on a high support, even as high as a foot off the floor.

▼
Variations
Exhale and lean your torso forward between the knees. Remember to come forward from the hip joints, not the waist. Bend your elbows and push them against the inner thighs or calves (but never on the knees). If your head doesn't rest comfortably on the floor, support it on a block or the front edge of a chair seat.

▼
Modifications and Props
To understand the release of the heads of the thigh bones, fold two blankets and put one under each outer thigh, supporting the thighs an inch or so above their maximum stretch. Then lay a 10-pound sand bag on each inner groin, parallel to the crease between the thigh and pelvis. Release the thigh heads away from the weight, and let them sink into the blankets. Do not use the bags unless the thighs are supported.

▼
Partnering
A partner can help you learn how to work the inner thighs in this pose. Perform Baddha Konasana. Loop a strap over each groin, with the free ends of the straps leading away from your back torso. Have your partner sit behind you and pull on the straps (perpendicular to the line of the thighs). Your partner can also press one foot lightly against the back of your pelvis at the same time. Lean slightly forward, releasing the heads of the thigh bones away from the straps.


▼
Deepen The Pose
Imagine you have two partners, each pressing inward (toward the pelvis) on a knee. From the middle of your sacrum, push out along the outer thighs against this imaginary resistance. Then push the heels firmly together from the knees.

Yoga Vs Plastic Surgery

Say NO to Plastic Surgery for the face.
View this Yoga class in action in New York City.

FACE YOGA - anti aging face exercise

Try this out. Top Yoga coach Sadie Nardini advises us to do these Yoga exercises for 3 minutes a day to look perpetually YOUNG

Warrior 2 or Virabhadrasana II

By Shiva Rea

This pose helps to find our internal center, where one is free from the fluctuations of the mind.
You may ask, "Why is there a Warrior Pose, when yoga is a practice of nonviolence?"

As a strong pose, Virabhadrasana II can teach modern yogis a lot about the dynamics of bringing wisdom into the actions of our everyday lives. It is a powerful pose, no doubt, but as you explore the pose's alignment and inner attitude, the heart of the peaceful warrior begins to reveal itself.

Finding Center

As we go about our daily lives, we often speak of feeling "off-centered" or of needing to "get centered." Being "centered" is a feeling of being balanced and at ease on all levels—physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually.

To find your center in Virabhadrasana II—the place where your energy is distributed evenly, without bias—start by grounding yourself within Tadasana (Mountain Pose). The training of a spiritual warrior begins here as you let go of any external distractions and bring your awareness to your core.

When you feel your mind settle within the relaxed steadiness of Tadasana, then prepare to begin Virabhadrasana II. Consciously step your feet apart in a wide stance (4 to 5 feet), with your heels aligned parallel to one another. Pivot your left foot out to a 90-degree angle and pivot your right foot in to a 45-degree angle. Plant your feet like roots, connecting through all of the corners of your feet while lifting through the arches.

To focus on the leg work of Virabhadrasana II first, keep your arms relaxed at your sides. Slowly bend your left knee until it comes directly over your ankle. Now explore the feeling of your weight. Is all of your weight in your front leg? Lunge deeper into your left leg and then shift your weight into your back leg to feel the extremes, and then try to find the balance point.

Let your left hip sink to draw you deeper into the lunge, but keep your right leg firm, inner thigh lifting, and outer edge of your right foot reaching into the ground. As your legs develop stamina and your hips open, you can begin to explore coming into a right angle with your front leg as if you are balancing something on your thigh.

Once you find the place where your weight is evenly distributed through your legs and hips, bring your awareness to your torso. Are you collapsing into your lower back? Find your vertical center by turning your tailbone toward the earth. Without tension, lift your lower belly, the seat of your power, towards the spine. This action will awaken your center, so you can begin to extend out of your lower back and spread your chest open. Now balance your rib cage directly over your pelvis. Is your torso turning towards the left leg? Draw your right side and the top of your right thigh back to feel yourself opening out from the center.

Keep scanning your body to feel where you are losing awareness and balance. Change sides and explore Virabhadrasana II to find that even flow of energy—north, south, east, and west—throughout the pose.

Step by Step

1.Stand in Tadasana. With an exhalation, step or lightly jump your feet 3 1/2 to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach them actively out to the sides, shoulder blades wide, palms down.

2.Turn your right foot in slightly to the right and your left foot out to the left 90 degrees. Align the left heel with the right heel. Firm your thighs and turn your left thigh outward so that the center of the left knee cap is in line with the center of the left ankle.

3.Exhale and bend your left knee over the left ankle, so that the shin is perpendicular to the floor. If possible, bring the left thigh parallel to the floor. Anchor this movement of the left knee by strengthening the right leg and pressing the outer right heel firmly to the floor.

4.Stretch the arms away from the space between the shoulder blades, parallel to the floor. Don't lean the torso over the left thigh: Keep the sides of the torso equally long and the shoulders directly over the pelvis. Press the tailbone slightly toward the pubis. Turn the head to the left and look out over the fingers.

5.Stay for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Inhale to come up. Reverse the feet and repeat for the same length of time to the left.

Anatomical Focus
Shoulders
▼
Therapeutic Applications
Sciatica
▼
Benefits
Strengthens and stretches the legs and ankles
Stretches the groins, chest and lungs, shoulders
Stimulates abdominal organs
Increases stamina
Relieves backaches, especially through second trimester of pregnancy
Therapeutic for carpal tunnel syndrome, flat feet, infertility, osteoporosis, and sciatica
▼
Contraindications and Cautions
Diarrhea
High blood pressure
Neck problems: Don't turn your head to look over the front hand; continue to look straight ahead with both sides of the neck lengthened evenly.
▼
Beginner's Tip
When you bend the left knee to a right angle, bend it very quickly with an expressive exhalation, and aim the inside of the left knee toward the little-toe side of the left foot.

▼
Variations
In the description above, the shoulders are centered over the pelvis with the sides of the torso equally long. You can also lean the torso slightly away from the left leg, tilting the arms parallel to the line of the top shoulders. This stretches the left side of the torso. Repeat on the right side.

▼
Modifications and Props
If you have difficulty supporting yourself in this pose, position a metal folding chair outside your left leg, with the front edge of the chair seat facing you. As you bend the left knee to come into the pose, slide the front edge of the seat under your left thigh (taller students may need to build up the height of the chair seat with a thickly folded blanket). Repeat with the right leg bent.

▼
Partnering
A partner can help you strengthen your back leg. Have your partner stand behind your back leg. Loop a strap around your inner groin, and as you bend the front knee into the pose, your partner can pull firmly on the strap while you resist the back-leg inner groin away from that movement. Feel how this helps to open the groins.

►
Preparatory Poses
►
Follow-Up Poses
▼
Deepen The Pose
To increase the length and strength of the arms in the pose, turn the palms and inner elbow creases to face the ceiling while you draw the shoulder blades down the back. Then maintaining the rotation of the arms, turn the palms from the wrists to face the floor again.

Core of Support with Yoga

Happy Baby Pose



Toe Tapping Pose

Bridge

Dolphin

Dolphin Plank






Locust

Downward Dog

Low Lunge


When your core is strong, you'll feel easier in your poses and more capable in your life.
By Andrea Ferretti

This sequence by Harvey Deutch and Sarana Miller, a student of Ana Forrest, taps into your core, the literal and symbolic center of power. But this isn't a "Get a six-pack in six weeks" deal. Instead of focusing on the rectus abdominus (the six-pack), you'll work the deeper layers of the abdominal area, such as the transversus abdominus.

Switching from the six-pack to the deeper layers takes subtle awareness, so be patient even if you can't access the muscles right away. (When all else fails, try laughing, says Miller, since you use the transversus to laugh or cough.)


Before you begin

Mula Bandha (Root Lock)
Engaging Mula Bandha, or the perineum, contains your energy and strengthens the pelvic floor. Sitting in Virasana, roll your sitting bones back and engage Ashvini Mudra (the anal sphincter muscles). Bring your pelvis back to neutral. Now try to feel the perineum, the area right in front of the anus. Engage Mula Bandha by lifting the perineum (the action is very similar to Kegels). Do 30 lifts 3 times, breathing naturally.

Finding Your TA
The transversus abdominus (TA) is the deepest of the four layers of abdominal muscles. It runs from your lower ribs to your pubis and acts like a girdle, wrapping around your body. Lie back with your feet on the floor. Place your first two fingers on your frontal hipbones and move them an inch toward your navel. Exhale and engage the TA by drawing your belly back toward the ground. Take5 breaths, keeping it engaged.


1. Happy Baby Pose, variation

Lie on your back, engage your TA, and reach your arms up. Lift your legs off the floor, with your knees over your hips and your shins parallel to the floor. Keep your TA drawing in as you move your arms and legs back and forth a few inches, like a baby reaching up to play with a mobile. Continue for 30 seconds and then rest. Repeat 3 to 5 times.


2. Toe Taps

With your TA engaged, breathe normally as you slowly tap your right toe to the ground and return to neutral. Do the same with the left foot. Repeat 4 times. A sore lower back or hip flexors means you're relying on them instead of your TA to do the work. Reduce the number of repetitions and try it again tomorrow.


3. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)

Bring both feet to the floor. Place a block between your thighs. Reach your tailbone toward your heels and lift your hips into Bridge Pose. This doesn't have to be your highest version of Bridge; focus on keeping the TA engaged. Stay for 3 to 5 breaths. Repeat 2 to 5 times.


4. Dolphin Pose

Come onto your hands and knees. Place your elbows under your shoulders and press your palms together firmly. Come into Dolphin, feeling the abdominal area hollow out and the perineum lift. Stay for 5 to 10 breaths.


5. Dolphin Plank Pose

Walk your feet back until your body is parallel to the floor. Keep pressing your hands together and hug your inner legs toward the midline. Hold for at least 3 full breaths, using your TA for stability.


6. Salabhasana (Locust Pose)

Lie on your belly and bring your arms to your sides, palms facing up. Draw your lower belly toward your spine and lengthen your tailbone toward your heels to engage your TA. Lift your chest off the floor, drawing your heart forward and spreading your collarbones wide. Now lift your legs off the floor. Keep your neck completely relaxed. Stay for 5 breaths.


7. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose)

Come into Downward Dog. To feel Mula Bandha and the transversus, roll your sitting bones toward the ceiling. Then draw your tailbone toward your heels and hug your thighs as if you're holding a block between them. Exhale, then draw your lower belly toward your spine. Stay for 5 breaths.


8. Low Lunge

Step your right foot forward between your hands into a low lunge. Bring your hips over your back knee. Press the top of your back foot into the ground and tuck your tailbone. Place your right hand on a block and reach your left arm up. Bend to the right to create a stretch in the left side of the belly. When you're ready, inhale back to center, then step back to Downward Dog. Repeat on the other side.

Gomukasana or Cow Face Pose

Arm Yourself with Flexible Arms

Yoga is known for making people stronger, more flexible, and more balanced. However, most of the poses for arms focus on arm strength, not flexibility.

Of the few poses that focus on arm flexibility, most are active stretches, such as Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose) and Garudasana (Eagle Pose), which use the strength of one set of muscles to stretch others.


(go-moo-KAHS-anna)
go = cow (Sanskrit go is a distant relative of the English word "cow")
mukha = face

Step by Step

1.Sit in Dandasana (Staff Pose), then bend your knees and put your feet on the floor. Slide your left foot under the right knee to the outside of the right hip. Then cross your right leg over the left, stacking the right knee on top of the left, and bring the right foot to the outside of the left hip. Try to bring the heels equidistant from the hips: with the right leg on top you'll have to tug the right heel in closer to the left hip. Sit evenly on the sitting bones.

2.Inhale and stretch your right arm straight out to the right, parallel to the floor. Rotate your arm inwardly; the thumb will turn first toward the floor, then point toward the wall behind you, with the palm facing the ceiling. This movement will roll your right shoulder slightly up and forward, and round your upper back. With a full exhalation, sweep the arm behind your torso and tuck the forearm in the hollow of your lower back, parallel to your waist, with the right elbow against the right side of your torso. Roll the shoulder back and down, then work the forearm up your back until it is parallel to your spine. The back of your hand will be between your shoulder blades. See that your right elbow doesn't slip away from the right side of your torso.

3.Now inhale and stretch your left arm straight forward, pointing toward the opposite wall, parallel to the floor. Turn the palm up and, with another inhalation, stretch the arm straight up toward the ceiling, palm turned back. Lift actively through your left arm, then with an exhalation, bend the elbow and reach down for the right hand. If possible, hook the right and left fingers.

4. Lift the left elbow toward the ceiling and, from the back armpit, descend the right elbow toward the floor. Firm your shoulder blades against your back ribs and lift your chest. Try to keep the left arm right beside the left side of your head.

5.Stay in this pose about 1 minute. Release the arms, uncross the legs, and repeat with the arms and legs reversed for the same length of time. Remember that whichever leg is on top, the same-side arm is lower.