The Joy of Exercise

Child (Balasana)

Folding the body into the pose of the child, the arms are relaxed by the sides of the body. There is no tension in the neck and shoulders.

This pose is grounding as it rests the bodily systems. It relaxes, restores and cools the body, so is an excellent one to add intermittently throughout your practice to rejuvenate you for the next pose.

To come out of Child pose, draw the navel to the spine and slowly start to curl the body up to sitting, moving the spine back to neutral. Reload the weight of each vertebra on top of vertebra, restacking the ribcage, with the head and shoulders the last to come back up on top.

Caution: If the forehead doesn’t come to the floor, form two fists one on top of the other under the forehead; if you’re feeling discomfort in the hips sit back on cushions, and support upper body on forearms or cushions.

Uttanasana

From the pose of the Child, place the hands onto the floor in front of the knees, palms down; turn the toes under, feet in line with the knees and hips.

1. Inhale to prepare.
2. Exhale, draw navel to spine; bring yourself up to standing with the body folded forward. Keep the knees and spine soft, allowing the body to hang over the legs to a level that you are comfortable with and can control.

It is important here to keep the navel drawn in, creating room for the body to fold and protecting the lower back at the same time.

Caution: If you feel any discomfort in your back, curl straight up to standing. If you experience low blood pressure, take caution coming out of this pose.

Tricep Squat

From Uttanasana, keep the head and shoulders folded and knees bent.

• Inhale to prepare.
• Exhale, draw navel to spine and slowly roll up, rebuilding the spine, stacking each vertebra on top of the next, coming up to a standing squat. Make sure the knees are in line with the middle toes, arms beside the body.
• Moving the arms, turn palms to face backwards. Inhale to prepare.
• Exhale, bring the arms back behind the body. Use a visual image of compressing the air backwards with very active arms.
• Inhale and release the arms to the side of the body, keeping them active.
• Repeat 10 times.

Utkatasana

From Tricep Squat:

• Inhale to prepare.
• Exhale, extend the arms forward in line with the shoulders, palms facing each other. Extend through the fingers, arms are active.
• Hold for 5 breaths.
• Try to squat a little deeper with each exhale, still maintaining alignment and watching the knees are positioned above the middle toes.
• Inhale, release the arms and straighten the knees.
• Repeat 2 times.

Spinal Roll Downs

From Utkatasana:

• Inhale, soften the knees and nod the head.
• Exhale, draw navel to spine, and roll the body back down into Child pose.
• Rest in Child pose for 8 breaths.

This series is excellent for mobilizing the spine and stretching the back of the body. It strengthens the triceps and mid-back muscles, shoulders, abdominals and upper thighs, building stamina and endurance. Uttanasana is an inversion, it brings fresh blood to the brain, oxygenating and rejuvenating the mind. By having the head loweredand the torso tilted in this way, any stress on the musculature and organs of the torso is reduced, which brings about balance and efficient functioning of all the bodily systems, creating an inner radiance.

Shoulder Stretch

Align the body in Cat pose.

• Inhale to prepare.
• Exhale, draw navel to spine, bend the left elbow to the side and slide the right arm along the floor, resting the right shoulder and the right side of the head on the ground, creating a twist at the waist and a rotation of the spine.
• Variation
• If comfortable here extend the left arm into the air, tuck the chin into the throat and gaze up at the top thumb lifting the shoulder away from the ear.
• Extend through the fingers to open the chest. Hold for 5 breaths. Work with the visual of breathing up into the top lung, expanding the ribcage to the side.
• Inhale, release the arm down.
• Exhale, come back to the Cat.
• 7. Repeat the other side and then rest into Child pose.

Sense whether one side feels tighter than the other and repeat on the tighter side.

Due to the twisting action of this exercise, the shoulders, mid-back muscles and deep rotators of the spine all get a good stretch, making it particularly beneficial for those with scoliosis. Focus is placed on expanding and opening one side of the chest and lungs at a time.

Chest Stretch

Sit in supported Virasana, and interlace the fingers behind the back.

Beginners:

• Inhale to prepare.
• Exhale, draw navel to spine and activate mid-back muscles, squeezing the shoulder blades together. Opening the chest, work the arms up and away from the body. Slightly nod the head forward, sensing the depth of the stretch.

Advanced:

Sit in supported Virasana, and interlace the fingers behind the back.

• Inhale to prepare.
• Exhale, draw navel to spine and activate the mid-back muscles, squeezing the shoulder blades together. Open the chest and work the arms up and away from the body. Slightly nod the head forwards.
• Inhale, then exhale navel to spine, coming up onto the knees and carefully placing the forehead onto the floor. Keeping the neck very stable, roll up onto the crown of the head until you feel a stretch down the back of the neck.
• Inhale, bring arms up and over the head. Hold for 2-3 breaths.
• Exhale, release arms down and fold into Child pose.

This is an excellent pose for opening the chest and stretching the arms and shoulders. The back of the neck is also deeply stretched, helping to release any tension held there.

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Category: Exercise, Relax, Sports Supplements, Weight Loss, Workout, Yoga, gym

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