Steps:
- Starting with the right foot about 3ft in front of your left, toes pointing to the front edge of your mat. Turn your left foot about 60° and square your hips to the front (pulling your right hip back a little and pushing the left forwards)
- Inhale bring your hands to namaste/prayer position behind your back (if this is not possible hold your wrists or elbows) open the shoulders and chest, looking up to the sky. Keep your thigh muscles engaged.
- Exhale, keeping the shoulders openeded back, fold the body forwards from the hips. reaching the chin towards your shin. Keep working on pulling the right hip back so the hips stay parallel, and keep the spine long.
- Stay here breathing deeply, focussing on your body alignment.
- Inhale lift the body up, open out the shoulders looking up to the sky.
- Exhale, twist the right foot in and the left foot out. Square the hips to the back of your mat.
- Inhale open the chest up towards the sky stretching up through the torso
- Exhale folding down from the hips over the left leg, this time working on keeping the left hip pulled back. Relaxing into the posture as you exhale reaching your chin towards your extended leg.
- Inhale raise the body up
- Exhale release the arms come back to Samastithi (equal standing posture)
Benefits:
- Stretches the hips and hamstrings
- Lengthens the spine
- Relaxes and opens the shoulders and neck
- Stimulates digestive organs
- Improves sense of balance
- Calms the mind
- Reduces symptoms of carpel tunnel syndrome (if hands are in namaste/prayer pose)
Contraindications:
- Lower back problems
- High Blood Pressure