Fundamental Yoga Poses And Their Versions

1. THE COBRA Try this in easy phases. Lie down, face inclined, legs tightly together and extended backwards, forehead on the floor. Place both hands, palm straight down, just under your shoulders. Breathe in and raise your head, pushing your own neck backwards, now use your hands to push your trunk up right up until you're bending in a beautiful arc from the lower spine to the rear of your neck. You need go no further than this. Nevertheless, if you're supple enough, you can now straighten the arms completely, bend the legs within the knees and drop your head back to touch your feet. Even though your head goes nowhere close to your feet, drop this back as far as achievable and keep the posture with yoga breathing. Come from the pose very slowly and gradually, coming back to the face prone form. Loosen up having your head to one part. Repeat.

2. THE BOW This is an extreme type of the basic bow. It is surprising how many kids can do it instantly. Take it, once again, in simple phases. Lie face inclined on your mat. If you are very slim have a nice heavy, cushioned mat with this one. Inhale and fold your knees up. Reach back using your arms and get hold of the ankles, keeping fingers and thumbs all with each other on the outside. Breathe in and simultaneously elevate the head and chest, pulling at the ankles and lifting knees and thighs from the ground. Breathe normally, seeking to kick up your legs higher and raising the head upwards. You're now bent just like a bow, balancing the weight of the body on your abdomen. You may stop right here but if you can still stretch further, then slide your hands down your legs, raise these higher, keep your knees together and pull out as much as you possibly can. Hold for a few normal heavy breaths, then relax to the face-prone posture, head to one part.

3. THE SHOOTING BOW In Sanskrit this is called Akarna Dhanurasana and one leg is used like a firing bow. Sit down with both legs stretched out right in front and back straight. Stretch forward using both hands and hold the feet, catching the right foot using the left hand and the left foot using the right hand. Breathe in, bend the left knee and draw the foot across the body, close to your chest, pointing the elbow upwards and turning the body a bit right. The left hand stays firm and tight, having the right foot. Hold pose using normal breathing, release slowly, and loosen up. Repeat on other side. In the beginning it is enough to hold the bent left leg using the right hand. As soon as this is effortless, extend down and hold the left foot using the right hand. Continue to yank upon the left foot, lifting it higher on every exhalation.