Benefits:

For your body:

• Tightens your connection to your core muscles
• Increases abdominal and oblique strength
• Strengthens and tones quads and triceps

For your mind:

• Centers your focus at the moment
• Improves concentration on breathing in the body
• Teaches you to see with relaxed eyes the more you practice
• Improves your mind to release the jaw and neck from over engagement

For your spirit:

• Yes. I can try the next thing
• Smiling at yourself during a struggle can improve your ability of countenance
• You are your whole mind and whole body

(Your body is your own so be sure to do these poses the certain way your body needs to do them, not the way my body does them in the pictures.)

Modifications:

• Use a block in front of you to bolster your feet off the floor
• Use a soft sports ball or pillow behind your low back
• Keep your hands behind your knees until you can release your hands

Pose Description:

1. Start in a seated position.
2. Grab behind your knees with your hands.
3. Lean back to 45 degrees.
4. Engage your core and relax your face.
5. Lift one foot at a time and plantarflex each foot with your big toes touching.
6. Engage your thighs and latissimus dorsi.
7. Shine your palms up toward the ceiling and extend your arms.
8. Breath here for a few cycles.