Benefits:
For your body:
- Strengthens your core engagement
- Balances you from the core
- Stretches and strengthens your ankle, feet, and arch
For your mind:
- Connects your awareness from your feet to your core
- Center your focus
For your spirit:
- It makes you lighter and stronger
- Invigorates confidence in oneself
(DISCLAIMER: DO THESE POSES TO YOUR ABILITY; YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN BODY AND WHAT YOU DO. BE SAFE, AND YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.)
Modifications:
- Use a block between your thighs to assist your abdominal engagement.
- Place a block between your feet to stabilize a good distance to separate your feet.
- Use a wall or chair or partner to help make it easier to balance.
(Face your palms inward to relieve your shoulders and neck.)
Pose Description:
(FIRST POSITION OF THREE)
- Start from a standing position.
- Toe-heel or heel-toe your feet about your hip-width distance apart.
- (Place your prop here) You can check with two fists between your big toes.
- Engage your transverse abdomen.
- Relax your toes long and softly to the ground.
- Root your soles down to the ground evenly.
- Be present with your legs and the stillness of your feet.
- Lift your hands in front of you to shoulder height.
- Face your palms towards each other and then down to the ground.
- Open your chest and keep your spine long and loose.
- Sit as far back as you can.
- Bend your knees and sit down slow and low.
- Gaze down and be sure you can see your toes.
- Reliving your growth from here.
- Gaze forward and visualize your spine and core connection.
- This is a great place to build your core muscles.
(SECOND POSITION OF THREE)
- Start from step 10. in position (1 of 3) above.
- Lift Your heels about 4 inches high.
- Suck in your lowest abdominal muscle to support your spine.
- Bend your knees slowly for confidence and to assist with the concentration of breath.
- Keep your heels high at about 3″ to 4″ high.
- Stay for a few breath cycles to increase your focus and strength.
- Slowly rise and lower your heels.
- Keep your arms up for part three.
(THIRD POSITION OF THREE)
- Start from the end of the position (2 of 3), step 8.
- Lift your toes and separate your feet enough to support your low back.
- (Use the short side of your block.) Or you can check with one fist between your big toes.
- Touch your knees together and lift your heels.
- Heels lift 3″ to 4″ high.
- Connect to your core and breath.
- Remain tall until you feel your balance inside.
- Slowly sit down and keep your spine tall with your shoulders stacked over your hips.
- Go as far as you are comfortable with to breathe.
- Take a few breath cycles here and then ride an inhale out of the pose.
- Release your arms and heels down.
- Reset your feet to a standing position.
Relax, Rest, and Practice Again. You Can Do This! You Are A Yogi!