2019-02-01_Australian_Yoga_Journal

52

february/march 2019

yogajournal.com.au

YOGAPEDIA

your practice

Stretch your hamstrings and open your hip fl exors

with theseprep posesfor rdha Chandr Chapasana.

Benefit

Warms up your hips and hamstrings to prepare

you for the deeper intensity of Ardha Chandra

Chapasana, our final pose

Instruction

Take a wide stance with your feet parallel to

one another. Turn your left foot out 90 degrees,

making sure your feet are lined up, left heel to

right arch. Place your left fingertips to the floor

on the outside of your left foot, and extend

your right arm over your head. (Alternatively,

place your left forearm on your left thigh.) Keep

the weight balanced between your front and

back legs as you breathe and elongate all parts

of your body. Hold for 3–5 breaths. Repeat on

the other side.

Utthita Parsvakonasana

Extended Side Angle Pose

Benefit

Opens and warms your hip flexors and quadriceps to

prepare them for the bow in the final pose

Instruction

Lie on your tummy and prop yourself up on your

elbows. Bend your left knee, and reach back with your

left hand to grab the inside of your foot. Depending on

your upper-body flexibility, either stay here and pull

Ardha Bhekasana Half Frog Pose

your foot closer to your outer hip to stretch the front of your leg,

or try slowly rotating your elbow toward the ceiling as your

fingers slide over the top of your foot, so the base of your palm is

pressing the top of your foot. Be sure to keep your knee in line

with your hip. To increase the stretch, maintain a natural curve in

your lower back while drawing your buttocks down. Be sure not

to push your foot too hard if it hurts your knee. Hold for 3–5

breaths. Repeat on the other side. Steady your balance and stay

open to possibilities as you move.