Yoga_Journal_-_December_2014_USA

38

december 2014

yogajournal.com

YOGAPEDIA

practice well

Benefit

Opens your chest and shoulders, strengthens

your legs, and lengthens your sides

Baddha Trikonasana

(Bound Triangle Pose)

Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana

(Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose)

Benefit

Gives you a strong sense of where your

central axis is, allowing you to balance

Instruction

From Tadasana, bring your left knee up to your

chest. Reach your left arm inside the thigh and

take hold of the outside of your left foot firmly.

Pull up the front thigh muscles of the right

leg, and press the outer right thigh inward.

Straighten the left leg, then take it out to the

side. Take 5–10 breaths, keeping the supporting

leg straight and the chest open. Slowly release

the leg back down and switch sides.

Learn to fi nd your center of balance and open your

hamstrings in these prep poses for Svarga Dvijasana.

Vrksasana

modifi cations,

page 36

Instruction

From Virabhadrasana II, or Warrior Pose II,

with the left foot forward, place the left hand

on the instep side of the left foot. Ensure that

the back toes are turned in about 45 degrees

and the back heel is down. Extend your

right hand to the sky, then wrap it behind

your back. Feed your left hand under your

left thigh until the hands clasp. Firming the

back leg, gently press your hips forward as

your chest and torso rotate toward the sky,

then begin to extend the left leg until it is

completely straight. Engage the quads and

spread the front toes for balance. Bring your

drishti over your right shoulder, and take

5–10 breaths before changing sides.

Vrksasana,

page 35

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