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february / march 2018yogajournal.com.sg3 ADHO MUKHA SVANASANA
Downward-Facing Dog Pose, variation
Come into a variation of Downward-Facing Dog
Pose with your thumbs touching and fingers angled
slightly out. (Place your hands shoulder-distance
apart if you have a shoulder injury.) Keep your feet
hip-distance apart. Engage the core to draw the hips
up and back, and lift the weight out of the shoulders.
Take long, deep breaths for 3 minutes. This inversion
allows energy to flow toward the brain.
4 BHUJANGASANA
Cobra Pose
Come to lying on your belly. Place your hands
under your shoulders, fingers spread wide.
While grounding down through your pelvis
and the tops of your feet, firm your legs and
reach your tailbone toward your heels. Inhale
and lift the chest, keeping a slight bend in the
elbows, the chest open, and the shoulders
relaxed. Hold for 2 minutes, taking deep
breaths. This pose draws energy toward the
spine and opens the chest.5 YOGA CRUNCH
Come onto your back, bend your knees, and place
your feet on the floor hip-distance apart. Interlace
your hands behind your head with the elbows
wide. Exhale and count to 6 as you come into a
crunch, pulling the low belly in. Inhale to the count
of 6 as you slowly lower back down. Repeat for
2 minutes. This pose continues to build energy
around the third chakra, the seat of willpower.