YOGAJOURNAL.COM / 40 / FEBRUARY 2018
Strengthen your shoulders and back as you
move step by step into Visvamitrasana.
BENEFITS Strengthens your hands, wrists, shoulders, lats, hamstrings,
and quadriceps; stimulates the intestines and encourages digestion.Visvamitra = the sage Visvamitra
(visva = everyone · mitra = friend) · Asana = PosePose Dedicated to VisvamitraVisvamitrasana
STAY SAFE
If you have injuries in your wrists, ham-
strings, or pelvis, this posture may not
be suitable for you. Your arms and pelvis
should feel stable before you move to
straighten your right leg. Otherwise, you
risk straining your right hamstring, left hip
fl exor, or right rotator cuff. Once you feel
stable, press your right leg into your right
arm and reach through your right foot to
help keep your leg active, maintaining a
lift through your pelvic fl oor. Avoid sinking
into the posture, which can put strain on
ligaments in your hip and groin.YOGAPEDIA
PRACTICE WELL
INSTRUCTION
1 From Tadasana, inhale and raise your arms up. Exhale and fold forward. Place
your hands on the ground and step back so that your feet are about 3–4 feet from
your hands. Begin to reach your sit bones back, press your hands into the mat, and
straighten your arms to come into Downward-Facing Dog Pose.
2 Inhale and step your right foot to the inside of your right hand. Turn your left
heel in and drop it to the mat, making sure it’s placed along the midline of your
body. Ground through your left leg, and tuck your right elbow behind your right
knee. Wiggle your arm and shoulder as deeply behind your knee as they will
go. You can use your breath to help work it deeper. Inhale, and hold for a breath.
Repeat this last movement.
3 Place your right hand on the fl oor several inches to the right
of your right foot, slightly in front of your shoulder with your
fi ngers facing forward. On an exhalation, engage your lower
abdominals, lift your pelvis, and begin to straighten your right
arm. Keep lifting your pelvis and fi nd a lifting action in your left
leg while your heel stays rooted. Place your left hand on your
right foot to help keep your leg hooked around your right arm
with your right leg lifted. Press your right leg into your right arm.
4 Once you feel stability in your right arm and pelvis, begin to
reach and straighten your right leg. Keep extending through
your leg, reaching though the ball of your right foot; point your
right toes. Find a spinning action, as though you were trying to
rotate the bottom of your right foot, reaching
it toward the ceiling. Press and ground again
into the outer edge of your left foot, which
will help engage your core and help with
the lifting action of the pelvis. Press your
right thigh against your right arm to maintain
stability. Press into the mat with your right
hand, and slowly begin to
reach your left hand up in an
energetic line above your
right arm. Open your chest
and draw your collarbones
away from your ears. Reach
your tailbone toward your
left heel to keep your legs
active and engaged. Hold
for 5 breaths. Repeat on the
other side.1
2
4
3