THE ESSENTIAL YOGA POSES
- Lie down on your back.
Lift your right leg up to the
ceiling and grab your big
toe with your index and
middle fi ngers. Straighten
your leg and relax your
shoulders. Your left leg
should remain extended
on the ground. Hold for
fi ve breaths.
- Allow your right leg to
fall over to the right, but
go only so far as you can
while keeping your left hip
and left sit bone on the mat.
Hold for fi ve breaths.
- Come back through the
center. Grab your right foot
with your left hand and
allow your leg to go to the
left for a stretch and a twist.
It is okay to let your right
sit bone lift here. Hold for
fi ve breaths. Repeat on the
other side.
GAZE: Big toe
PRECEDING POSES:
Seated Forward Fold
COUNTERPOSES: Bridge
with a block under your
sacrum, Savasana
PRECAUTIONS: Most people have
diffi culty reaching their feet with
their hands. You can place a strap
around the sole of your foot and
place the two sides of the strap
into your hands. Move as directed.
TIP: A s you take your le g across
your b o dy, tr y going only a
few inches at first. This might
deepen the stretch along
the outside of the le g. This is
especially great for runners.
