THE ESSENTIAL YOGA POSES
- Lie facedown on your
mat. Bend your elbows and
place your hands alongside
your lower ribs so that your
elbows are stacked directly
over your wrists.
- Press the tops of your
feet into the mat. Roll your
inner thighs toward the
ceiling as you hug your
outer ankles in. Relax
your glutes.
- On an inhale, press
into your hands and use
the muscles of your lower
back to lift your chest off
the ground. Keep your
shoulders relaxed away
from your ears as you draw
them back and down. Start
to work your arms toward
straight, but stop as soon
as you feel your shoul-
ders bunching up toward
your ears.
GAZE: Slightly up
PRECEDING POSES: Plank,
Chaturanga, Sphinx,
Half Forward Fold
COUNTERPOSES: Down Dog,
Standing Forward Fold
PRECAUTIONS: If you have
lower back issues, keep your
chest low and do not fully
straighten your arms.
TIP: This p ose can be a prett y
deep back bend if you straighten
your arms all the way. O nly lif t so
high that you can keep your chest
wide and your shoulders rel axe d.
F YI: I ’ve been practicing for a long
time, and I still don’t straighten
my arms all the way in this pose.
