Yoga as Therapeutic Exercise: A Practical Guide for Manual Therapists

7

Chapter

Selected āsanas for integrating the aims and principles

Selected asanas̄ Selected āsanas

Selected asanas̄ Selected āsanas

straight leg is the beam, the trunk is an arch, the top

of the gate, and the core of the arch is the spine in

side-bending.

Getting into the posture

1. Prepare a folded blanket if you need a
   support for your lower legs and a brick on
   your right side.


2. Kneel with your knees and feet close together;
   press your shin bones and metatarsals into the
   blanket (Figure 7.15).


3. Keeping your pelvis in the center, lift your
   right leg, turn it 90° outwards, with the knee
   and the foot exactly pointing to the right side
   (Figure 7.16).


4. Adjust your right, bent leg exactly in line with
   the left thigh and the pelvis.


5. Keeping your left thigh vertical, and your right
   sitting bone forwards, stretch your right leg to
   the side in the plane of the left thigh and the
   trunk (Figure 7.17).


6. Turn it out from the hip socket so that the
   center of the thigh, the kneecap, and the toes
   are facing towards the ceiling; rest the ball of the
   right foot on the brick; control the movement so
   that the left thigh stays vertical.


7. Put your right palm on your right leg; slightly
   turn your thorax to the left, so that your
   abdomen and your chest are exactly facing
   forwards.


8. Keeping your left hip stable and sliding your
   right palm down on the right leg, bend to the
   right as you exhale as long as your trunk stays
   in the plane of the right leg: moving your right
   groin down, bend from the pelvis first, then
   from your waist, then your thorax, and finally
   the head.


9. To avoid too much compression of the right
   trunk side, slightly lengthen it while you push
   yourself off the right shin bone to turn your
   trunk.
   10. Extend your left arm over your left ear, with
   the palm facing the floor (Figure 7.18).

Being in the posture: basic work

1. Press the back of your left foot and the left shin
   bone into the blanket.


2. Keep your left thigh strong, the back of the
   upper right thigh towards the hip joint.


3. Keep the right knee firm.


4. Slightly turn your abdomen and thorax to the left
   and lift your shoulder girdle off the right arm.


5. Breathe naturally; feel the lengthening of your
   left side ribs during inhalation.

Being in the posture: refined work

1. Suck your right kneecap into the right thigh.


2. If your knee is overextended slightly relax from
   the full extension.


3. Very gently move your lower abdomen inwards
   and upwards.


4. Refine the lengthening of the left side during
   exhalation by extending your left arm even more
   as you exhale.


5. Be aware of the side-bending of your head
   to the right; combine it with turning it to
   the left as long as your neck and throat are
   comfortable.

Finishing the posture

Stay    in   the    posture for 5–10    breaths.    Move    your

right foot off the brick into dorsiflexion, pull your

right kneecap and thigh upwards, inhale, bring your

trunk upright (Figure 7.17). Bend your right knee

and kneel on both knees. Repeat on the left side.

Suggestions for modifications

using props

•    Try    different   heights for the support of  the foot    

of the straight leg.