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

9. Vrabhadrāsana I (Figure 7.23)

Meaning of the āsana and its name

Vīrabhadrāsana I is the first of the three āsanas dedi-

cated to the powerful hero Vīrabhadra of ancient

Indian mythology. It is performed with strength

while at the same time being relaxed.

Getting into the posture

1. Stand in Tā āsana.


2. Walk your feet one leg length plus one foot
   length apart; feet are parallel, the arches of the
   feet are active.


3. Slightly lift from your lower abdomen, raise your
   arms to the sides in line with the shoulder girdle,
   and turn the arms from the shoulder joints so
   that the palms are facing the ceiling.


4. Maintaining a neutral lumbopelvic position, elevate
   your arms vertically and keep them parallel.


5. Turn the right foot and leg 90° outwards, the
   left foot and leg 45–60° inwards, and your pelvis
   and trunk 90° to the right; the left heel is in line

with the right foot; in both legs the center of the

thighs, the kneecaps, and the toes are pointing in

the same direction.

6. The central front line of the trunk and the tip of
   the nose are facing exactly forwards.


7. Be firm in your back leg and maintain the
   alignment, exhale and bend your right knee until
   the shin bone is vertical.


8. Adjust your pelvis, thorax, and elevated arms so
   that you are comfortable throughout the spine.


9. Join your palms, if you can keep your elbows
   straight.


10. Gently lengthen from the upper neck to the
    back of your head; extend your head backwards
    as far as comfortable, but you may like to keep
    your head upright.

Being in the posture: basic work

1. Press the outer edge of the left foot towards
   the floor.


2. Keep the left knee straight.


3. Keeping the right big toe on the floor and the
   weight in the right heel, move the right knee
   towards the plane of the right little toe.


4. Maintain the rotation of the pelvis; move your
   sacrum down and in, the lower abdomen slightly
   inwards and upwards.


5. Lift your thorax up and the upper part slightly
   forwards to stay comfortable in the lumbar area, and
   to have a continuous stretch through your spine.


6. Move your shoulder blades into the thorax to
   widen the upper chest from there.


7. Elevate your arms further to lift the side ribs more.


8. Breathe naturally.

Being in the posture: refined work

1. Lift from your left inner arch throughout your
   left inner leg, move the front and inner left thigh
   backwards, and slightly turn your left hip forwards.


2. Move your sacrum down and inwards.


3. Move your right groin in and down, keep it soft.


4. Slightly turn your right hip backwards.
   Figure 7.23 5. Lift the front hip bones away from the thighs.