Yoga as Therapeutic Exercise: A Practical Guide for Manual Therapists

Selected aSelected asanas̄̄sanas Selected aSelected āsanas̄sanas

4. Keeping the arches of your feet strong and the
   inner and outer ankles at the same level, bend
   your knees as long as the heels stay on the
   floor and the trunk and arms remain lifted.

Being in the posture: basic work

1. Have slightly more weight on the heels than on
   the forefoot.


2. Adjust the angle of the knees so that the knees
   are comfortable.


3. Maintaining a neutral lumbopelvic position,
   
   gently move your lower abdomen inwards and
   upwards, your shoulder blades and your upper
   thoracic spine in and up.


4. Balance your head so that the neck and throat
   are comfortable.


5. Breathe naturally.

Being in the posture: refined work

1. Stretch your toes; keep the arches of your
   feet strong; the shin bones active, moving
   away from the back of the feet; the weight
   shifting more into your heels; bend your knees
   a little more as long as the Achilles tendons
   are well aligned and the calf muscles are
   giving more stretch.


2. Lift the hip bones and the abdomen slightly
   upwards and backwards.


3. Balance the leaning forwards of the trunk with
   moving the abdomen, the costal arches, and the
   arms backwards.


4. Maintaining the position of the chin, slightly
   
   shift the head backwards.


5. Relax your face and eyes; breathe naturally.

Finishing the posture

Stay in the posture for 5–10 breaths. With an inha-

lation straighten your legs, relax your arms, and stay

calmly in Tā āsana for a few breaths.

Suggestions for modifications using

props

Keep your arms parallel, the palms facing forwards,

resting them on a wall (Figure 7.30).

13. Uttānāsana (Figure 7.31)

Meaning of the āsana and its name

Uttāna is an intensive stretch. This posture gives

an intensive lengthening from the feet through

the legs, from the pelvis through the trunk into

the head and arms, all while standing firm on

both feet. In his book Light on Yoga (Iyengar 2001)

B K S Iyengar also mentions the meaning “delibera-

tion” of “ut.”

If the posture is held for at least 2 minutes, it

helps to calm the mind and aids recovery.

Figure 7.30