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

Being in the posture: basic work

1. Keep your left leg straight, the foot perpendicular.


2. Keep the right knee on the floor, press it onto
   the floor or on a rolled blanket, if it is not
   coming down on the floor; this helps to move
   the outer thigh into the hip joint and relax the
   right groin and the right inner thigh.


3. Lengthen the front of your trunk; maintaining
   this length, also lengthen the back.


4. Bend more forwards by tilting your pelvis
   forwards and bending and lifting your elbows,
   as you exhale.


5. Keep the head in line with the spine, the neck,
   and throat comfortable.


6. Breathe naturally.

Being in the posture: refined work

1. Stretch the sole of your left foot.


2. Feel the center of the left heel and the left calf
   on the floor.


3. Move your left upper thigh into the left hip
   socket.


4. Lengthen your front spine and your back spine;
   release your back spine as you exhale, broaden
   the muscles beside the spine.


5. Maintaining the right knee on the floor, move
   
   your right hip forwards and away from your
   right thigh.


6. Slightly turn your abdomen and your front ribs
   to the left.


7. Slightly pull your abdomen inwards and upwards.
   8. Lengthen your front ribs, side ribs, and back
   ribs; move your back ribs inwards, where your
   back has the biggest curve.
   9. Lengthen through your armpits into your arms.
   10. If one part of your back is particularly round,
   lengthen the corresponding area in front.
   11. Stretch both sides of your trunk equally.
   12. To improve the stretch of the sides of the
   trunk, bend both elbows a little more, and
   slightly lift them; extend them forwards in line
   with the sides of the trunk.

Finishing the posture

Stay for 5–10 breaths. Release the hands from the

foot. With an inhalation lengthen the front of your

trunk, lift your trunk and head. Bring your right knee

up facing the ceiling, and slide the right foot away to

stretch the right knee, the kneecap, and toes in the

same direction, both facing the ceiling.

Repeat the posture with the left leg bent.

Suggestions for modifications and using

props

•    Sit    with    both    buttocks    on  a   folded  blanket.

•    Use    a   belt    around  the ball    of  the foot    of  the 

straight leg (Figure 7.76).

Figure 7.75

Figure 7.76