december 2017 / january 2018yogajournal.com.sgYOGAPEDIA
practice well
Modify Shalabhasana as necessary to
find safe alignment in your body.
If you feel discomfort in your back, neck, or shoulders...
If you’re unable to lift both legs
without strain...
If you have abdominal pain or are pregnant...
TRY raising your head and shoulders while keeping your
legs and feet on the floor. Lengthen through the top of
your head and reach back through your toes to elongate
your entire body. Slowly raise your head and shoulders
until you reach a height where your back muscles feel
active without pain or discomfort. Hold for 5 breaths. If you
feel any pain, back out of the posture until the sensation is
relieved, or exit the pose completely.TRY moving to your hands and knees and lifting one leg
at a time. Place your hands below your shoulders, knees
under your hips. Keep the top of your right foot in gentle
contact with the floor and slide it back along your mat.
As your leg extends, raise it up slowly, reaching and
lengthening back through your toes. Imagine you are trying
to touch a wall behind you with your toes but it’s just out
of reach. Square your hips. Maintain good control of your
abdominals in order to protect and strengthen your low
back. Hold for 2–5 breaths. To exit, lower your leg and keep
extending back through your toes until they touch the floor.
Repeat the same actions with the other leg. Repeat 3 times
on each side, alternating legs.TRY lifting one leg at a time with your chin and chest on
the floor. Raising both legs simultaneously requires a lot
of strength, so use this variation to build strength and
confidence. Encourage length by reaching out through the
top of your head and back through your toes. Raise one
leg, keeping the front of your pelvis to the floor. Keeping
your pelvis grounded isolates your leg and back muscles.
Hold for 2–5 breaths (or more as your strength increases).
To exit, lower your leg slowly and with control—don’t let it
drop to the floor like a rock. Repeat the same actions with
the other leg. Repeat 3 times on each side, alternating legs.TRY raising your legs with your chin and chest on the floor.
This modification has similar benefits to the one at left: try
them both to see how they feel in your body. Keep your
chin gently connected to the floor, and elongate through
the top of your head and back through the tips of your toes.
Begin raising your legs slowly without bending your knees.
Height is secondary to the lengthening of your legs. Keep
your focus on activating your back muscles and abdominals.
Let your legs find a natural height where you feel like you’re
working but not straining. Hold for 5 breaths.