Australian Yoga Journal — November 2017

82

november/december 2017

yogajournal.com.au

Benefit

Opens your shoulders, chest, and upper back; strengthens your legs and

upper body; stretches your front body, the thigh of your grounded

leg, and the hamstrings of your lifted leg; increases energy

Instruction

1 From Urdhva Dhanurasana, slowly re-bend your elbows,

keeping them directly over your wrists, and place the crown of

your head on the floor without bearing too much weight on your

head. Pause and draw your shoulder blades back, then lower

your forearms to the floor one at a time with your fingers

pointed toward your heels and your elbows shoulder-distance apart. Interlace your fingers

behind your head, tucking your outer pinkie finger in, as you did in Dolphin Pose.

2 Firm your outer arms in and lift your shoulder heads away from the floor. Press down through

your inner elbows, forearms, and outer wrists, and firm your shoulder blades into your back ribs as

you raise your head off the floor. Then lift your heels, keeping your shins parallel, and release your

inner thighs down toward the floor before lengthening your tailbone and lowering your heels back

down. Extend out through your spine and press your sternum forward. Take a few rounds of breath.

3 When you’re ready, strongly press the four corners of your left foot down into the mat, shifting

your weight to your left leg, and bring your right knee up and in toward your chest. Keep your chest

lifted as you spread your right toes, and slowly start to straighten your right leg toward the ceiling.

Root your forearms, lift your shoulders,

curl your chest open, and extend through your

spine and legs as you move step by step

into Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana.

1

2

3

Urdhva Dhanurasana Upward Bow (Wheel) Pose

Benefit

Opens shoulders, chest, and upper back; strengthens the upper

body, butt, legs, and spine; stretches the abs and hip flexors;

improves back flexibility

Instruction

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat, parallel, and

hip-distance apart. Bend your elbows and place your palms on the

floor, just above your shoulders, with fingertips pointing toward

your feet. Hug your elbows toward one another, press down

through your palms, and lift up onto the crown of your head.

(Note: You shouldn’t put too much weight on your head.) Pull back

through your armpits, engage your shoulder blades onto your

upper back, and press your sternum forward. Root down through

your hands and feet, straighten your arms, and lift your head off

the floor.

Dolphin Pose, variation (with clasped hands)

Benefit

Opens shoulders, chest, and upper back; builds upper-body

strength and awareness; teaches how to press down through the

forearms

Instruction

From Tabletop, place your forearms on the floor with your elbows

directly underneath your shoulders. Clasp your hands together.

Tuck your outside pinkie finger inside the other so that the outer

edges of your wrists and hands are flat and even. Press down

through your wrists and forearms and lift your shoulders away from

the floor. Tuck your toes under and lift your hips up and back to

come into Dolphin Pose. Keep your shoulders lifted as you take one

or two steps forward and press the tops of your thighs back.