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regular-article-logo Thursday, 09 May 2024

Five yoga poses

Yoga expert advises these five asanas and pranayamas for everyday well being:

Ira Trivedi Published 19.08.21, 04:03 AM

The Telegraph

• Kapalbhati Pranayama

Sit up straight in a relaxed posture, but not so straight as to be rigid. Resting both hands on the knees, let the thumb be in contact with the forefinger. Inhale deeply and contracting the abdominal muscles, exhale through both nostrils, forcing the air out. Instead of actively using your abdominal muscles, you should relax them and let your inhalations be automatic. After 20 rapid breaths, you can stop and breathe normally.

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• Shavasana:

Lie on your back with your arms rested at your sides, palms facing up. The legs should be extended and the feet should be apart. Keep your head and neck aligned. First, extend your toes, and then your legs and thighs. Arch your back and relax. Clench your fists and tense your arms, then relax them. Lift your head up and relax. Contract the muscles in your face, then let them go slack.

• Baddhakonasana

(Butterfly pose): Sit with the legs extended forward. The soles of both feet should touch and you should be grabbing the toes. Flap the thighs like a butterfly’s wings, while keeping the back straight and looking forward. Slowly, bring the feet closer to the body as you inhale. Relax deeper into the pose as you exhale.

• Uttanasana

Stand up and put your feet approximately shoulder-width apart and parallel to each other. Exhale, and keeping your torso stationary, bend at the hips and press your chest and abdomen to your thighs. Allow your knees to be bent to the extent that they are over your toes. Straighten out your legs slowly, but don’t let your chest or abdomen move away from your thighs.

Lift your hips all the while straightening your knees while at the same time pressing your heels into the ground.

• Adhomukha svanasana

Start lowering yourself down onto your hands and knees, with your hands shoulder-width apart and your knees hip-width apart. As you slowly inhale, elongate the spine in a continuous curve, head to tail; exhale, round your spine, moving your head

toward your back. To relax your muscles, start with cat tilt. On an exhalation, lift your knees, and align them in line with your ankles.

As you move deeper into the pose, begin to straighten your legs and walk your feet forward.

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