Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Hands Pose)

-

Like Tadasana, in this asana, the practitioner stands tall, like a mountain with the hands raised over the head.
Urdhva Hastasana is an uplifting pose that seems so easy and we take for granted so many times but in fact, is full of subtleties and manages to work our body balance, height and extension as well as our focus. With this asana, we find a sense of release by clearing the shoulders away from the ears.



  1. Stand up with the feet parallel. Big toes joining together and hells slightly apart. Ground down through the four corners of each foot.
  2. Lift the shinbones and the kneecaps up, engaging the quadriceps/thighs muscles and drawing the inner and outer knees (without straining them).
  3. Neutralize your pelvis by pulling the pubic bone toward the navel lengthening the spine and the trunk. This action prevents an excessive curve on the lumbar spine and also keeps the lower rib cage in.
  4. Inhale and extend your arms to the side parallel to the floor with the palms facing down, raising them shoulders height. Exhale and turn the palms towards the ceiling externally rotating from the top of the humerus bones.
  5. On the next inhalation circle the arms up alongside to the ears, and keeping the shoulders away from the ears by relaxing them. 
  6. Make sure your lower ribs are not splaying out. Keep your gaze at the horizon, your chin level, and your throat soft and open.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ardha Uttanasana (Standing Half Forward Bend Pose)

-
Image
Ardha Uttanasana also commonly known as "Flat back pose", "Half Standing Forward Fold" or "Half Forward Bend" prepares the body for Uttanasana and Adho Mukha Svanasana because stretches, lengthens and rejuvenates the hamstrings, calves, spine and upper torso and therefore also improving our posture. This asana is often done in Sun salutations, as a transition between Uttanasana and Chaturanga Dandasana. Newbies on Yoga that find changeling to bend from the pelvis should practice this asana before attempting full Uttanasana, in order to prevent bending instead from the lumbar region, an unsafe action that could create compression on the vertebras. This pose will lengthen and strengthen our body in time and with patience and practice, is going to allow us to go deeper in our practice. Stand in Tadasana with the feet parallel - big toes touching together and heels slightly apart. Root down through all four corners of the feet. In
Read more

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)

-
Image
Source: "Yoga anatomy" written by    Leslie Kaminoff " Uttanasana reminds me of a waterfall, the legs being the cliffs from which the trunk is flowing down like water – make the legs strong and tall and the trunk soft and flowing! " from Eyal Shifroni in " Props for yoga - Volume 1: Standing asanas " This healing, powerful and rejuvenating asana that soothes the mind, work and stretches the hamstrings, gastrocnemius, piriformis muscles, spinal muscles, and so many others muscles and connective tissues. Stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). On inhale circle the arms up in Urdhva Hastasana, extending from the low belly up through the fingertips.  Maintaining the length, on exhale and hinging from the hips, bend forward in order to have the trunk folding over the legs and resting the palms on the floor by the sides of the feet. If you need to bend the knees, maintaining the contact of the belly with
Read more

Activating the arms in Urdhva Hastasana

-
Image
The work we have to do with the body in Urdhva Hastasana is almost the same as in Tadasana, so the previous posts were I demonstrate exercises and variations for the feet, legs, pelvis and chest we can also apply to this asana. I am going to add other variations to help you understand the work and engagement of the arms and the correct alignment of the spine . As I previously said, if you have any cardiac condition or high blood pressure don't raise the arms up over than 30 seconds . Stand up with the feet parallel. Big toes joining together and hells slightly apart. Ground down through the four corners of each foot. Place a strap around the mid-forearms or on the elbows and tighten it to shoulder width (see how to find the shoulder distance on the post " Learn how to work the arms and chest in Tadasana "), and then place a block between the hands. Lift the shinbones and the kneecaps up, engaging the quadriceps/thighs muscles and drawing the 
Read more