Backbend

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana - Upward Facing Dog

YOGARU_Urdhva Mukha Svanasana.png

ALIGNMENT

From Chaturanga Dandasana, inhale, reach your sternum forward and up. Roll over your toes onto the tops of the feet, straighten your arms, hands either side of your breastbone

Press into your hands and feet, lift your torso and legs up. Broaden through the collarbones, firm your shoulder blades against your back

Stretch your toes back, hug your outer hip to the midline

Firm your legs, draw your navel towards your spine, gaze forward or arch your head back and gaze up

 

Ardha Bhekasana - Half Frog

ALIGNMENT

Lie on your front, bend your elbow and place your forearms on the ground shoulders stacked over elbows

Bend your right knee and draw your foot in towards your right hip. Reach your right hand back and hold onto the inside of your right foot. Rotate your upper arm to point your elbow up towards the ceiling, stay here, or for a stronger stretch, pivot your fingers round over the top of your toes to face to the front of your mat

Keeping your knees in line with your hips, press your foot toward the outside of your hip. Press down into your left forearm to lift the sternum forward and up, gaze slightly forward

Bhekasana - Frog

ALIGNMENT

Lie on your front, knees bent and hip width, draw your feet in towards your hip

Reach your hands back and hold onto the inside of your ankles. Rotate your upper arms to point your elbow up towards the ceiling, stay here, or for a stronger stretch, pivot your fingers round over the top of your toes to face to the front of your mat

Roll your inner thighs up to keep your knees in line with your hips. Press your feet toward the outside of your hip. Lift your sternum forward and up, gaze slightly forward

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana - Bridge

ALIGNMENT

Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet parallel and hip width apart, heels close to your sit bones. Root through your big toe mound and inner heels. Arms pressed into the ground beside you

Exhale, lift your hips up, roll your shoulders under and clasp your hands below your pelvis. Press into your arms and extend them towards your feet

Knees extend forward, sternum lift up and towards your chin, lightly press into the back of your head

Hug your outer hips to the midline, thighs parallel to the ground, roll your inner thighs down, gaze up