Benefits:
Great pose if you have a stiff back or sciatica.
Chest is expanded, enhances breathing.
Helps strengthen the back of the body, legs, back, arms, and shoulders.
Foundation and General Alignment:
Hands are shoulders distance apart, elbows are over the wrists, forearms perpendicular to the floor.
Feet are hips distance apart. Toes are flat on the floor pointed away.
Benefits:
Strengthening.
Stretches the quads.
Great preparation for backbends.
Foundation & General Alignment:
Feet: The front foot is pointing towards the top of your mat. The back heel is turned in enough to get your heel down.
Weight is balanced.
Back leg is straight, emphasizes inner rotation.
Front leg is in line with second toe and over the heel. Thigh is parallel to the earth.
Benefits:
Establishes an even and conscious breathing pattern.
Loosens spine and shoulders.
Helpful way to see the curves in your spine.
Learning to arch the upper back.
Foundation & General Alignment:
Hands are shoulder width apart, below the shoulders.
Knees are beneath hips or slightly back.
Arch the sitting bones while you inhale.
Tailbone descends with exhale.
You can also hold for more than one breath in either pose.
Benefits:
Opens hips, puriformis, gluteus maximus, and groins.
Can also be useful for relieving sciatic pain.
Great for relieving menstrual discomfort, constipation, and prostate disorders.
Foundation & General Alignment:
Feet are active.
Pelvis is in a neutral position.
Torso lengthens evenly.
Neck and head should reflect the natural curves of the spine.
Benefits:
Improves balance and coordination.
Strengthens knees and legs.
Tones lower spine. Good for sciatic pain.
Challenging but stimulating.
Foundation & General Alignment:
One foot and one hand, bearing weight equally.
Standing foot is at a 90 degree angle, four corners weighted.
Legs are fully engaged, knees lifted.
Lifted foot is flexed encourages lengthening of the low back, keep foot fluid.
Benefits:
Good pose for learning how to properly align (especially the shoulders and pelvis).
Great variation pose for people with carpal tunnel, shoulder, and low back issues.
Stretches the hamstrings.
Helps lengthen the back and spine.
Foundation & General Alignment:
Facing wall, align heels of the hands at ribs, forearms are parallel to the floor.
Hands are shoulder width apart.
Benefits:
Strengthens core and upper body.
Teaches how to engage all parts of the body.
Learning to extend out in all directions evenly.
Foundation & General Alignment:
Two hands and two feet, balance weight evenly.
Feet are hip width apart.
Hands are shoulder width apart.
Elbows are above wrists, forearms are perpendicular to the floor.
Benefits:
Strengthens the abs and hip flexor muscles.
Stimulates and tones the abdominal organs.
Foundation & General Alignment:
Balanced on the pelvis, slightly above the sitting bones.
Knees/legs straight if hamstrings allow it.
Feet are active and in “floint” (pointing but flexed).
Pelvis is in a neutral position.
90 degree angle between thighs and pelvis.
Chest is lifted and shoulders are back.
Benefits:
Strengthens the entire back.
Helps stretches the hamstrings.
Can be a very calming pose to some people but for other it can make them feel claustrophobic and stress if they are tight in the shoulders/back.
Foundation & General Alignment:
The base is formed by the upper arms from elbow to shoulder, top of the shoulders back of the head and feet on the floor.
Benefits:
Opens the hips.
Great calming pose.
Perfect for meditating.
Foundation & General Alignment:
Sitting bones are weighted into the floor.
Outer edge of feet can be under knees or under hips.
Pelvis is in a neutral position.
Chin is parallel to the floor.
All sides or torso equally extended.
Shoulders are back and away from ears.
Head is resting halfway between knees and hips so elbows are under the shoulders.