3. Tree Pose
Step back to the centre of your mat. Feet together. Focus on one point in the mirror.
Right leg lifts up. Grab your right foot from underneath with the palm of your left hand.
Lift your right foot all the way up, as high as possible.Sole of your foot facing the ceiling.
Be very careful with your knee. Slowly, gently, let your right knee come down. Push your
hips forward and gently bring your right knee back. Try to get both knees in one line from the
side, to open your pelvis.
4. Tree Pose
Upper body back.Chest up, shoulders down.
Stretch your spine up towards the ceiling. Such your stomach in. Two hips in one line, two shoulders in
one line.
Bring your right hand up to the centre of your chest. If you can balance here, bring your left hand up,
palms together in Namaskar. If your foot slips, continue to hold your foot with your left hand.
No extra sway in the lower back. Suck your low belly in and lengthen your tailbone more toward the floor.
Left leg straight, thigh contracted. Spine straight, stomach in. Focus on one point, eyes open, normal
breathing.
5. Tree Pose
Benefits:
The Tree Pose improves posture and balance and increases the flexibility of the
ankles, knees, and hip joints. By strengthening the internal oblique muscles, it
prevents hernia. (This pose and the Toe Stand, which follows, are preparatory
postures for the more advanced Locust Pose)
8. Sit-Up
Toes and heels together. Flex your feet, keep your heels on the floor.
Arms over your head, palms open, facing the ceiling, only cross your thumbs, arms and
head together.
Chin toward your chest. Stomach in, inhale breathing, quickly sit up.
Exhale breathing grab your toes. Touch your forehead to the knees, elbows to the floor.
Turn around and lay down on your stomach for the spine strengthening series.
Benefits:
Sit-ups strengthen and tighten the abdomen and increase the flexibility of the spine.
11. Cobra Pose
Lay on your stomach. Chin out, throat flat on the floor.
Hands under the shoulders, very close to your chest. Throughout the posture, keep your five
fingers together, palms flat on the floor, square underneath your shoulders. Fingertips in line
with the top of your shoulders, baby fingers in line with the deltoids. Keep your palms flat.
Please don’t move your hands.
Until the end, keep your feet, toes and heels, together, feet flat on the floor. Zip up your legs
and continuously squeeze your legs together. Your leg and hip muscles are active and
engaged.
12. Cobra Pose
Elbows touching your body, drop your shoulders down. Look up towards the ceiling.
Inhale breathing. Come up. Lift your upper body up, using 100% back strength.Come up halfway until only
your belly button is touching the floor.
Stretch your elbows down towards the hips, arms and elbows always touching your body, chest up, to
bring your shoulders down.
Now chest up more, the focus is strengthening the lower back.
Shoulders down, chest up, look up, come up, go up, more up,come up a little bit more. Hold it there.
Gently come down. Arms by your side, left ear on the towel and relax.
13. Cobra Pose
Additional Instructions:
- You legs are like a cobra’s tail.
- Distribute weight equally over both sides of the hands/ palms. Imagine you are opening two jars
underneath your hands.
Benefits:
The Cobra is one of the best ways to maintain the body in perfect condition. It increases spinal strength
the flexibility, helps prevent lower backache, and helps cure lumbago,rheumatism, and arthritis of the
spine.It also relieves menstrual problems(irregularity, cramps,backache), cures loss of appetite,helps
correct bad posture, and improves the functioning of the liver and spleen. The Cobra strengthens the
deltoids, trapezius, and triceps.
16. Locust Pose
Lay on your stomach.Chin forward, throat on the floor. Arms straight, lift your pelvis and stomach up off
the floor. Place arms underneath your body. Palms facing the floor.
Bring your elbows completely underneath your stomach, invisible. It is normal for the elbows to feel
uncomfortable.
Lift your hips as high as you need to, to get the arms underneath you.
Spread out all ten fingers wide, pinky fingers touching each other. Grab the floor with your fingertips.
Shift forward over the arms towards the shoulders. Pressure in the arm from the shoulder to the wrist.
Chin on the floor. Do not lift or turn your head throughout the posture.
17. Locust Pose
Left leg relaxed. Right leg strong and solid, pointed toes.
Inhale breathing. Slowly, gently lift your right leg up from the floor, about 45 degrees.
At the same time, stretch your toes toward the back of the room. Keep shoulders down towards the floor.
Don’t let your hips turn out to the side. Leg up more, lift up more. Straight leg, pointed toes, more up.
Change, slowly bring your right leg down and relax it completely. Left leg up.
Both legs:
Turn your head in, mouth on the floor. Bring your elbows closer together underneath your body.
18. Locust Pose
Open your fingers, palms flat. Legs and feet together, toes pointed. Make sure you have one solid leg, like
a snake.
Take a deep breath, full lungs and without bending your knees, both legs up.
Come up even more, as high as possible. Leg straight, feet together, big breath in.
Use your hands, arms, and shoulders against the floor, to get your head to side.
19. Locust Pose
Additional Instructions:
- Your shoulders should be touching the floor.
- Press your hands against the floor.Strengthen the upper back. Straighten the arms like bumping a
volleyball.
Benefits:
The Locust Pose has the same benefits as the Cobra, but it is even more potent in the cure of any back or
spinal problem such as gout, slipped disc, and sciatica.It cures tennis elbow and is also excellent for
firming buttocks and hips.
