HEALTH Simple postures that can surprise

Simple postures that can surprise


Yoga
Lee Kennedy

THE last ten years has been incredibly rewarding for me, teaching people who have never thought about yoga before, and have generally no idea what to expect.
It is hard to believe the incredible scale of physical injuries, from bad backs, bad knees, neck and shoulder problems, that exist out there among the public.
Many have also presented with emotional health problems like depression. Most newcomers are genuinely interested and ask a lot of interesting and relevant questions, most students note that they sleep more soundly after the class, and more often feel better afterwards.
The following are two easy Yoga postures that can still surprise, showing that one shoulder is sometimes stiffer than the other (gomukasana - arms only) and that you may struggle with the alternative clasping of hands in (urdhva baddhangullyasana)
Both asanas can create flexibility in the wrists, arms and shoulders and help with relieving tightness in the neck.

Gomukasana (arms only)

• Raise the left arm up
• While keeping the shoulder muscles soft, roll the triceps forward and lift the arm bone up creating some space in the shoulder joint
• Bending the elbow, bring the fingertips down in between the shoulder blades
• Now bring the right hand behind the back and up between the shoulder blades and interlock the fingers or clasp the hands (if the hands or fingers don’t meet use a yoga belt or a tie will do the job)
• Broaden through the collarbone and move the shoulder blades down the back towards the ribs, lift and open both sides of the chest evenly
• Hold the position for 3 - 5 breaths
• Release and repeat on the other side

Urdhva baddhangullyasana

• Stand with the feet apart
• Interlock the fingers all the way up to the web of the hands
• Straighten the arms and extend them to the front of the trunk in line with shoulders
• Turn the palms away from the trunk so that the thumbs face the floor
• Roll the forearm bones in to help to keep the interlock
• Try not to hunch the shoulders but pull the shoulder blades down away from the ears
• Take the arms into a vertical position directly over the head
• Avoid arching the middle back
• Feel the armpits open
• Breathe softly through the nose holding for 3 - 5 breaths and repeat changing the interlock down one

Lee Kennedy qualified with The BKS Iyengar Yoga Association UK, the YTTC and Ana Forrest of Forrest Yoga. She specialises in pregnancy-related yoga and also studied with Janet Balaskas, founder of the Active Birth Foundation, UK. Visit Yogadara.com or call 0863906343 for more information.