Yoga: Prone Postures In English

Part- 4

Hello friends, in today's post, we will know about some of the initial yoga postures, its rules and benefits. So let's start ...

3.  YOGĀSANAS                     

C. PRONE POSTURES

MAKARĀSANA (The Crocodile Posture)

In Sanskrit, Makara means crocodile. In this āsana, the body resembles the crocodile, hence the name.

Makarasan

Sthiti: Prone relaxation posture

Technique

• Lie down on your stomach with feet wide apart, toes pointing outward.
• Bend both the arms and place the right palm on the left palm.
• Place the head either left or right on your hands.
• Keep the eyes closed and relax the whole body. This is Makarāsana.
• This āsana is practiced for relaxation in all prone postures.

Benefits

• Promotes relaxation of the whole body.
• Helps in recovery of back problems.
• Benefit in cardiac rehabilitation.
• Indicated to counter stress and anxiety.

A word of caution

• Avoid this practice in case of pregnancy and frozen shoulders.  

BHUJAṄGĀSANA (The Cobra Posture)

Bhujaṅga means snake or cobra. In this āsana, the body is raised like the hood of the snake, hence the name.

Stithi: Prone posture or Makarāsana

Technique

• Lie down on your stomach, rest your head on your hands and relax the body.
• Now join your legs and stretch your arms.
• Keep the forehead on the ground.
• Now place your hands just beside the body; keep palms and elbows on the ground.
• As you inhale slowly, lift the head and chest up to navel region without changing in the position of hands.
• Stay there comfortably.
• This is called Sarala Bhujaṅgāsana.
• Now come back and place your forehead on the ground.
• Keep your palms besides the chest and raise your elbows where they are.
• Inhale, slowly lift the head and chest up to navel region.
• Keep the elbows parallel and maintain the posture for 10-30 seconds with normal breathing.
• This is Bhujaṅgāsana.
• Exhale, rest your forehead on the ground, come back to Makarāsana and relax. 

Note:

• Keep the legs firm so that no load or strain is felt on the lumbar spine.

Benefits

• This āsana is best for stress management.
• It reduces abdominal fat and alleviates constipation.
• It also helps to remove backache and bronchial problems.

A word of caution

• Those who have undergone abdominal surgery should avoid this āsana for2-3months.
• Those who suffer from hernia, ulcers should not practice this āsana.

ŚALABHĀSANA (The Locust Posture)

Śalabha means a locust.

Salabhasana

Sthiti: Prone posture or Makarāsana

Technique

• Lie down on your stomach in Makarāsana.
• Rest the chin on the floor, keep both hands beside the body, palms facing upwards.
• Inhale, raise the legs off the floor as much as you can without bending the knees.
• Extend the arms and legs well to ease lifting the body off the floor.
• Stay in this position for 10-30 seconds breathing normally.
• Exhale, bring the legs down towards the floor.
• Rest for a few seconds in Makarāsana.

Note:

• Pull up the knee caps and squeeze the buttocks to improve the posture. This āsana is more beneficial when performed after Bhujaṅgāsana 

Benefits

• Relieves in sciatica and lower backache.
• Tones the hip muscles.
• Helps to reduce fat in the thighs and buttocks, good in weight management.
• Helps to improve lungs capacity.

A word of caution

• Cardiac patients should avoid this posture.
• Please proceed cautiously in case of severe lower back pain.
• People with high blood pressure, peptic ulcer and hernia should also avoid this posture.

Part- 5 : Click Here

D. SUPINE POSTURES

I hope you have liked and understood all the information we have given in this post today. So keep learning and wait for the next post which will help you learn something new.

  Thank you so much for reading. And take care of yourself and your family.