Asana of the week: Toes and Palms Balance Pose

Toes and Palms Balance Pose
Everyone knows that push-ups make your arms strong. In this push-up-like yoga pose, you'll strengthen your arms without even moving.

1. Kneel down and sit on your heels.

2. Lean forward and fully extend your arms.

3. Lift your buttocks and come onto all fours.

4. Inhale and lift your knees from the floor, straightening your legs. Lower your buttocks until your body forms a straight line. Raise your head and look forward. Press your hands firmly down and lift away from them. Hold the pose for 15 to 30 seconds, breathing slowly and deeply.

5. Lower your knees to the floor, then sit on your heels to rest.

Focus in the Pose...
Make sure your buttocks are neither too high nor too low. Your body should be as straight as a plank from your heels to your shoulders.

To Intensify the Pose...
Contract your buttocks and thighs, squeezing them together and up toward the waist. Hold as long as you can, then release and repeat.

Benefits
•Strengthens the wrists, arms, and shoulders
•Firms the abs and buttocks
•Tones the nervous system

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Asana of the Week: Leg lifts with ankle exercise

Easy Leg Lift with Ankle Exercise

Flexible ankles help prevent injuries while walking, running, skiing, or playing sports. We don't usually pay much attention to these joints until we hurt them. Then we realize how important they are to our health. For example, if you sprain an ankle and can't even walk, let alone run or play tennis, your body will get out of shape quite quickly. This exercise also stretches out calf muscles often contracted during sports, so it's especially beneficial for athletes.

1. Lie on your back with your hands by your sides, palms down.

2. Bend your left knee and place your heel close to your buttock.

3. Raise your right leg, keeping your knee straight throughout the exercise.

4. Point your toes as far as you can. Be aware of the stretching sensation in the front of your shin, over the ankle, and into the top of your foot.

5. Now flex your foot by pressing your heel away and pulling your toes toward you. Notice the stretch in your calf muscles and hamstrings. Repeat these two movements 15 to 20 times. Lower your right leg and extend the left. Change legs and repeat.

Focus in the Pose...
Point and flex your feet evenly. In other words, when you point your toes, focus on pressing the big toe side of your foot forward. When you flex, focus on drawing the little toe side of your foot toward you. This flexing movement stretches the Achilles tendon at the back of the ankle.

Hints...
To strengthen your thighs as well, bring the extended leg as close to your trunk as you can and hold it there as you point and flex your foot. This will also gently strengthen your abdominal muscles.

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Equestrian Pose

Equestrian Pose

Part of the Salute to the Sun, this lunge gives you a powerful thigh, groin, and hip stretch while loosening the spine.

1. Come onto your hands and knees with your knees and feet together. Your hands are a few inches in front of your shoulders.

2. Lift your knees and straighten your legs. Balance here a moment. Exhale completely.

3. Inhale and step your left foot forward between your hands. Rest your right knee on the floor.

4. Continue to inhale as you lift your head and shoulders, stretching your neck back. Let your palms come up so just your fingertips rest on the floor. Breathe normally as you hold for 10 to 20 seconds. As you arch upward, feel the stretch in your breastbone. Try to keep your left heel on the floor.

5. Exhale as you straighten your chest and bring it forward.

6. Push down on your palms, lift your hips, and step your left foot back. Repeat on the other side.

Focus in the Pose...
To increase the thigh and groin stretch, sink your weight into your hips while lifting your chest. Try to increase the arch in your upper back.

Benefits...
• Massages the abdominal organs
• Harmonizes the nervous system

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Asana of the Week

Bowing Pose - finish

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Asana of the Week

Beginner's Headstand with Corner

Try the Beginner's Headstand with Corner asana
along with Wai Lana . . .

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Headstand can be tricky, but using a corner for support makes balancing a lot easier.

1. Kneel down directly in front of the corner. Place your interlocked fingers 2 to 4 inches in front of the corner (the closer, the better). Your elbows should be shoulder-width apart. Open your hands, pointing your thumbs up.

2. Bring your head to the floor between your hands so the back of your head rests against your palms. Turn your toes under.

3. Straighten your legs, lift your hips, and walk your feet in so the top of your head rolls onto the floor. Move your shoulders away from your ears.

4. Bend your knees and jump up, bringing your feet to each side of the corner.

5. Slowly straighten one leg, then the other. Keep your heels together. Contract your thighs and buttocks, lifting your entire body upward. Breathe normally, remaining as motionless as possible. Your body should be quite straight. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds, gradually extending the time you remain in the pose.

6. To come down, carefully bend one knee, then the other. Bring your knees to your chest and lower your feet to the floor. Place your forehead on your hands to rest.

Focus in the Pose…
Have most of your weight evenly balanced over the tripod formed by your hands and forearms so that the crown of your head rests lightly on the floor. As you lift, extend both legs so that your feet move further up the wall. Feel light.

Hints…
Your buttocks may or may not touch the walls depending on your build and how far your hands are from the corner.

You can also relax in this pose. Continue to press your arms down and keep your shoulders lifted to help support your weight, but relax the rest of your body. This enables blood to flow back to your heart more easily.

Benefits
• Revitalizes the entire body
• Rejuvenates the brain
• Strengthens the lungs
• Regulates the glandular system

Wailana's Asana of the Week

It's not called king of the asanas for nothing!