One-Legged Inverted Bow Pose

One-Legged Inverted Bow Pose / Eka Pada Urdhva Dhanurasana

(eck-ah pa-DAH oord-VAH don-your-ahs-anna)

eka=one
pada= foot
urdhva=upward, inverted
dhanu=bow

1.  Lie on your back, and bend your knees placing the heels of your feet as close as possible to your bottom. Your feet should be approximately hip distance apart. Bend your arms and place your hands beside your ears with your fingertips facing towards your shoulder.

2. Exhale and press your feet into the ground lifting up your hips and tail bone up to the sky. Simultaneously, press your hands firmly down and lift your chest and head off the ground. Keep your head relaxed, crown of the head may face down, or slightly look behind you.

3. Keep your shoulder blades down and continue to straighten your arms, keeping them parallel. Lift up through your chest to deepen the backbend by pushing evenly through your hands and feet.

4. Lift your right leg up and straighten it up towards the sky.

5. Maintain the pose for approximately 10-30 seconds, and carefully lower. Practice this pose again, but alternate to the left leg.

Benefits
-Stretches the chest and lungs
-Stimulates the thyroid gland
-Stretches the spine
-Strengthens the arms
-Improves balance

Cautions
-Back injury
-Carpal tunnel syndrome
-High or low blood pressure