The Bow Pose | Yoga

The Bow Pose  Like all backbends, Bow Pose is energizing and stimulates the adrenal glands, which can help you fight fatigue. It also increases blood flow to your digestive system. It may help to build confidence and empowerment. Bow Pose also improves posture and counteracts the effects of sitting for extended periods of time, such as slouching and kyphosis (abnormal curvature of the spine). It may help relieve back pain. It stretches your abdomen, chest, shoulders, front of your hips (hip flexors), and the front of your thighs (quadriceps). Bow Pose strengthens your back muscles, the back of your thighs, and buttocks (glutes).

The Bow Pose

Other bow pose perks:

• Stimulates abdominal organs and relieves constipation.
• Relieves mild backaches, fatigue, anxiety, and menstrual discomfort.

How to do Bow Pose

1. Begin on your belly with your legs hip-distance apart and your palms on the mat beside your lower ribs.
2. Extend your feet straight back and press down with the tops of all 10 toenails to activate your quadriceps.
3. Rotate your inner thighs toward the ceiling (to broaden your lower back) and firm your outer ankles into your midline (to prevent your feet from turning inward).
4. Keep your hands on the mat as you lift your head and chest a few inches off the mat and keep a slight tuck of your chin. Roll your shoulders back and up.
5. Bend your knees and reach back with your hands to clasp the outside of your ankles. (Be certain to reach back with both hands at the same time.) This hand position puts your shoulders in internal rotation, so roll your shoulders back and up again.
6. Press your thighs into the mat.
7. Keep your feet flexed and your outer ankles from bowing out. Press the bottoms of your feet up toward the ceiling to energize your legs.
8. Keep your thighs on the mat as you push your shins toward the wall in back of you as you lift and open your chest. Roll your shoulders back again to reinforce the external rotation.
9. Lift your thighs off the mat. Begin with your inner thighs.
10. Relax your glutes.
11. Continue to press your shins back and away from your hands as you reach your sternum forward and up, balancing on your navel.
12. Lift your gaze slightly so the curve of your neck is a continuation of the curve of your upper back.
13. Hold for 5–10 breaths. To ease out of the pose, bend your knees and lower your legs to the floor. Then release your grip.

Beginner tips

• Sometimes beginners find it difficult to lift their thighs away from the floor. Give your legs an assist by lying with your thighs supported on a folded or rolled-up blanket.
• You may find your knees want to splay out to the sides. Keep them hip-distance apart.
• If you find it difficult to balance in Bow Pose, try it while you lie on one side on your mat. This allows you to practice the shape of the pose before you also need to maintain your balance.
• Notice if you tend to hold your breath in this pose. That only makes it more challenging. Keep your breath slow and steady.
• If you experience any pinching, compression, or pain in your low back, slowly lower until you feel comfortable or come out of the pose. Start slowly and listen to your body as you progress.

The Bow Pose Details ঃ

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