Bharadvajasana
Yoga Poses / Yoga Asanas
Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana
Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana (Half Locked Lotus Forward Bend) is an advanced level seated pose. It stretches the hamstrings and hips. It also helps to open the chest and shoulders. The Half Locked Lotus Forward Bend is a pose that helps train your hamstrings for many other advanced poses. It works on your Anahanta Chakra and Mooladhara Chakra.
Steps to do Half Locked Lotus Forward Bend / Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana
- Sit in dandasana and bend your left knee.
- Place your left foot on your upper right thigh., ensuring that the left knee touches the ground.
- Draw your left hand back and wrap it around your waist. Try to grab your left foot with the left hand.
- Relax your shoulders, inhale, and raise your right overhead. Exhale bend forward to your right foot with your right hand.
- Touch your chin on the right shin and keep gazing at your toes or the nose.
- Inhale lifting your chin and body to the center.
- Exhale, lower the right arm to the side and release your left foot and come dandasana.
Tips for beginners
- Use a yoga strap to reach your toes if your arms are not flexible.
- Lengthen your spine by practising paschimottanasana regularly.
Benefits
- This asana benefits the liver and spleen.
- Gastric problems and constipation are alleviated with this asana.
- This pose helps to stimulate intestinal peristalsis.
- Calms the mind and central nervous system reduces for high blood pressure, depression, and insomnia Helps relieve symptoms of menopause.
Watch out for
- If you are suffering with low back injury especially if you have a history of lumbar disc, please avoid this asana.
- People with hernia, Diarrhoea, Asthma, Knee Pain should also avoid this pose.
Variations
- You can keep a block outside your foot and try to stretch your spine to reach the block.
- You can lift the leg on the mat up and down for increasing the intensity of the practice.
Eka Pada Galavasana
Supta Kurmasana is an advanced level yoga asana performed in the seated position. The name is derived from the Sanskrit words ‘Supta’ means reclining, 'kurma' and 'asana' means 'tortoise' and 'posture' respectively. Reclining Turtle Pose helps boost energy in the body and hence can be included in flow yoga sequences. Supta Kurmasana stimulates Vishuddha Chakra and Manipura Chakra.
Steps to do Reclining Turtle Pose / Supta Kurmasana
- Stand in Tadasana. Bend the right leg and place the right foot just above the left knee.
- Bend the other knee like in Utkatasana and take the hips little back.
- Bend forward and place the palms on the ground, palms shoulder width apart. Bend the elbows.
- Gaze at a point for balance. Slowly shift the body weight to the arms, keep the knees bent.
- Engage the core and balance here and take your left foot off the mat.
- Now keep engaging the core and slowly straighten the left leg. Keep breathing while holding the pose.
- To release the posture, slowly drop the right leg, release the legs and come to Tadasana.
Tips for beginners
- Focus on building strength in the arms and opening your hips while doing the flying pigeon pose.
- Warm up your body well before you attempt this pose.
- Practice hip rotations, intense stretches, core strengthening and prepare your glutes to get into the pose.
- To start with, you can take the support of the blocks to help you support your arms. Once you are confident, you can go ahead directly on the mat.
Benefits
- Strengthens the entire upper body, glutes and hips.
- Lengthens the legs and neck.
- Improves balance and concentration.
- Boosts confidence.
Watch out for
- People with shoulder or neck injury should avoid this asana.
- Anyone with High BP and other heart conditions should not practice this asana.
Variations
- You can keep your foot placed on the mat instead of lifting it up in the air, as an intermediate practitioner. This will also serve as an intense stretch.
- You can use also stretch your legs in.
