Bow Pose

Dhanurasana (Bow Pose) is an asana under intermediate category. Bow pose is a full-body yoga asana that works on the back and abdominal muscles. The health advantages could include improving blood circulation, correcting hunched shoulders and posture, controlling diabetes, treating chest and digestive problems, etc. Your hands, wrists, elbows, and shoulders on your upper body, as well as your feet, ankles, knees, and hips on your lower body, all work together in Dhanurasana to simultaneously stretch your entire front side and strengthen your back. 'Dhanur' in Sanskrit means bow and 'Asana' means Pose. Dhanurasana works on all seven chakras.

Steps to do  Bow Pose / Dhanurasana

• Come to Makarasana(Crocodile Pose).
• Fold the legs and hold the ankles with the palms from the outside.
• Now inhale, pull the legs upward and lift up the chest to look forward.          
• Make sure your hands are straight and elbows are not bent.
• Keep breathing while holding the pose.
• Slowly exhale, bring the chest and legs to the mat.
• Slowly, release the hands and legs.
• Relax in Makarasana.

Tips for beginners

• Practice asanas like Bhujangasana(Cobra Pose), Sarpasana(Snake Pose), Marjari Asana and Gomukhasana.
• You can make use of straps to pull your ankles.

Benefits

• Improves respiration, massages the liver, kidneys, abdominal organs and muscles.
• Tones pancreas and adrenal glands balancing their secretion, also removes sluggishness of liver.
• Helps to correct hunching of upper back and realigns the spinal column and strengthens the thighs.

Watch out for

• People who suffer with heart problems, high blood pressure should avoid it.
• A person suffering from Hernia, peptic ulcers or duodenal ulcers, appendicitis and the other abdominal ailments should not do this asana.
• Pregnant women must avoid this practice.

Variations

• Dhanurasana can be done by holding just one leg which is also called Ardha Dhanurasana.
• You can also interlock your ankle and palm by holding alternate hands and leg.