Urdhva Prasarita Padasana

The name comes from the Sanskrit words; ‘urdhva’ meaning upwards, ‘prasarita’ meaning extended, ‘pada’ meaning foot and ‘asana’ meaning posture.

Instructions: Lie straight on the floor on your back with your arms along your sides or extend them outwards. Keep the legs extended and feet together. Exhale and contract your core abdominal muscles, draw the navel into the spine and press the sides of the waist into the floor and raise your legs together vertically upward without bending, making a right angle with the floor. Squeeze your tail bone down as your legs go up. Beginners can bend their knees and bring the heels close to the hips before unfolding and raising them straight up. Hold the position for 20-40 seconds and then lower the legs without bending a third way down (without jerking and without touching the floor) and again take them back to the 90 degree position. Inhale as you come down and exhale as you go up. You can repeat this action 5-10 times. Do not raise the back and the lower hip from the floor as you do this asana.

Benefits:

• It strengthens the core abdominal muscles and reduces abdominal fat.
• It improves lumbar spine strength.
• It improves flexibility of the hip flexors.
• It improves digestion and elimination.
• It strengthens the Manipura chakra that improves self-discipline and will power.

Caution:

• This asana should be avoided by persons with lower back injuries and sciatica.
• Pregnant and menstruating women should also avoid this asana.