Instructions: Lie on your belly. Press your forearms against the floor and lift your head upper torso. Bend your right knee and bring the heel toward the buttock of the same side. Clasp this foot with your right hand while supporting the raised body on your left forearm. The base of your right palm should be pressing the top of the right buttock. Turn the right elbow towards the ceiling . Be sure to keep your knee in line with your hip. Don't push your foot too hard if it hurts your knee. Keep your shoulders open and square and ensure that you do not bend towards the left arm or shoulder. Hold the posture for 30-60 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Do three to four sets.

Benefits:

• It strengthens the back and the spine.
• It relieves pain in the heels due to calcaneal spurs and in knees due to gout.
• It Stimulates the organs of the abdomen and improves digestion.
• It stretches and rejuvenates the thorax, groin and the knee joints.
• It strengthens joints and muscles throughout the body.

Caution:

• This asana should not be practiced by persons suffering from spinal or knee injuries.

Instruction: Go on your fours into a tabletop position. Exhale and gently lift your hips straightening your elbows and knees and pushing the chest towards thighs and drawing the abdomen into the rib cage till such time the body forms an inverted ‘V’. Make sure your hands stay in line with your shoulders and your feet in live with your hips. The toes should point inwards. Press your hands firmly into the ground. The neck should be kept long between the stretched arms. Your ears should touch your inner side of the arms and gaze should be fixed on the navel. Hold the pose for 30 – 40 seconds. Make sure that the spine remains straight and does not curve while doing or holding the pose. Breathe calmly while holding the pose. Gently go back on their tabletop and repeat 3 – 4 times

Benefits:

• It improves circulation throughout the body.
• It strengthens and tones the abdominal muscles and improve the digestion and elimination.
• It massages internal organs.
• It provides relief from anxiety and stress.
   

Caution:

• Avoid this asana if you suffer from high blood pressure, eye ailments tunnel syndrome, shoulder and wrist injuries.

Instructions: Start by lying flat on your back, keeping your legs together and your arms by your side. With one swift but easy movement, lift your legs, buttocks, and back, such that your elbows support your lower body and you stand high on your shoulders. Use your hands to support your back. As you settle down in the pose, make sure you move your elbows closer to each other. Straighten your spine and legs. Your body weight should lie on your shoulders and upper arms. Do not support your body on your neck or head. Firm up your legs and point your toes out. Hold the posture for about 30 to 60 seconds. Breathe deeply while you do so. If you feel any strain on your neck, release immediately.To release, lower your knees, and bring your hands to the floor. Then, lie flat and relax.

Benefits:

• It helps calm the brain, cures mild depression and relieves stress.
• It stimulates the prostate and the thyroid glands and the abdominal organs.
• It increases the blood flow to the internal organs and is very good for the digestive and the respiratory system. It cures digestive ailments and respiratory ailments like asthma and bronchitis.
• This asana relieves the symptoms of menopause.
• It provides relief from chronic fatigue and insomnia.
• It improves reproductive functions and improves fertility.

Caution:

• This asana should be avoided by people suffering from high blood pressure and shoulder and neck injuries.

Instructions:    Begin by sitting on the floor with your legs extended in front of you and your arms resting at your sides Place your hands behind your hips with the tips of your fingers right behind your buttocks. Either point your fingers towards your body, which is more common or away from your body. If you point them towards your body, your shoulders will be less open, but it’s a great stretch for your wrist flexors. If you have limited range of motion of the wrist, this posture may hurt and is not recommended. If you point your fingers away from your body, your shoulders will be more open and will allow a greater stretch in your chest. Choose the option that is comfortable for you. Exhale and lift your bottom off the floor, pressing your hips upward and straighten your legs one at a time keeping your buttocks soft. Support the lift by keeping your shoulders firmly pushing back. Do not collapse into your shoulders. Lengthen your spine and your arms. Keep your shoulders away from your ears. As you move into posture, you should keep the neck elongated as you fight gravity. Once you are comfortable in the pose, you can lower the head gently towards the floor keeping the chin facing the ceiling. Relax and breathe steadily. Hold the posture for atleast 30 seconds. Ease out of the pose as you exhale.

Benefits:

• It strengthens your triceps, wrists, back and legs.
• It stretches your shoulders, chest and ankles.
• It relieves stress.

Caution:

• This asana should be avoided by people with shoulder, wrist or knee injury.

Instructions: Stand straight on your mat, with your feet hip-distance apart and rest your hands on your hips. Exhale and gently soften your knees and bend forward from the hips (not the waist) keeping the knees straight and soft (beginners can bend their knees slightly). Bring your palms or finger tips to the floor slightly in front of or beside your feet. Beginners can cross their forearms and hold your elbows in case they cant touch the floor. Press the heels firmly into the floor and lift the hip toward the ceiling. Turn the top thighs slightly inward. Feel the fold and the stretch from your hip bone. If you feel it from the rounding of your lower back, you are doing something wrong. Exhale and maintaining the length of the front torso, lean the torso forward from the hip joints. As your torso approaches parallel to the floor, press your fingertips onto the floor directly below your shoulders. You can bend or extend your elbows fully. Your legs and arms then should be perpendicular to the floor and parallel to each other. Keep the head and neck elongated between the shoulders and keep the shoulders away from the ears. Hold the pose for as long as you can breathing softly.

Benefits:

• It improves blood circulation and rejuvenates the liver, kidneys and spleen.
• It improves flexibility of the hip joint and strengthens the knees, spine and the hamstring and calf muscles.
• It improves posture and alignment.
• It improves the functions of the endocrine and the nervous system.
• It eases tension in the back, shoulders and neck.
• It tones and activates the muscles of the abdomen and improves digestion.
• It calms the brain and provides relief from headaches, fatigue and mild depression.

Caution:

• Avoid this asana if you have a lower back or hamstring injury or if you suffer from sciatica or glaucoma.

Introduction: Lie on your back with your feet together and arms beside your body. Breathe in and as you exhale, bring your right knee towards your chest and press the thigh on your abdomen with clasped hands. Keep the other leg extended and straight. Breathe in again and as you exhale, lift your head and chest off the floor and touch your chin to your right knee. Hold the posture for 30 seconds. Breathe normally if you can’t hold the breath. As you exhale, come back to the ground and relax. Repeat this pose with the left leg and then with both the legs together (as in image). When performing this posture with both legs together, you may rock up and down or roll from side to side 3-5 times and then relax.

Benefits:

• It strengthens the abdominal muscles and massages the intestines and internal organs of the digestive system releasing trapped gases and improving digestion.
• It strengthens the back and abdominal muscles.
• It improves the circulation of  blood in the hip area.
• It eases the tension in the lower back.
• It stimulates the reproductive organs and massages the pelvic muscles. It also helps to cure menstrual disorders.
• It helps burn fat in the thighs, buttocks and abdominal area.
• It helps to stretch the back and neck.

Caution:

• Persons suffering from high blood pressure, heart problems, hyperacidity, hernia, slip disc, testicle disorder, menstruation, neck and back problems should avoid this asana.
• This asana must not be practiced by pregnant and menstruating women.

Instructions: Sit up with the legs stretched out straight in front of you, keeping the spine erect. Breathing in, raise both arms above your head and stretch/elongate your spine upwards. Breathing out, bend forward from the hip joints, chin moving toward the toes and the navel towards the knees. Keep the spine erect and do not curve it. Brings the arms forward over your head as you bend down. Place your hands on your knees or clasp the toes if possible without bending the knees. Rest your head down and breathe deeply for 20-60 seconds. Try and rest the elbows on the floor close to the knees. Hold the posture for at least 30-45 seconds or more. Repeat the asana 3-4 times.

Benefits:

• It massages the internal organs and aids digestion and elimination.
• It reduces fatty deposits in the abdomen.
• It reduces anxiety, anger and irritability and provides relief from stress.
• It stretches the spine and brings flexibility.
• Its regular practice cures impotency and enhances sexual power.
• It balances the menstrual cycles.
• It is recommended especially for women after delivery.

Caution:

• This asana should not be practiced by pregnant women or by those suffering from slip disc or sciatica problem. It should also be avoided by ulcer patients and people suffering from asthma.

Instructions: You must do this asana on an empty stomach. Stand straight with both feet shoulder width apart. Gently get into squat position ensuring that the knees are aligned with the toes and not stretched beyond them. Get the hips as close to the heels as possible and rest your torso against your thighs. Bend your knees slightly to the left. Starting at the belly, twist to your right and extend your left arm to bring its upper part to the outside of the right knee. Support the pose by using your right hand for leverage by stretch it and sweeping it to the back. Hold your left wrist with your right hand. You could also just hook your fingers if your hands can’t go all the way. The idea is to make a noose. Both the shoulders should be stretched apart and the right hand will be high and the left hand will be low. For the full pose, it’s necessary to close any space between the left side of the torso and the tops of the thighs. Keep your belly soft and use the pressure of the palms to increase the twist. Stay in this pose for 30 seconds to a minute. Release the twist with an exhalation, then repeat for the same length of time to the left.

Benefits:

• It helps cure mild stress in the neck, back and shoulder.
• It tones the ankles and makes them strong.
• It gives the spine, groins and thighs a good stretch.
• The chest and the shoulders open up with this asana and it helps asthmatic patients.
• It massages the internal organs and improves digestion and elimination.
• The body posture is enhanced with regular practice of this asana.

Caution:

• Should be avoided by pregnant women and women during menstruation.

Instructions:    Begin by sitting on the  floor with your legs wide open in front of you. Bend the left leg and tuck the foot in the angle of the groin. Keep the right leg outstretched and make sure that the knee faces the ceiling and is softly bent. As you exhale, bend sideways towards the right in such a manner that the back part of the right shoulder presses towards the inner part of the right knee. The elbow should be  settled on the floor gently close to the inner side of the right knee and the hand should clasp the middle part of the sole of the right foot. Hold the right foot with both hands, the right hand from along the inside of the right knee and the left hand reaching out for the toes of the right foot from above the head. Keep the left folded leg anchored to the floor throughout. Now while holding the right foot, slowly extend and straighten the knee. As you straighten your right knee, shift your torso to face the ceiling. As you do this, lift the left hand and let it move above your head pressing it against the left ear. Keep your elbows firmly apart and stretch your torso as you do it. Hold this pose for a few seconds. Release your arms first and then gently ease out of the pose as you inhale. Repeat the same with the other leg and other side. Beginners can keep the outstretched knee slightly bent. 

Benefits:

• It stretches the abdominal organs, especially the colon, liver, spleen, and pancreas and aids in digestion and elimination.
• It stretches the shoulders, spine and hamstrings and strengthens the shoulders.
• It stimulates the kidneys, the liver and other important abdominal organs.
• It provides relief from mild backache.
• It relaxes the body and helps in reducing anxiety.
• It helps in the treatment of insomnia.
• It cures headache and reduces stress levels.

Caution:

• Should be avoided by people with spinal and knee injuries.

Instructions: Lie flat on your stomach, keeping your feet hip-width apart and your arms beside your body. Now, gently fold your knees and hold your ankles. While inhaling raise the thighs, head and chest as high as possible balancing the weight of the body on the lower abdomen. Join the ankles. Look upward and breathe normally and hold the pose for 15-20 seconds. Exhale and release the pose.

Benefits:

• It strengthens your shoulders, arms, neck, abdomen, back, thighs & hamstring muscles.
• It energizes the body
• It helps improve stomach disorders.
• It helps in reducing abdominal fat.
• It regulates the pancreas and is recommended for people with diabetes.
• It expands the thoracic region of the chest.
• It alleviates a hunchback.
• It increases the appetite.

Caution:

• Should be avoided by persons suffering from high blood pressure, back pain, headache or migraine.
• It is strictly prohibited for people who have undergone abdominal surgery.
• Should be avoided by women during pregnancy and menstruation.