YH Apr - May Issue | Page 29

FINDING BALANCE GETTING WARMED UP (Exercise-1) Now stand straight with an expanded chest. Bring both your arms backward and stand on your toes taking your heels off the ground.As your chest expands further you will feel strengthening of your legs and your back.After some time, come back to the normal position. Now with your back tilted back ward slightly, chest expanded, and your hands back to the Anjali Now bring your arms back to your normal position and perform the moolbandh. Squeeze your anus and hold it for a minute. In the Mool bandh (anal lock), perform the Anjali Mudra with your eyes closed. (1 minute) Now slowly come back to normal position and release. If you feel a little bit of pain don't worry as this will only happen initially. For the beginners, your body is just beginning for open up, so don’t worry.After a few days of regular practice, all this pain will go away and you will be a rejuvenated person. Now, clasp both your palms together behind your back and lift your arms upward.This is a great back strengthening exercise.When you keep your arms down in clasped position behind your back, your lower back is strengthened along with your knees and ankles. And when the clasped arms are raised upward, then your upper back is strengthened. Now slightly bend your knees maintaining the clasp.This exercise strengthens the knees. (1 minute) Exercise No 2. Bring your right leg forward and bend your right knees at 45 degree while holding the left side of your waist with your left arm. Keep bending and straightening your right knee in this position for a minute. Now repeat it the same way with your other knee holding the right side of your waist.This exercise increases mobility of the knees and the waist. Now relax. (3 minutes) Now raise both your arms with your fist closed towards the sky. Keep bringing your arms downward and then releasing them upward as if pulling a chain.You can als o do this with your arms in two angles - one in front of yourself, and the other parallel to your shoulder.This exercise benefits the opening of the shoulders and the upper back. Now relax. (1 minute) Stand in front of the wall and put both your palms on the wall. Stretch your left leg backwards. Slowly increase the gap between the leg and the wall. Now bring the left leg back to the normal position and repeat this exercise with the right leg. Do this 5 times for each leg. (1 minute) Now bring your palm downwards and take both your legs backwards and try to push the wall with mild effort. Both your legs will now rest upon your toes with the heel off the ground. Now bring your left leg forward bending the knee and hold this position. Now repeat it with the other leg (5 times with each leg). Come back to Normal and relax. (2 minutes) Now in the Anjali Mudra, look down with your nose almost touching your fingers. Hold your thoughts and focus on the breathing happening inside. Hold this pose for 1 minute. mudra in front of your chest, look straight. Hold this pose for 1 minute.This pose will strengthen your lower back. A yoga session can be started by standing straight with your spine erect and your head slightly tilted backwards, looking at the sun in the early morning.As you look at the sun, open up your arms as you breathe in bringing both your palms together in front of your chest in an Anjali mudra (Pranam). Hold this position for one minute. Keep taking deep breaths in and out. Ignore the slight twitching if happening anywhere.This pose will strengthen your back, your nerves and open you up from inside as well.The energy can be felt. (1 minute) 27