Yoga sequences combine postures to stretch the whole body from the feet arches to the crown of the head. While each pose has certain anatomical focuses, combining a series of poses in a sequence allows the body to be stretched, lengthened, opened and engaged from top to bottom. This sequence focuses on the legs, and throughout many other parts of the body are exercised.
Mountain Pose
The basic element of all yoga poses start from Mountain Pose, or Tadasana in Sanskrit. "Tada" means a mountain and is a basic standing pose that is the foundation of yoga practice. The feet are together and firmly planted on the ground. The legs are straight with the hips directly over the standing base. The spine is stretched long and the crown of the head reaches up for an erect stance. The arms are straight down the sides of the body with the palms facing forward. The correct technique of standing without putting weight to one side, too far forward or too far back is the building block that leads to proper weight distribution, balance and body awareness.
Upward Salute Pose
Upward Salute, Urdhva Hastasana in Sanskrit, is a basic standing posture with the arms lifted overhead. The pose stretches the torso and draws attention to your posture--there shouldn't be an arch in the back, but instead the spine should be elongated. The pose exercise starts in Mountain Pose, and the arms sweep straight overhead and hug alongside the ears with the palms facing each other.
Forward Fold Pose
Forward Fold pose, Uttanasana in Sanskrit, is a basic standing forward fold yoga posture. Folding the body activates the liver and kidneys and rushes blood to the head calming the brain. If it is challenging to reach the fingertips to the floor, bend the knees to relieve the hamstring stretch which makes the ground reachable. Uttanasana relieves headaches, insomnia and is used as part of therapy programs to lower blood pressure.
Warrior I Pose
Warrior I, Virabhadrasana I in Sanskrit, is an intermediate standing posture that activates the legs and improves balance. From Forward Fold, extend one leg back and keep the front knee bent in a 90-degree angle. The back foot is angled at 45 degrees to allow the hips to face forward and raising the arms overhead opens the chest and stretches the sternum. The rectus femoris, one of the four quadriceps muscles, is entirely engaged and the knees and ankles are toned.
Triangle Pose
Triangle Pose, Trikonasana in Sanskrit, is a hip opening pose that stretches the sartorius, a back of the leg muscle, that flexes, pulls in and externally rotates the thigh. The hips, spine, groins, and hamstrings are lengthened and the posture relieves backache. From Warrior I, the front leg straightens and the back foot turns to a 90-degree angle to allow the hips to open. The torso hinges forward over the front leg and the bottom arms rests on the front ankle, shin or can reach down to the floor. Triangle Pose is a great therapeutic posture for stress.
References
- "Yoga Anatomy"; Leslie Kaminoff; 2007
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