Yoga

Downward Facing Dog

STEP 1: Come onto the floor on your hands and knees. Stretch the elbows and relax the upper back between the shoulder blades, which gives you the feeling that the arms fall into the shoulder blades.

STEP 2: Exhale and lift your knees and draw your back backwards from the pelvis, so that your arms and back form one line.

STEP 3: Stretch your legs in such a way that you get the feeling that someone behind you is pulling your legs and hips backwards from the top of your upper legs. Let your head hang down in a relaxed sort of way.

STEP 4: When you have placed your back and your legs correctly, stretch out your arms. This results in a stretching from two sides of the back: a stretching from the pelvis and a stretching from the arms. When the back and the chest are placed correctly, you will notice that you can quietly breathe in and out through the belly. You should not let your chest hang downwards or make your back extremely sunken. In this Asana, the back should be lengthened along its entire length. Take your time to work out the stretching further and further.

Crescent Moon Pose

STEP 1: Kneel and keep your back straight.

STEP 2: Step forward with your right foot until the foot is a little in front of the knee and your upper leg is parallel with the floor. The left foot (the one at the back) rests on the floor with its toes and your lower leg on the mat. You can increase the stretching of your leg muscles in the front part of your left hip by bending your front leg more and more.

STEP 3:

Raise both arms, and hook both thumbs together. At the same time you stretch your arms upwards and you pull the thumbs slightly apart. Then you raise your knee at the back so that your weight is now equally divided between the leg in front and the leg at the back. Look forward and focus your attention on one point. This helps you to maintain your balance. If you find this easy, you can also look upwards or even backwards instead of looking in front of you.

It is important that your chest bone remains low and that you do not make your lower back too hollow. By stretching your arms you also stretch your back. When doing that, try to maintain dynamism from the sacrum to the hip.

Warrior Pose III

STEP 1: Start with the Mountain Pose.

STEP 2: Raise both arms overhead, perpendicular to the floor. Your palms should be facing each other.

STEP 3: Move your left foot backward. Slightly lean forward, keeping your back straight and your arms stretched overhead. Your left foot, back, and arms should form a diagonal line.

STEP 4: Lift your left foot and straighten your right leg simultaneously, keeping your arms parallel to the floor. At this point, your raised leg, upper body and arms should be parallel to the floor. Give length to the entire spine by stretching your arms and your legs. This results in stretching from two sides of the back: stretching from the legs and from the arms. Keep on breathing through the belly and be careful not to bend your lower back.