Start by lying down with the belly on the floor, legs straight and arms resting alongside the torso.
Lift the elbows and bring the hands next to the shoulders with the palms touching the floor and curl the toes inwards.
Inhale and on the next exhalation lift the torso up, holding the legs away from the floor, so that the knees are suspended. Only the hands and toes are touching the floor. The arms should be perpendicular to the floor.
Keep the shoulders down so that the chest stays open, bringing the sternum forward. Keep the neck in line with the spine and breath normally. Hold this position for about 30 seconds. To come out, release the arms and bring the chest down to the floor, release the toes and bring the arms down alongside the torso and rest. You can also rest in the child pose to counterbalance the back bend on this posture.
This posture helps to build upper body strength, tone the gluteus, open the chest and stretch the abdomen.
Hatha Yoga Postures: Sanskrit – English
Marcia has been practising yoga for over 20 years and has specialised in the Hatha and Ashtanga schools of yoga, although has also enjoyed learning other branches such as Iyengar. As well as yoga she practices meditation, and plays a wide range of sports, including badminton, cricket, cycling, and walking.