24:26
Standing
as a beginner, do not attempt to do more than one repetition for each particular asana
later, with practice, you can go to two or three repetitions per asana
but never more than that
24:43
Tadasana (with Finger-Lock) (The Palm Tree Pose)
standing upright
with your back straight
and a slight distance between your legs
lock the fingers of both hands
& raise them as one unit above your head
continue to try and reach upwards with your hands
breathe in
rise to your toes
breathe normally
hold the posture
feel the stretch through every section of your body
even through the top of your head
reverse the process on the exhale
& watch your breath
as it passes down from your head
through your chest and stomach, legs and feet
relax
& then repeat
the focus here is on the straightness of the posture one holds
improving balance, self awareness, and breathing
25:48
Prishtasana - Simple
simple prishtasana
backward bending
this is a variation of the first of the standing postures
broaden your base by placing your feet about shoulder width apart
make sure you are comfortable and balanced
as you breathe in
place your arms on your waist
now bend backwards as far as you can
use the hands as support
be very careful not to over balance
exhale
& return to neutral position
although deceptively simple
this little excersize helps greatly in flexibility
conditioning the spine
& the spinal muscles
& in breathing better
it also prepares the body
for all standing asanas
26:35
Padahastasana (Forward Bending)
from the base position
with your feet apart again
raise your arms straight up
bend backwards slightly
as you exhale, allow yourself to bend forwards
starting first from the waist
then your neck
& finally your head
while bending, push your hips back slightly
touch your toes
it's ok to bend your knees if you're a beginner
breathe in
rise
& return to the neutral position
repeat
this asana is excelent for the legs and knee joints
it helps in loosening abdominal fat
& increasing the supply of blood to the brain
these may seem like a very simple "keep fit" type exercize
but they really work
by now, you'll've also noticed
that the workout functions in a kind of widening cycle
adding new muscle groups
but it keeps working on most things simultaneously
27:47
Chakrasana Standing (The Wheel Pose - Lateral Bending)
standing chakrasana
the wheel pose
stand with your feet apart
& your hands by the side of your thighs
the fingers pointing downwards
then raise one arm to the side
perpendicular to the body
turn the palm over
now raise the arm straight up so that it is by the side of your head
stretch slightly
now lean to the opposite side as much as possible
until your body makes a smooth curve
do not bend the knees
do this while inhaling
pause and come back to a normal standing position
while exhaling
reverse for the other side
this is a good exercise for the spine
often correcting mild scoliosis
because of the lateral stretch to the spine, it combats the fat around the side of your waist
your "love handles"
and because it's not a common stretch for the muscles along your side
it's great for physical fitness
28:45
Vrikshasana (The Tree Pose)
while standing in tharasana
bend the right leg at the knee
raise the right thigh
and bring the sole of the right foot as high up the inside of the left thigh as possible
balancing on the left foot
join both palms together
and raise both arms over the head
keeping the elbows straight
hold the posture as long as you can
breathing gently through the nostrils
lower the arms and the right leg
and return to the base position
take a moment
& repeat with the opposite leg
the major challenge of vrikshasana
also meaning the tree pose
is maintaining your balance
yoga believes that the inability to balance oneself is a manifestation of a restless mind
the main benefits of this asana are increased powers of concentration
29:43
Natrajasana (Lord Shiva's Pose)
stand up straight
with your feet apart
& your arms by your sides
bring your left knee up off the ground
and fold the leg behind you
grasp your left foot with your left hand
while simultaneously extending the right arm out in front of you
find your balance
lift your left leg as high as possible using your left arm
you will need to lean forward in order to be able to do this
breathe gently
keep your gaze fixed slightly above the horizon
hold the asana as long as you can
then slowly return to standing position in reverse order
Natrajasana takes its name from one of the dancing postures of Lord Shiva
it helps improve your sense of balance and concentration
the arch formed by the back and stretched leg
aligns the vertebrae of the spine
restoring suppleness and easing strain brought on by poor posture
it tones the muscles of the thighs
and the lower body
30:46
Utkatasana (The Squat and Rise Posture)
stand up straight
your arms by your sides
your back straight
and looking straight in front of you
spread your legs so that they are shoulder width apart
and turn both your knees
so that the knees and the feet are facing outwards
lower yourself to the floor slightly by bending your knees
keeping your back straight
join your hands in a namaste
and extend your arms above your head as far as they will go
simultaneously lower yourself by bending your knees further
trying to bring your thighs parallel to the ground
and keep your back straight
hold for as long as is comfortable
& release the asana in reverse order
Utkatasana is hugely beneficial for the lower body
especially for women
it helps in regulating period
and in combating urinary tract infections
and regardless of gender
it's great for knee joints, the quadriceps, and the calves
it reduces fat deposits on the thighs
and around the waist
and tones the lower stomach
it's also marvelous for toning the butt
31:57
Veerbhadrasana (Variation) (The Warrior Pose)
spread your legs, until there's a distance of about four feet
turn your right foot about 90 degrees to the right
making sure the entire foot is on the floor at all times
turn your body to the right
make sure that the left foot remains in the same position, and doesn't turn with the right foot
this is a common mistake
bring both arms in front of you
join them in a namaste
raise your joined palms above your head
slowly bend the right knee until the thigh is parallel to the floor
ideally, the knee should be either behind or directly above your ankle
then while holding the posture
attempt to lean as far back as you can
hold
remember to breathe
straighten up
bring your joined palms back down
release
repeat with the other leg
this is known as Veerbhadrasana, the warrior pose
it strengthens the legs
and the arms
as well as improving balance
and concentration
