Shilpa Shetty's Yoga 02 Back Asanas

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• [Back Asanas]
• Back asanas: as a beginner, don't attempt to do more than one repetition per each particular asana. 
• Later, with practice, you can go to two, or three repititions per asana, but never more than that.
• [Shavasana (Corpse Posture)]
• Shavasana, or corpse posture:
• lie on your back
• feet together
• & pointing outwards
• arms by your side
• close your eyes
• breathe in deeply
• increase the distance between your legs
• feet still pointing outward
• heels touching the ground
• place your arms so that they are not in contact with any part of the body
• palms facing upward
• as you exhale, attempt to release all tension in the body
• visualize your body
• & consciously relax every part of it
• You can practice this asana at any time.
• More importantly, it completely rejuvenates the body.
• The Shavasana is also the default relaxation posture for all exercises performed on the back.
• Coupled with the Om recitation, it means that the body & the mind are ready for yoga.
• As beginners, it makes sense to relax for about 10 seconds after every single posture.
• Ardha Halasana (with one leg) - (The Half-Plough Posture)
• Ardha Halasana, with one leg, the half-plough posture:
• from Shavasana:
• bring your legs together
• & your arms to your sides
• palms facing downward
• start raising your right leg
• without bending your leg at the knee
• stretch your foot & your toes outward
• raise the leg to a 90 degree angle from the body
• & hold it there for as long as is comfortable
• remember to keep breathing normally
• slowly release & bring your leg back to the floor
• repeat with the other leg
• This is the Ardha Halasana, the half-plough posture, because the body resembles the plough in the final position.
• It's excellent for:
• the legs
• the abdomen
• & the lumbar region
• it also tones:
• the thighs
• & the calves
• it stretches out:
• the hamstrings
• & the hips
• & increases blood flow to:
• the kidneys
• the pancreas
• & the intestines
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• relax
• breathe
• give yourself 10 seconds in Shavasana
• [utthanpadasana (The Raised Legs Pose)]
• Utthanparasana, the raised legs pose:
• from Shavasana:
• bring your legs together
• & your arms to your sides
• place your palms under your hips
• start raising both your legs
• without bending them at the knee
• stop at 30 degrees from the floor
• & hold for five breaths
• similarly, stop at 60 degrees
• & finally at 90 degrees from the floor
• hold for five breaths each time
• slowly release
• stopping at both:
• the 60
• & 30 degree mark
• remember to keep breathing
•  Utthanparasana is very effective for the entire abdomen.
• It stretches out
• the thoracic cavity
• & the entire back.
• [Ardha Pawanmuktasana (with one leg) (The Leg Lock Pose)]
• Ardha Pawanmuktasana, with one leg, the leg lock pose:
• from Shavasana:
• bring your legs together
• & your arms to your sides
• bend the right leg at the knee
• bring your thigh as close to your abdomen as possible
• bring both arms around the right leg
• locking your fingers
• just below the knee joint
• the other leg remains
• straight
• still on the ground
• keep the foot relaxed
• press the thigh into the abdomen
• slowly release in the reverse order
• repeat with the other leg
• This asana is excellent for indigestion.
• It's a great stretch for 
• the abdomen
• the hips
• & the thighs
• leaving the lower body
• toned 
• & supple. 
• It helps in relieving back pain,
• & has a substantial impact on the pelvic joints. 
• You'll already have started to notice that the exercises seem to occur in pairs. 
• Most exercises
• are complimentary
• reversing the stretches of the previous excersize
• working on the complete set of muscles on each body part.
• [Setu Bandasana (The Bridge Pose)]
• Setu Bandasana. The bridge pose.
• bring your legs together
• & your arms to your sides
• now slide your feet toward you
• as close to your buttocks as possible
• with the soles remaining on the ground
• so that your knees are pointing toward the ceiling
• grasp each ankle with the respective hand
• keeping your soles flat on the ground
• & holding onto your ankles
• lift your pelvic region off the ground
• while breathing in
• tuck your shoulders in
• make sure that you're well balanced
• once in the final position
• breathe normally
• hold for as long as comfortable
• exhale
• & slowly return to the ground
• stretch your legs
• & relax
• This is an excellent workout
• for the muscles of
• the back
• & the hamstrings
• because it directs blood to the brain
• it is very effective for combating
• depression
• stress
• & insomnia
• [Kativakrasana (The Spinal Twist on the Back - variation)]
• Kativakrasana, the spinal twist on the back.
• From Shavasana
• bring your legs together
• & your arms to your sides
• place the arms
• alongside the shoulders
• perpendicular to your body
• with a distance of about 2 feet between your feet
• raise your knees
• & leave the soles of your feet on the ground
• press your lower body to the right
• attempting to get both knees to touch the ground
• while turning your head all the way to the left
• hold
• slowly come back to the center
• with your knees
• & your head
• repeat for the other side
• This asana gives you a great stretch
• all the way up the body
• & your spine in particular
• it is great help with:
• the neck
• & back muscles
• & is excellent for the stomach
• it's particularly effective in fighting the fat around your waist
• [Naukasan (The Boat Pose)]
• Naukasana. The boat pose.
• From the base position on the ground
• breathe in deeply
• raise both legs up
• trying to bring them up as high as possible
• raise both arms
• keeping them straight
• attempting to reach toward your toes
• attempt to bring your body as close to a 45 degree angle as possible
• without bending your knees
• or your elbows
• breathe normally
• hold
• gently exhale as you release
• take particular care that you avoid any jerky movements while exercising this asana.
• Naukasana is one of the asanas that is excellent for fighting the fat around your waist
• it's very good for the stomach
• as well as stretching
• the back
• & the leg muscles
• it also helps in regulating kidneys
• it's very helpful in cases involving
• diabetes
• & dispepsia
• it also improves concentration
• [Chakrasana (The Wheel Pose)]
• Chakrasana. The Wheel pose.
• while lying on your back
• bring your knees up
• & your feet as close to your buttocks as possible
• soles of the feet on the ground
• spread your legs so that they are shoulder-width apart
• lift your arms
• bend your elbows
• bring your hands to the ground
• so that your fingers are touching your shoulders
• with palms on the floor
• breathe in
• slowly using the force of your hands & legs
• push yourself up
• until your body is fully extended
• in an inverted U
• & you are standing on your toes
• feel the blood rush to your head
• & your lungs expand & fill up
• hold for as long as is comfortable
• breathe out
• & let yourself down slowly
• Chakrasana literally translates as the wheel posture
• this asana primarily focuses on the spine
• giving it a complete stretch top to bottom
• and because of the spinal stretchstretch
• the posture works on the nervous system
• but also works on the chest
• opening up the lungs
• helping in deeper & momre controlled breathing
• it is excellent for the stomach
• & because of the increased blood flow to the lower back
• helps in regulating kedneys
• it is excellent for the heart as well
• because it stretches the aorta
• it also obviously tones and builds the muscles on the hands & the feek
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