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Bow Pose
Also Known as Dhanurasana
About the Bow Pose or Dhanurasana
If you want to stretch your upper torso and improve the flexibility of the spine, the Bow pose is perfect solution for you. This is a seated backbend type of asana. It is easy to perform asana for beginners as well.
Benefits of pose/asana
* The pose helps you stretch the entire front of your body. With its help you can workout your ankles, abdomen and chest, thighs and groins, and throat, and deep hip flexors.
* It results in the stimulation of organs located in the neck and abdominal region.
* It improves the body's posture.
* It also helps you strengthen your back muscles.
* It also helps improve spinal flexibility.
How to do Bow Pose or Dhanurasana?
Step 1: Lie down with your stomach flat on the floor. Make use of a folded blanket as a padding to support your thighs.
Step 2: Lift your ankles up and try to hold them with the help of your extended hands.
Step 3: Take a deep breath and lift your chest as well as legs off the floor. Make a simultaneous lift in order to maximize the tension built in the body.
Step 4: For maximum impact, resting your thighs on the floor would be perfect.
Health and Bow Pose/Dhanurasana
If you are suffering from any of the following physical symptoms, then don't perform the pose:
* Low or high blood pressure
* Insomnia
* Migraine
* Any serious neck or lower-back injury
Therapeutic applications of Bow Pose or Dhanurasana
Apart from bodily benefits, the pose has found application in the treatment of following therapeutic cases:
* Anxiety
* Constipation
* Fatigue
* Menstrual discomfort
* Mild backache
* Respiratory ailments
Modifications and Props in Bow Pose
If you are only beginning with the pose and are not able to lift your thighs, you can make use of a rolled-up blanket as a prop. It would help your thighs get the initial thrust required for upward movement.
The pose might not be easy to perform for beginners. Hence, the use of a prop is advocated to them. A strap or a piece of cloth would be perfectly suitable. You can wrap it around your ankles and then hold onto its free ends. However, only hold it with your arms fully extended (and do not pull it towards your body).
Preparatory poses for Bow Pose:
The following poses can be performed in preparation of the Bow Pose:
* Bhujangasana
* Supta Virasana
* Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
* Salabhasana
* Virasana
* Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
The following poses can be performed after doing the Bow Pose:
* Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
* Matsyasana
* Ustrasana
* Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
* Urdhva Dhanurasana
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