also knowns as Upward Bow. Urdhva means upwards. Dhanu means a bow. In this pose the body is curved back and supported on the hands and soles. Urdhva Dhanurasana pose details provided to you by YogaIQ.
1. Lie flat on the back on the floor. (Step 1)
2. curve and hold up the elbows over the head, and place the palms under the shoulders. The space between the palms should not be bigger than the shoulders and the fingers should be facing the feet.
3. curve and hold up the knee joints, then drag the feet near as far as they touch the hips. (Step 2)
4. breath out, hold up the torso and relax the crown of the head on the floor. (Step 3.) Take two breaths.
5. Now breath out, hold upwards the torso and head and angle the back so that its weight is taken on the palms and the hands. (Step 4)
6. extend the arms from the shoulders until the elbows are straightened, at the same time pulling the thigh muscles up. (Step 5)
7. To get a better curve, breath out and pull the thigh muscles still higher by holding up the heels off the floor. Extend the chest, stretch up the sacral zone of the spine as far as the abdomen is flexed and look as a drum and then lower the heels to the floor, protecting the stretch of the spine.
8. hold this posture from half a minute to a minute, with normal breathing.
9. With an exhalation, lower the body to the floor by bending the knees and elbows.
Urdhva Dhanurasana helps Stretches the chest and lungs, Strengthens the arms and wrists, legs, buttocks, abdomen, and spine, Stimulates the thyroid and pituitary, Increases energy and counteracts depression, Therapeutic for asthma, back pain, infertility, and osteoporosis. Urdhva Dhanurasana is Yoga For Asthma.
