Ustrasana

Preparation

Sit in Vajrasana with both palms on your knees. Keep your neck and spine straight. Adjust knees, calf muscles, and ankles to avoid leg pain. Then, come onto your knees, hip-distance apart, with feet parallel and toes pointing back and inward. Bring the palms on the hips. Inhale, exhale and relax.

Getting into position

Place your hands on the lower back for support; fingers spread as wide as possible. Exhale. Inhaling, lengthen the chest, stretch the thighs, push your hips forward, and look up. Exhaling, arch your upper back, lean backward, and drop your head toward the feet. Once you feel comfortable, slowly walk your hands down to the heels one after the other. Start with your fingers on your heels. Then, try to place your hands on heels. Once both hands touch the feet, push the hips forward, arch your back, bring shoulder blades closer together, push your chest out, and drop the head backward as far as comfortable. Hold for a few moments to allow the body to adjust. Inhale. Exhaling, arch farther. Hold with normal breathing for around 30 seconds.

Coming out of position

Slightly relax the body. Exhale. Inhaling, walk your hands up to your lower back, one at a time. Exhale. Inhaling, raise the torso slowly and carefully, then increase the head. Sit into Vajrasana. Inhale, exhale and relax.