Preparation

Stand upright with a straight spine, relaxed shoulders, arms at your sides, feet together. Inhale, exhale, and relax.

Getting into position

Inhale. Exhaling, step your feet (one at a time) out to the side about two and a half shoulder widths apart. Turn your left foot about 45 degrees inward and your right foot toward the front of your mat. Align the heels. Inhaling, raise your arms parallel to the floor and stretch them farther out to the sides, shoulder blades wide and palms down. Strengthen your thighs and turn right thigh outward so that the knee cap and the ankle are in-line .Exhaling, bend your torso from the hips toward your right foot (keep right leg straight). Strengthen the back leg and press outer edge of the left foot into the floor. Stretch as far forward as possible. Rest your right hand on the floor inside the front foot. Inhaling, rotate the torso upward (opening the chest), keep the left side lengthened, and try to position the left shoulder directly above the right (to keep both arms aligned). Raise your left arm to the sky. Look up toward your left hand. Hold for a few moments to allow the body to adjust. Inhale. Exhaling, stretch farther. Hold with normal breathing for around 30 seconds.

Coming out of position

Slightly relax the body. Exhale. Inhaling, raise torso back to an upright position. Exhaling, lower the arms and relax the shoulders. Inhale, exhale, and relax. Turn both feet forward (parallel to each other) and repeat on the other side.