Vashisthasana II
Manipura min - YogPlan

Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)

Intermidate

Vashisthasana II

Side Plank Pose With Lower Leg Lifted

(va-sis-ta-sun )

Meaning: vasistha = sage named Vasishtha

Table of content

Preparation

Sit in Vajrasana. Come into tabletop position – palms on the floor with wrists under shoulders, knees together, feet together flat on the floor. Inhale, exhale, and relax.

Getting into position

Step 1. Come into a plank position – elbows under shoulders, hands shoulder-distance apart, legs straight, heels pressed back, buttocks in line with legs and spine. Roll onto the outside edge of your right foot, placing the left foot on top of the right. Adjust your right hand (arm straight) directly under shoulder, rotate bicep inward. Position your right hip on top of the left, and bring your left hand to your left hip. Keep a straight line from your top ankle to the crown of your head.

Step 2. Place the left foot on the floor, bend and slide the right leg out in front of you. Press the sole (bottom) of the left foot into the floor, and lift your hips upward slightly to balance your whole body. Inhale. Exhaling, bend your right knee farther and hold the outside of the foot ( big toe or several toes if needed) with your left hand. Inhaling, straighten your right leg, and lift your right foot up, rotating your hips upward. Activate the glute muscles, and keep the left leg, spine, shoulders, arms, and neck all as much in line with each other as possible. Look up at your right foot or directly upward. Hold for a few moments to allow the body to adjust. Inhale. Exhaling, stretch and straighten farther. Hold with normal breathing for around 30 seconds.

Coming out of position

Slightly relax the body. Inhale. Exhaling, lower your right foot, release your left hand, lower your left hand to the floor, balancing your weight equally on both arms. Come back into a plank position, then back into tabletop position. Inhale, exhale, and relax. Repeat on the other side.

Tips

  • Focus the eyes on a fixed point in front of you for balance.
  • Press into your fingers to take pressure off your wrist.
  • Keep the hips lifted and the abdominal muscles engaged; do not allow your hips to sink.
  • Press inside of the bottom foot toward the floor and away from you to help keep the leg straight.
  • Activate entire supporting leg, glute muscles, sides, abdominal muscles, shoulders, and arms.
  • Keep a straight line from your top ankle to the crown of your head.
  • If you feel any pain coming out, carefully come down by any method.

Precautions

Avoid

If you have chronic/serious wrist, elbow, shoulder, or sciatic nerve problems.

Be careful

If you have weak wrists; or elbow, shoulder, hip, sciatic nerve, or ankle issues.

Benefits

General

  • Opens the hips.
  • Stretches hamstrings, calf muscles, achilles tendon (back of ankle).
  • Strengthens wrists, arms, shoulders, back, abdominal muscles, hips, glutes, and legs.
  • Twists the torso and spine.
  • Improves balance, concentration, and blood circulation.

Therapeutic

Helps with thyroid/parathyroid disorders, insomnia.

Variations

Related Posts

  • 102 Eka Pada Galavasan - YogPlan

    Eka Pada Galavasana

    Eka Pada Galavasana

  • Sarpasan

    Sarpasana

    Sarpasana

  • 99 Kukkutasan - YogPlan

    Kukkutasana

    Kukkutasana