Vyaghrasana

Intermidate

Vyaghrasana

Tiger Pose

(vyag-ra-sun)

Meaning: vyaghra = tiger

Table of content

Muscle and Joints:

Physical Health:

Preparation

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

Getting into position

Exhale. Inhaling, lift one leg up behind you (keeping it bent). Arch your back, raise the head upward (opening your chest). Keep the hips square, and try to bring the toes as close to the head as possible. Hold for a few moments to allow the body to adjust. Inhale. Exhaling, arch farther. Hold with normal breathing for around 30 seconds.

Counter-position: Inhale. Exhaling, lower the leg and bring the knee under the torso (rounding the back); bring the head toward the chest; try to touch the forehead with the knee. Activate the lower back muscles to round the back . Hold for a few moments to allow the body to adjust. Inhale. Exhaling, round your back farther. Hold with normal breathing for around 30 seconds.

Coming out of position

Slightly relax the body. Return to tabletop position. Inhale, exhale, and relax. Repeat on the other side.

Tips

  • If you struggle to touch the knee to the head in the counter-position, you can rest the toes on top of the opposite calf.
  • Do not overstrain the neck when bending it forward or backward.
  • Focus on arching the upper back more than the lower back.
  • Keep the supporting leg perpendicular to the floor.
  • Make sure the torso and hips stay square throughout the pose.
  • If there is pain in the knee caps, add extra cushioning such as a folded towel .

Precautions

Avoid

If you have chronic/serious neck problems, then avoid bending the neck either backward or forward by keeping it neutral during this pose.

Be careful

If you have a herniated (slipped) disc, abdominal hernia, or back or neck issues.

Benefits

General

  • Opens the chest.
  • stretches neck, shoulders, chest, back, spine, hips, thighs, and ankles.
  • improves spinal flexibility.
  • Strengthens neck, shoulders, chest, back, abdomen, buttocks, hips, and legs.
  • Stimulates the nervous, lymphatic, digestive, and reproductive systems.

Therapeutic

Beneficial for mothers shortly after giving birth, to strengthen the pelvic, hip, and abdominal regions.

Variations

vyagrasan a 1 - YogPlan

vyagrasan-a

vyagrasan a 1 - YogPlan

vyagrasan-a

vyagrasan a 1 - YogPlan

vyagrasan-a

vyagrasan a 1 - YogPlan

vyagrasan-a

vyagrasan a 1 - YogPlan

vyagrasan-a

vyagrasan a 1 - YogPlan

vyagrasan-a

vyagrasan a 1 - YogPlan

vyagrasan-a

vyagrasan a 1 - YogPlan

vyagrasan-a

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