Yoga of the Week: Standing Forward Bend (Hastapadasana)

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How to do:

1. Stand straight with feet together and arms alongside the body.
2. Balance your weight equally on both feet.
3. Breathing in, extend your arms overhead.
4. Breathing out, bend forward and down towards the feet.
5. Stay in the posture for 20-30 seconds and continue to breath deeply.
6. Keep the legs and spine erect; hands rest either on the floor, beside the feet or on the legs.
7. On the out breath, move the chest towards the knees; lift the hips and tailbone higher; press the heels down; let the head relax and move it gently towards the feet. Keep breathing deeply.
8. Breathing in, stretch your arms forward and up, slowly come up to the standing position.
9. Breathing out, bring the arms to the sides.

Benefits:

1. Stretches all the muscles of the back of the body.
2. Invigorates the nervous system by increasing the -blood supply.
3. Makes the spine supple.
4. Tones the abdominal organs.

Note: People suffering from lower back injuries, Spondylitis, Cervical pain or any kind of back and spinal problems should not do this pose.

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