Day 19 Pose – 19 Dhanurasana Bow Pose

The Dhanurasana or Bow Pose is a very therapeutic yoga pose which is fabulous for improving your overall health. This bow yoga pose is a great pose to help promote flexibility, strengthen your back muscles, release your back pain, as well as improving your overall circulation. I love this pose because I always feel relaxed and healthier after doing it. I have also seen some weight fall off over a period of time after completing this pose which is always a good thing! In this post I am happy to give you the steps needed to complete the Dhanurasana yoga pose successfully.
Step #1 – Gently lie down onto your belly and place your hands alongside your torso with the palms up. Breathing out, slowly bend your knees until your heels are as close to your buttocks as possible. Reaching back take a hold of your ankle with your hands. Make sure the width of your knees isn’t wider than your hip width, and keep this position for the duration of the pose.
Step #2 – Breathing in, lift your heels strongly away from your buttocks while you lift your thighs off the mat. By doing this you will feel a pulling effect that makes your head and upper torso lift off the floor. Keeping your back muscles soft, burrow your tailbone gently toward the floor. Firmly press the blades of your shoulder against your back while lifting your thighs and heels higher. This will open your heart. Gazing forward, slowly draw your shoulder tops away from your ears.
Step #3 – With your belly pressed against the floor you may find it difficult to breathe. For this it is best to breathe into the back of your torso, but try not to stop breathing.
Step #4 – For 20-30 seconds stay in this pose then breathe out as you release. For a few breaths quietly lie for a moment then repeat the pose 1 to 2 times.