Adho Mukha Virasana (Therapy)

The name comes from the Sanskrit word Adho meaning “downward,” Mukha meaning “facing,” Vir meaning “warrior,” and “asana” meaning pose.

• Start by kneeling on your mat with your knees together and your feet slightly wider than your hips.

• Place a folded yoga blanket behind your knees.

• Slowly sit back onto the blanket, ensuring it supports your entire buttocks and thighs.

• Point the tops of your feet and toes toward the floor.

• Lengthen your spine upward, stacking your head over your shoulders and your shoulders over your hips.

• Engage your core muscles to support your lower back.

• Exhale and slowly lower your upper body onto the bolster, allowing your torso to rest comfortably.

• Adjust the height of the bolster by adding or removing blankets as needed to support your spine and head.

• Place the folded blanket under your buttocks for extra cushioning and support.

• Extend your arms forward & place them on the floor.

• Close your eyes and relax your entire body, focusing on your breath.

• Relax your shoulders.

• Hold the pose for 50-60 seconds or as long as feels comfortable and appropriate for your practice.

• Gradually come up by raising the hands up & slowly release them beside the body.

• Focus on relaxing any tension in your hips, thighs, and knees with each breath.

• Avoid forcing your hips to the floor if you feel any discomfort or strain. Use props to elevate your hips and reduce the intensity of the stretch.

• Not distributing equal weight on the sitting bones

• Avoid during pregnancy

• Avoid holding the pose in case of high blood pressure

• Not to be practiced with injured knee or any kind of ligament tear at the knee joint