Dhanurasana (Therapy)

The Sanskrit name is derived from Dhanur (धनुर) means bow and āsana (आसन) meaning posture or seat

• Begin by lying on your stomach on a yoga mat with your legs extended and your arms resting alongside your body.

• Bend your knees and bring your heels toward your buttocks. Keep your knees hip-width apart.

• Reach your hands back and grasp your ankles or feet. If you can’t reach your ankles, you can use a yoga strap looped around your ankles to hold onto.

• Inhale deeply, and as you exhale, lift your chest and thighs off the mat by pressing your feet into your hands. This action will create a bow shape with your body.

• Lift your thighs as high as comfortable, aiming to create a gentle curve in your spine. Keep your knees close together and avoid splaying them outward.

• Draw your shoulder blades toward each other to open your chest. Lift your chest up and forward, lengthening your spine.

• Keep your neck in a neutral position, neither straining upward nor dropping downward. Your gaze can be slightly forward.

• Engage your core muscles to support your lower back and stabilize your torso.

• Maintain steady and controlled breathing throughout the pose. Breathe deeply into your chest and abdomen.

• Hold the pose for several breaths, maintaining the alignment and engagement of muscles. To release, exhale and gently lower your chest and thighs back to the mat.

• After releasing the pose, rest in a comfortable position, such as Child’s Pose or lying flat on your stomach, to allow your body to relax.

• Keep your knees close together and avoid splaying them outward.

• Keep your neck in a neutral position, neither straining upward nor dropping downward.

• Engage your core muscles to support your lower back and stabilize your torso.

• If your knees are too close together, that may lead to discomfort in the back.

• Avoid in case of high or low blood pressure

• Avoid if suffering from headaches or migraine

• Avoid in case of lower back pain or injury

• Avoid in case of heart problems