Bhujangasana- The Cobra Pose

"Bhujanga" means "cobra" in Sanskrit. This asana is called 'Bhujangasana' as the raised trunk, neck and head while practicing it resemble a cobra rearing its hood and about to strike, while the joined and stretched legs resemble its tail.
Sequence:
1. Lie flat on your abdomen at full length.
2. Stretch your arms on the sides with the palms turned upwards.
3. Rest the forehead and nose on the ground.
4. Keep your legs and feet together and the whole body straight. Soles must be turned upwards.
5. Relax the whole body.
6. Place the palms flat on the floor exactly beneath the corresponding shoulders with fingers close together.
7. Keep the elbows close to the sides.
8. Place the chin on the ground.
9. Slowly bend the neck and head backward as far as possible, keeping the chest close to the ground.
10. Supporting yourself lightly on the hands and forearms and inhaling, raise slowly your head, shoulders, chest and the upper abdomen (up to the navel) above the ground in a smooth backward movement, tensing the muscles of the back and the nape of the neck.
11. Bend the head and neck as far back as possible.
12. Arch the back and bend the whole spine further back as far as you can, putting very little pressure on the hands.
13. Gaze upwards.
14. Maintain this position comfortably, holding your breath.
15. Exhaling, return slowly to the starting position in the reverse order.
Caution:
• Do this asana on an empty stomach.
• Persons with peptic ulcer, hernia or high blood pressure must not practice it.
• Women must avoid it during pregnancy because of the pressure on the abdomen.


Benefits:
• It is very useful for removing excess fat in the abdomen and waist and reducing the hips.
• The practice of this asana after office work will dispel fatigue.
• The regular practice of Bhujangasana will help postpone old age and bring youthfulness by improving the elasticity of the spine.
• It relieves tension and stiffness in the neck and back.
• The alternate compression and stretching of the abdomen improves the digestive system and stimulates the appetite.
• Bhujangasana alleviates the pain in the back and neck.
• This asana is especially beneficial to persons with a slight hump as the head, neck and back are bent in the reverse direction.
• It helps to cure low blood pressure.
• It strengthens the arms, wrists, shoulders and the posterior.

Bhadrasana - The Beneficial Pose

'Bhadra' means 'beneficial' in Sanskrit.
Sequence:
1. Sit erect in Sukhasana.
2. Stretch the legs forward and keep them together.
3. Pull the legs inward and bring the feet towards the body, bending the knees outward.
4. Join the soles and keep the heels and toes together.
5. Form a fingerlock and clasp your fingers around the toes and the forepart of the feet.
6. Keep the trunk and head erect.
7. Bending your elbows outward, draw in the feet little by little until the heels are in front of the genitals. While doing this, widen the thighs and allow the knees to bend gently downward.
8. Lower the knees gently until they touch the floor.
9. Draw in the heels further and fix them on either side of the perineum.
10. Sit erect.
11. Release the fingerlock, stretch forward the legs and resume the starting position.
Benefits:
• Bhadrasana strengthens the muscles of the groin and the pelvis.
• The weight of the flexed knees stretches and tones up the adductor muscles running along the inner thighs.
• It has a beneficial effect on the muscles and ligaments of the uro-genital region, promoting in it a supply of fresh blood.
• It restores elasticity to stiff knees, hips and ankle-joints.
• It relieves tension in the sacral and coccygeal regions of the spine.
• It keeps the kidneys, the prostrate, and the urinary bladder healthy.

Baddha Padmasana - The Locked Lotus Pose

"Baddha" means "bound' or "locked-up" in Sanskrit. The limbs of the body (both arms and legs) are firmly 'locked-up' and immobilized in this posture so as to give it steadiness. In this posture, the big toes are grasped by the fingers with arms crossed from behind.

Sequence:
1. Assume the Padmasana posture, placing the feet high on the thighs, close towards the groin.
2. Extend your right arm behind your back and reach round until your right band is near the left hip.
3. Lean forward a little.
4. Twisting the trunk to the right, catch hold of the right big toe, resting on the left thigh firmly with the forefinger and the middle finger.
5. Sit erect and hold the position for a few seconds.
6. Similarly, extend your left arm behind your back and crossing the right forearm, reach round until your left hand is near the right hip.
7. Lean forward a little.
8. Twisting the trunk to the left and bringing the shoulder blades together, catch hold of the left big toe resting on the right thigh firmly with the forefinger and the middle finger.
9. Sit erect and hold the position for a few seconds.
10. The arms and legs are now firmly locked-up.
11. Keep the spine, neck and head erect.
12. Draw in the abdomen.
13. Both knees must press the ground.
14. Look straight ahead.
15. Breathe normally.
16. This is the final position.
17. Maintain this posture motionless for about ten seconds or as long as you are comfortable.
18. Release the hands and unlock the foot lock.
19. Stretch out the legs again and assume the normal sitting position.
20. Practice the same, alternating the legs.

Caution:
• Practice this asana only after mastering Padmasana as it demands a high degree of skill.
• Grasp the right big toe with the fingers of the right hand and the left with the fingers of the left hand.
• Pregnant women must not practise this asana.


Benefits:
• The benefits of Padmasana also accrue from Baddha Padmasana and bring greater flexibility to the legs.
• The stubborn joints of the shoulders, elbows, wrists, lower back, hips, knees, ankles and toes arc well stretched and become more supple.
• Pain in the shoulders and back is alleviated.
• It improves the posture by rectifying any unnatural curvature of the spine.
• The asana increases the range of the shoulder movements.

Baddha Konasana

"Baddha" means "locked-up" and "kona" means "angle" in Sanskrit.


Sequence:
1. Assume the Bhadrasana posture, holding with your clasped hands the forepart of your feet which are placed firmly on the floor on their outer edges.
2. Keep the back straight and look straight ahead.
3. Bend forward and place the elbows on the thighs and press them down gently.
4. Inhale deeply and exhale slowly. While exhaling, draw in your abdomen and bend your pelvis and trunk forward from your posterior bones slowly without jerks, at the same time lowering your elbows outside the shin.
5. When you have bent forward as much as you can, place your forehead gently on the floor in front of your feet without raising your seat and rest your forearms and elbows on the floor.
6. Keep the elbows in a line. This is the final position.
7. Maintain this position motionlessly for about five seconds or as long as you can comfortably hold out your breath.
8. Breathe normally if you can increase the duration of the posture.
9. Inhale slowly and while inhaling, release the feet, straighten the arms, stretch out the legs.
10. Raise the trunk and head together and resume the erect sitting position slowly.
11. Take only two turns as this is a strenuous posture.
12. After completing the practice, relax for a few minutes in Savasana
Benefits:
• Baddha Konasana keeps the spine and the hip-joints supple.
• It removes tension in the back and thighs and relieves pain in the hip-joints.
• It tones up the organs in the abdomen and pelvis.
• It reduces excess fat in the thighs