Standing Bow, Ballerina pose, dancer, Dandayamana-Dhanurasana, whatever you want to call it is a difficult pose to master. It requires strength, flexibility, and determination all at once whilst still breathing normally! While all those things will come in time, here are 7 tips to improving your standing bow pulling pose.
Some pointers to think about as you execute standing bow pulling pose:
1. BREATHE, try to take a few focused deep breaths in the pose.
2. Be sure to start with the knees touching together to ensure balance.
3. Keep your weight toward the front of your foot, watch that the weight does not move into the heel as you initiate your kick
4. Always remember that, “kicking and stretching are 50/50, equal, simultaneous.” When you increase the force of your kick you must also increase the energy of the arm stretching toward the mirror to maintain your balance.
5. Just as in standing head-to-knee, the standing leg is your foundation, keep the knee locked by contracting your thigh.
6. Bikram’s dialogue says to touch the shoulder to the chin, not chin to the shoulder. Keep your chin lifted and extend the arm forward to bring the shoulder and chin together, helping to properly align your shoulders. Shoulder blade, scapula should be coming out of the body.
7. On your inhales stretch your fingertips forward, on your exhales focus on kicking up harder.
Muscles Contracting:
- Quadriceps
- Gulteus Maximus
Stretches:
- Shoulders -Trapezius / Latisimus Dorsi
- Groin – Sartorius / Hamstrings
- Chest – Pectorals / Diaphram / Ribcage
Compresses:
- Kidneys
- Spine
Stimulates:
- Circulatory System
- Digestive System
- Reproductive System
- Urinary System
- Endocrine System
- Heart
Bikram says The Standing Bow Benefits us by:
- Transfer of blood flow from one side of the body to the other improving circulation.
- Sweeps blood through circulatory system clearing plaque off artery walls.
- Stimulates circulation through out the body
- Eases back pain through compression of the spine
- Improves elasticity of the spine
- Tones hips and buttocks
- Trims and strengthens the thighs
- Strengthens the ankles and knees
- Opens the shoulder joints, helps with frozen shoulder
- Helps alleviate carpal tunnel, arthritis, tennis elbow
- Helps with cervical spondylosis
- Good for prenatal recovery
- Stretches diaphragm and ribcage improving respiration (breathing)
- Flushes kidneys, bladder and urinary system
- Alleviates gas, constipation and clears digestion
- Improves balance
