Poses to Boost Your Spirits

Relieve stress, fight fatigue, and feel great with these rejuvenating classics

DOWNWARD FACING DOG

(Adho Mukha Svanasana)

What it does Circulates blood to the head; stretches the back.

How to do it Start on all fours, with hands under your shoulders. Curl your toes, take a breath, and, as you exhale, press into your hands, lifting your hips back. Holding the pose, keep your spine straight (bending your knees if need be) and your weight resting evenly between the legs and arms.

FORWARD BEND

(Uttanasana)

What it does Stretches the back and hamstrings.

How to do it Standing tall with your feet hips-width apart, inhale and sweep your arms overhead. As you exhale, lift the tailbone and begin to bend forward from the hips, sweeping your arms with you as you go down. Keep your spine long and straight as you move, bending at the knees if need be. To return to standing, curl up slowly, one vertebra at a time.

WARRIOR II

(Virabhadrasana II)

What it does Increases leg, back, and arm strength.

How to do it Standing at the top of your mat, step your right foot back about 4 feet and turn it 90 degrees to the right. Turn your left foot slightly in. Adjust your torso so that it faces to your right, inhale, and raise your arms out, shoulders blades wide, palms down. Exhale, bending your left knee until your thigh is parellel to the mat. Switch sides.

BOAT POSE

(Navasana)

What it does Builds core strenght; creates heat in the body.

How to do it Start seated - legs together, knees bent, feet planted on the floor. Holding the back of your thighs, rock your weight back so that it rests between the sitting bones. Lift your feet, knees still bent, keeping your lower back drawn inward. Inhale and extend the legs. Let go of the back of the legs, and extend your arms out parallel to the floor.

BRIDGE POSE

(Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

What it does Opens the chest.

How to do it Lie on your back with feet planted close to your buttocks, palms on the floor. Breathe in, and, as you exhale, press into the feet to lift the tailbone. Clasp your hands together underneath you and walk the shoulder blades closer together so that your weight rests on the posterior shoulders and feet. Lift your hips upward.

CHILD'S POSE

(Balasana)

What it does Lengthens the spine; stretches the tops of the feet; relaxes the body.

How to do it Starting on your hands and knees, arms underneath your shoulders, pull your hips back so that your buttocks rest on your feet, your torso on your thighs. Keep your forehead on the mat and let gravity help you sink into the pose. Shift your arms to the left and right for a deeper oblique stretch.

DOWNWARD FACING DOG (Adho Mukha Svanasana) What it does Circulates blood to the head; stretches the back. How to do it Start on all fours, with hands under your shoulders. Curl your toes, take a breath, and, as you exhale, press into your hands, lifting your hips back. Holding the pose, keep your spine straight (bending your knees if need be) and your weight resting evenly between the legs and arms.	FORWARD BEND (Uttanasana) What it does Stretches the back and hamstrings. How to do it Standing tall with your feet hips-width apart, inhale and sweep your arms overhead. As you exhale, lift the tailbone and begin to bend forward from the hips, sweeping your arms with you as you go down. Keep your spine long and straight as you move, bending at the knees if need be. To return to standing, curl up slowly, one vertebra at a time.
WARRIOR II (Virabhadrasana II) What it does Increases leg, back, and arm strength. How to do it Standing at the top of your mat, step your right foot back about 4 feet and turn it 90 degrees to the right. Turn your left foot slightly in. Adjust your torso so that it faces to your right, inhale, and raise your arms out, shoulders blades wide, palms down. Exhale, bending your left knee until your thigh is parellel to the mat. Switch sides.	BOAT POSE (Navasana) What it does Builds core strenght; creates heat in the body. How to do it Start seated - legs together, knees bent, feet planted on the floor. Holding the back of your thighs, rock your weight back so that it rests between the sitting bones. Lift your feet, knees still bent, keeping your lower back drawn inward. Inhale and extend the legs. Let go of the back of the legs, and extend your arms out parallel to the floor.
BRIDGE POSE (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) What it does Opens the chest. How to do it Lie on your back with feet planted close to your buttocks, palms on the floor. Breathe in, and, as you exhale, press into the feet to lift the tailbone. Clasp your hands together underneath you and walk the shoulder blades closer together so that your weight rests on the posterior shoulders and feet. Lift your hips upward.	CHILD'S POSE (Balasana) What it does Lengthens the spine; stretches the tops of the feet; relaxes the body. How to do it Starting on your hands and knees, arms underneath your shoulders, pull your hips back so that your buttocks rest on your feet, your torso on your thighs. Keep your forehead on the mat and let gravity help you sink into the pose. Shift your arms to the left and right for a deeper oblique stretch.