YOGA

YOGA

Stretch it like a lizard
The Lizard Pose lends great flexibility to your back and leg muscles says Kamala Venkat 

Utthan Pristhasana is also called the Lizard Pose.  In Sanskrit Utthan means ‘stretch’ and Pristha means ‘Back of the body’ and asana means ‘posture.’  Back of the body in this posture resembles a stretched out lizard. Practising this pose gives great flexibility to your back and leg muscles.

Method
• Start in downward facing dog pose. Stay in this pose and take few deep inbreaths and outbreaths.
• On an outbreath, step your right foot forward to the outside edge of your right hand. Both arms should be on the left side of your right leg.
• Look down to ensure that the right knee is not moving ahead of the right ankle and distribute the weight evenly across both hips.
• Try to keep your left leg straight.  Keep the chin lifted and the chest open. Stay in this pose with normal breathing for as long as you can.
• Then slowly bring your right leg back to the downward facing dog pose and relax breathing deeply.  Repeat the same with your left leg.

Benefits
• Tones your thigh muscles
• Calms your mind and controls stress
• Tones shoulders and chest.
• Improves flexibility in the hip and leg muscles.
• An excellent pose for a sportsperson as it tones the entire leg muscles.

Contraindications
• Avoid doing this pose if you have an injury in your ankle, knees, hips or back.
• Do not try this posture if you are recovering from a recent surgery.
• If you have dislocated a shoulder you should avoid this pose.

Mrs. Kamala Venkat is a home maker with a great passion for yoga. Inspired by Shri Swami Ramdev of Patanjali, she has been practising it with complete dedication for the last 20 years.