inclined plane

purvottanasana

Inclined plane tones and strengthens the whole body (especially core body strength) and opens the chest.

From staff posture, with the arms behind your hips and the fingers pointed either towards or away from your body, begin to lean into the palms.

Inhale and lean back into the arms, using them to lift the hips up toward the ceiling.

 As the hips lift, engage the legs by pulling up the knee caps and squeezing the thighs.

Press the bottoms of the feet flat down into the floor, gently squeeze the buttocks and engage mula bandha.

 Align the body from the toes to the shoulders in one straight line.

 If it feels safe you can drop the head all the way back.

Breathe and hold for 2-6 breaths.

To release: slowly exhale the hips back to the floor