Setu Bandha Sarvangasana - Bridge

THE POSE TO SUIT YOUR NEEDS
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana/Bridge is one of the most well known and accessible backbend poses with lots of versions to suit your needs. It can be an energising and strengthening pose or a restorative and restful pose. Props are a great addition to the pose to either strengthen or soften the intensity. To add challenge you can place a brick between the knees to switch the adductor muscles on, or hold a brick between the arms to work the shoulders. To create more ease you can place a brick or bolsters under the hips for support or place a brick between your knees and strap it with a belt too .

THE BENEFITS OF SETU BANDHA SARVANGASANA/BRIDGE
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana/Bridge strengthens the spine, hamstrings, glutes and shoulders. It stretches the chest, core, quads and shoulders. This versatile backbend aids digestion, eases stress, tension, anxiety, expands lung capacity, realign the spine, improves posture and regulates metabolism. The energising, active versions of the pose strengthen the whole back body as you press the hips up against gravity, which, when done slowly and consciously, also help with hip stability and strength. The restorative, restful version of the pose work on balancing the nervous system and is the perfect pose after a long day sitting at a desk or after a workout session.

EXPLORING SETU BANDHA SARVANGASANA/BRIDGE IN YOUR PRACTICE
This sequence is perfect for days where you want to get a practice in and are feeling a bit low on energy. We stay low to the ground but still get plenty of mobility to the hips, spine and shoulders. There are both energising and restorative versions of Setu Bandha Sarvangasana/Bridge and it finishes with four restorative poses. Pose No.1 has a rolled blanket just under the shoulderblades to gently open the chest, No.2 has three rolled blankets under the back and hips to incrementally bring you up into No.3 supported SSetu Bandha Sarvangasana/Bridge with a bolster. The amount of time you spend in each of these restorative poses is up to you, I have given a suggested time per pose. Remember to do both sides on the mini flows where there is one leg lifting or circling.

ALIGNMENT CUES
Luxuriate in the simplicity of this gentle sequence. Move in a way that feels best for you and try not to get too caught up on what comes next or poses that you are not familiar with. This sequence is purely about moving with ease and kindness.

Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet parallel and hip width apart, heels close to your sit bones.

• Arms pressed into the ground beside you. Root through your big toe mound and inner heels, inhale here.

• Exhale, lift your hips up, knees extend forward, sternum lift up and towards your chin.

• Lightly press into the back of your head, back of the neck long. Roll your shoulders under and clasp your hands under your pelvis, extend your arms towards your feet.

• Hug your outer hips to the midline, thighs parallel to the ground, roll your inner thighs down, gaze up.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Urdhva Dhanurasana - Upward Bow or Wheel

PROP AWAY YOUR FEARS

Urdhva Dhanurasana/Upward Bow or Wheel is a challenging pose for most yogis. Considered one of the bigger backbend poses it requires open shoulders, chest, hip flexors, and a bit of gusto to lift yourself into the pose. You may think that your shoulders and hips are too tight for Urdhva Dhanurasana/Upward Bow or Wheel, but there is plenty you can do to prepare for the pose and give you a better chance to explore the pose. This sequence breaks down the components of Urdhva Dhanurasana/Upward Bow or Wheel and gives you plenty of versions of the pose, so you can enjoy all the lovely benefits of this peak pose even if it is not part of your practice. Props are a great addition to Urdhva Dhanurasana/Upward Bow or Wheel, they can be used to bring the floor up to meet you and reduce the extent of stretch required for the pose. They can be used at a wall under your hands if your shoulders are not quite reaching the ground or under your feet at a wall if your hip flexors are limiting your ability to lift up. Both theses versions are described below.

What makes it so challenging to the shoulder joint is that it requires quite a complicated series of movements in the shoulders joint (strong shoulder flexion, scapular elevation and upward rotation), and in this position we are asking the shoulder to lift up and hold our body weight. The hips can also complicate the lift for you. If the hip flexors are tight, and pulling the pelvis into anterior forward rotation, it makes it much harder to recruit the lifting muscles at the back of the hips, and to distribute the backbend throughout the whole spine when you are in the pose.

THE BENEFITS OF URDHVA DHANURASANA/UPWARD BOW OR WHEEL
Urdhva Dhanurasana/Upward Bow or Wheel strengthens the spine, hamstrings, glutes, adductors and shoulders. It stretches the arms, shoulders, chest, core, quads and hip flexors. This lovely full expression of a backbend builds strength and stamina, aids digestion, is energising, eases stress, tension, anxiety and depression. It also helps expand and the breath, promoting healthy lung capacity and ease symptoms of asthma and sleep apnea.

EXPLORING URDHVA DHANURASANA/UPWARD BOW OR WHEEL IN YOUR PRACTICE
There are many different ways to approach Urdhva Dhanurasana/Upward Bow or Wheel if you are working with tightness in the shoulders, hips or struggle to find enough strength in your arms to lift up. The feet and hand position have been the topic of many yoga debates. Where once the theory was that it was best alignment practice to have the hands shoulder width apart and feet hip width, now the conversation has shifted more appropriately to ‘what does your body need to help you lift and hold’. If you have tight shoulders it can help to have the hands slightly further than shoulder width and the palms slightly turned out, similarly if you have tight hip flexors having the feet slightly further than hip width and feet slightly turned out it can help too. These two variations can also help if you struggle to find your shoulder or hip strength to lift up.

In the last line of the sequence you will find different versions of Urdhva Dhanurasana/Upward Bow or Wheel. Take each version as stepping stones and be proud and happy with yourself to stay at the step you are most confident with. Explore the two variations above, adding bricks under hands or feet or playing around with hand and feet position, as required for your body type.

ALIGNMENT CUES
As mentioned above props are king for Urdhva Dhanurasana/Upward Bow or Wheel. Below are three versions of the first step to the peak pose.Play around and see what works for you and your unique body.

Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

• No bricks. Lie on your back, knees bent, feet parallel, hip width apart or slightly wider if you ahem tight hip flexors. Bend your elbows, place your hands on the ground beside your ears, or slightly wider if you have tight shoulders, fingers point towards your shoulders, elbow in line with your shoulders. Press firmly into your hands and feet.

• Bricks under hands. Bring the short edge of your mat to a wall. Place the long edge of two bricks against the wall shoulder width, or slightly wider, apart. Lie on your back, head between the bricks, knees bent, feet parallel, hip width apart. Bend your elbows, place the palm of your hands on the bricks, fingers curled over the edge of the brick, pointing towards your shoulders, elbow in line with your shoulders. Press firmly into your hands and feet.

• Bricks under feet. Bring the short edge of your mat to a wall. Place the long edge of two bricks against the wall hip width, or slightly wider, apart. Lie on your back, knees bent, place your feet on the bricks, feet parallel or slightly turned out. Bend your elbows, place your hands on the ground beside your ears, fingers point towards your shoulders, elbow in line with your shoulders. Press firmly into your hands and feet.

• Exhale, lift your hips up and come onto the crown of your head, inhale here. Exhale, lift your head up and straighten your arms.

• Knees hip width apart, hug your outer hips to the midline. Roll your inner thighs down, reach your chest towards the back of your mat.

• To come down tuck your chin in and slowly come down to your head, then lower your hips down to the ground.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Bhujangasana - Cobra

BACKBEND FOR ALL
Bhujangasana/Cobra is one of the more accessible backbends and is the perfect alternative in a Sun Salutation if Urdhva Mukha Svanasana/Upward Facing Dog is not part of your practice. It is a heart opening backbend that stretches the front upper body and strengthens the back upper body. Backbends come more easily to the lower back (lumbar spine), making it more susceptible to overarching. As with all backbends, care needs to be taken to distribute the bend though the whole spine. In Bhujangasana/Cobra you have good control of how far you come into the backbend and can easily lower back down if you start to feel any discomfort in your lumbar spine. This version of Bhujangasana/Cobra is also sometimes called Baby Cobra which is kinder on the lumbar spine than its sister pose King Cobra. In Baby Cobra the arms stay bent, bringing the upper body lower than in King Cobra, where the arms are straight, giving a more dramatic curve to the lumbar spine.

Similar to Salabhasana/Locust, Bhujangasana/Cobra is a backbend that moves against gravity – giving you the opportunity to strengthen the back, more so than backbends like Ustrasana/Camel which moves with gravity to bring you into the pose. Bhujangasana/Cobra is also a great pose to counteract long periods of sitting and support good posture. It helps to realign your spine and stretches the hip flexors which get stuck in a shortened position when sitting.

THE BENEFITS OF BHUJANGASANA/COBRA
Bhujangasana/Cobra strengthens the spine, arms, glutes and hamstrings. It stretches the chest, core and hip flexors. It helps you find your connection to the earth and ground down to grow roots. As a backbend it stimulates the nervous system, aids digestion, energising, eases stress, tension, anxiety and depression. It also helps expand and the breath, promoting healthy lung capacity and ease symptoms of asthma and sleep apnea.

EXPLORING BHUJANGASANA/COBRA IN YOUR PRACTICE
Unlike many other peak poses Bhujangasana/Cobra is gentle enough to add into your practice from early on. In the warm up on the first row you will take Naraviralasana/Sphinx to prepare for your peak pose which follows. Press your forearms into the ground and draw your chest between your shoulders until you feel a lovely stretch along the skin from your belly button all the way to your breastbone. Soften your shoulder blades down your back in preparation for the following pose of Bhujangasana/Cobra to ensure your shoulders are not bunching up to your ears.

There are two ways to approach Bhujangasana/Cobra – with the hands pressing into the ground to help pull the chest forward and up, and with the hands slightly lifted off the ground. Pressing into the hands helps you find a lovely stretch in the abdominal region and the chest. With the hands lifted you may not come up as far, but you are strengthening all the muscles along your spine as they work to lift your upper body against the weight of gravity. Towards the end of the sequence there is also an opportunity to take a slightly more passive version of Bhujangasana/Cobra using a bolster or a rolled blanket just above your frontal hip bones. Very gentle forward bends and twists are the perfect way to counterpose a backbend. The perfect way to finish this sequence would be with a restorative twist.

ALIGNMENT CUES
Pause for a few of the different versions of Bhujangasana/Cobra in this sequence, feel your lungs stretch, your ribs expand and breathe drawing you forward and up.

Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

• Lie on your front, feet hip width apart, top of the feet on the ground with your hands either side of your sternum.

• Press your feet, thighs and pubic bone firmly to the ground, Inhale, press into your hands, lift your chest up and lengthen forward, track your elbows in line with your shoulders.

• Reach your toes back, firm your legs, hug your outer hip to the midline, pull your hands back, draw your sternum forward and up, draw your navel towards your spine. Lifting with the whole back, gaze slightly forward.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru