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Dolphin Plank Pose.

Dolphin Plank Pose is a yoga asana for increasing core strength and developing balance. The muscles of the arms, shoulders, abdomen, and legs are all strengthened. The Dolphin Plank Pose is a combination of the plain Dolphin Pose and the Plank Pose.

How to do Dolphin Plank Pose?

1. The Dolphin plank pose can be approached from various starting poses. The easiest would be to start in the kneeling position.
2. From the kneeling down pose, bend over and place the forearms on the ground in front of you.
3. Slide the knees slightly back, straighten your back and raise the buttocks up.
4. Slide the leg back further, till the body is in a straight line. Keep the legs off the floor, except for the toes.
5. Use the toes to support the partial weight of the body.
6. Remain in this position for as long as you are comfortable. Breathe normally in this position. The body weight is entirely supported by the toes and the forearms.
7. To release the pose, bring down the legs and let the knees touch the floor. Slide your legs further up and then raise yourself up to the sitting position.
8. Lie down in any relaxation pose like Shavasana for few minutes. In the dolphin pose, all the muscles are stretched. This stretch followed by relaxation, in the end, can help to release stress in the body as well as the mind.

 Benefits of Dolphin Plank Pose

1. Dolphin Plank Pose strengthens the arms and the shoulders.
2. It tones the muscles of the abdomen.
3. Dolphin plank pose improves the sense of balance.
4. It increases the strength of core muscles in the chest, abdomen, arms, and legs. 

Contraindications for Dolphin Plank Pose

1. Dolphin plank pose should be avoided by those suffering from the injury to arms, shoulders, neck, and hips.
2. Those who have undergone any recent surgery of the chest, abdomen, arms, hips shoulders and legs should not do this asana.

Dhanurasana – The Bow Pose

  

Dhanurasana or the Yogic Bow Pose is so called as it resembles a bow when it is performed (“Dhanur” means Bow in Sanskrit). In Dhanurasana, body and the legs take the shape of the bow, while the hands look like the string.

How to do Dhanurasana (The Bow Pose)?

1. Lie down flat on your stomach with your hands on the side. Relax and breathe normally.
2. Slowly bend your knees back as far as possible, almost touching the back of your buttocks.
3. Now arch your head and neck upwards and backward. Slowly move the hands towards the lower leg. Use both your hands and try to get hold of your lower leg at the ankles. Hold on to the ankles till you complete the asana.
4. Now inhale deeply and expand your chest. At the same time, pull the legs upwards using your hands. Arch your trunk backward and upwards along with your head and neck. When fully stretched, your shape will resemble a bow. Your thighs will be raised above the ground and you will be resting on the abdomen and the lower part of the chest alone.
5. Continue in this position as much as you are comfortable, starting from a few seconds up to 30 seconds.
6. Release the pose by letting go of the lower legs and bringing the legs, trunk, and head to the original supine position. Exhale during this process of releasing the pose.
7. Dhanurasana gives a very good backbend. It is good to follow it up with a counter pose to stretch the body in the opposite direction. The child’s pose can be a good counter pose for Dhanurasana. To perform the child’s pose, Kneel on the floor and bend forward, putting your head between the knees and the forehead touching the floor. Take your hands behind your buttocks and hold your right wrist with your left hand. Adjust your position to relax all your body parts. Breathe slowly and deeply in this position. Stay as much as you are comfortable.
8. Slowly release the child’s pose and rest in savasana.

 Benefits of Dhanurasana (The Bow Pose)

1. Dhanurasana improves the strength of the back and the lower abdominal muscles.
2. It gives a good stretch to the shoulders, hands, thorax, thighs and the legs.
3. Dhanurasana massages the abdomen and internal organs.
4. It improves digestion.
5. It massages the pancreas and is good for diabetic patients.
6. Dhanurasana expands the chest and corrects stooping of the back and shoulders.

Dandasana – The Staff Pose

 

Dandasana or the Staff Pose is a simple sitting pose which forms the starting position for most other sitting yogic postures. In Sanskrit, Danda means a stick or staff and Asana means a pose.

How to do Dandasana (The Staff Pose)?

1. Sit on the floor and stretch your legs in front of you.
2. Place the hands on the sides on the floor.
3. Bring the two legs together with both the feet touching each other.
4. Put slight pressure on the floor with your palms and raise your spine up. The back and the head should be held straight and gaze forward.
5. Flex the feet back so feel a slight tug under the legs muscles.
6. Broaden the chest so that the two shoulder blades are pulled towards each other in the back. If you have a weak back, you may use the support of the wall to do this pose.
7. Push the thighs to the floor and make sure the legs are straight. If your hamstrings are tight, then you may use a blanket under your legs.
8. Breathe normally and maintain this position for as long as you wish. 

Benefits of Dandasana (The Staff Pose)

1. Dandasana is a starting pose for most of the other sitting postures. For example, if you want to perform Paschimottanasana or the forward bend pose, you have to start with this asana.
2. It helps to strengthen the muscles of the back and corrects minor postural defects.
3. Perfecting this asana gives you the strength and steadiness to do more advanced yogic poses.
4. The muscles of the chest and abdomen are stretched and strengthened.
5. Maintaining the pose for longer durations can remove stiffness of the lower back muscles.
6. It can improve digestion.
7. It can remove fatigue in the leg muscles.
8. It increases the flexibility of the lower back and hips.

 Contraindications for Dandasana (The Staff Pose)

1. Dandasana is a beginner’s pose. It does not have any known contraindications for a normal healthy person. However, those who suffer from the weak back should try to do this with the support of the wall.
2. Use a blanket under the legs if your hamstrings are too tight.

Chaturanga Dandasana – The Four-Limbed Staff Pose

  

Chaturanga Dandasana or Four-Limbed Staff Pose is a basic pose to bring balance and strength to arms and legs. In Sanskrit, Chatur means four and Anga means part (of the body). Danda means the staff and asana mean the pose. It is also known as the Low Plank Pose. In the final pose, the entire weight of the body is distributed on the palms and the toes.

How to do Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose)?

1. Start with Vajrasana or the kneeling position.
2. Now, raise the buttocks up and bend forward, placing your palms on the floor in front of you.
3. The palms should be spaced at shoulder length and the hands should be straight. The knees and lower legs are rested on the floor.
4. Now, take your legs back with the legs supported on the toes.
5. This is the high plank pose where the knees are above the ground and you are supported by the palms and the toes.
6. From the high plank pose lower the knees to the ground and bend the elbows bringing the torso closer to the floor. At this point the two hands are on the sides, elbows bend and the chest above the ground.
7. Raise your knees above the floor, so that the body is in a straight line, horizontal to the ground. The entire weight of the body is resting on the palms and the toes.
8. This is the final pose. Try to remain in this position for as long as you are comfortable.
9. To release the position, make the hands straight and lower the knees to the ground to come to the high plank pose.
10. Then bend the knees and bring back the buttocks to the kneeling position. 

Benefits of Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose)

1. Chaturanga Dandasana strengthens the wrists, arms, muscles of the legs, hips, and shoulders.
2. It is a good balancing pose for beginners.
3. It strengthens the muscles around the spine.
4. This pose is used in Surya Namaskar or the sun salutation. It is achieved before doing the Ashtanga Namaskara pose in the Sun Salutation.
5. It strengthens the toes as substantial part of the body weight is supported by the toes.

 To avoid the common mistakes in this pose, make sure that your chest does not sag down or touch the ground. The entire body should be straight like a plank and parallel to the ground.