Two poses for today are Upward Salute and Bharadwaja’s Twist

Upward Salute and Bharadwaja’s Twist

Upward Salute and Bharadwaja’s Twist tone the thighs, improves digestion, and helps to relieve anxiety and fatigue. Try these poses with Guided Yoga.

Bharadwaja’s Twist

Bharadvaja’s twist is a seated spinal twist pose and hip opener named after the Hindu guru, Bharadvaja.

This posture has several variations, but the most basic begins in staff pose. The weight is then shifted to the right buttock and the knees bend while the legs drop to the left. The left inner ankle should rest in the arch of the right foot. For the twist portion of the pose, the upper body turns to the right as the right hand is placed on the floor behind the body and the left-hand rests palm up on the outer right thigh. Finally, the head turns to gaze over the right shoulder. To complete the pose, repeat on the opposite side.

Steps

1. Get into the initial position. Shift all your weight onto the right hip, bend your knees, and fold your legs by swinging them to the left side.
2. Inhale on a count of 3 and lift yourself by lengthening the upper body. Exhale and twist to the right keeping the left hip close to the floor. Exhale on the count of 3.
3. Hold your right knee with your left hand and place your right hand by your side, close to the right hip. Continue to twist your torso and turn your head to the right and press your shoulder blades against your back firmly.
4. Hold the pose for half a minute or more, exhale and release. Relax and repeat with the other side.
5. Rest in Child’s pose, if you feel exerted.

Health Benefits of Bharadwajasana : 

• Good stretch for the hips, spine, and shoulders.
• Relieves lower backache and neck pain.
• Massages the abdominal organs
• Improves digestion
• Therapeutic for carpal tunnel syndrome

Upward Salute

Upward Salute is a natural way to stretch the whole body, often done automatically after sleeping or sitting for long periods. Standing up and reaching the arms overhead awakens the body from toes to fingertips, providing a boost of energy. It’s a simple way to feel rejuvenated!

Steps:

1. Begin standing with your feet together and your arms at your sides. Press your weight evenly across the balls and arches of your feet. If you have trouble balancing, stand with your feet six inches apart (or wider).
2. Drawdown through your heels and straighten your legs. Press down across all four corners of both feet. Then, lift your ankles and the arches of your feet. Squeeze your outer shins toward each other.
3. Engage your quadriceps, drawing the tops of your thighs up and back. Rotate your thighs slightly inward, widening your sit bones.
4. Tuck your tailbone slightly, without rounding your lower back. Bring your pelvis to its neutral position and keep your hips even with the centerline of your body. Slightly draw your belly in.
5. Broaden across your collarbones. Elongate your neck. Release your shoulder blades away from your head and toward the back of your waist.
6. Your ears, shoulders, hips, and ankles should all be in one line. Turn your arms so your palms face forward, fingers reaching toward the floor. This is Tadasana.
7. As you inhale, sweep your arms out to the side and then up overhead, turning your arms so your palms face each other, fingertips reaching toward the ceiling. Straighten your arms completely, but do not lock the elbow joints.
8. If your shoulders are tight, keep your arms as wide as your shoulders (or even wider). If you can keep your arms straight without drawing your shoulders up, press your palms together.
9. Soften the tops of your shoulders away from your ears. Relax your shoulder blades down your back, toward your waist. Draw your lower, front ribs in — do not let these ribs push forward. Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor. Keep your collarbones wide.
10. Tilt your head back gently and gaze up at your thumbs.
11. Maintain the alignment of Ears, shoulders, hips, and ankles in one line.
12. Breathe smoothly and deeply. Imagine your breath is moving across the entire length of your body. Lift through the sides of your waist as you inhale. Soften your shoulders as you exhale.
13. Hold the pose for up to one minute. To release, exhale, and sweep the arms back down to the sides of the body.

Benefits

• It stretches the sides of the body, spine, shoulders, armpits, and belly.
• It tones the thighs, improves digestion, and helps to relieve anxiety and fatigue.
• It also helps to create space in the chest and lungs, which is therapeutic for asthma and congestion.
• This helps to protect the spinal muscles and nerves during other movements.