With your hands together in prayer before your heart , press your elbows into your inner knees , widening the legs and lengthening the spine from tailbone to crown . As you do , press your inner knees back into your elbows rooting down through the inner as well as the outer edges of your feet .
Poses to Ground After Flying
BY
Whether you ’ ve just stepped off a plane or are simply feeling the after-effects of the holidays , completely booked flights , cramped rows and little-to-no-leg space can wreak havoc on the body . Ground your energy after a flight with these four simple yoga poses designed to lengthen your hamstrings and spine , open your hips and lower back , and increase circulation and energy .
1 . STANDING FORWARD FOLD ( UTTANASANA ) Standing with your feet outer hip distance apart and parallel so that your second toe is in line with the center of your ankle , press down evenly through all four corners of your feet : mound of the big toe , inner heel , outer heel and mound of pinkie toe . With your hands on your hips , inhale lift your chest as you continue to root down through the legs ; exhale gently bend your knees as you slowly hinge forward at your hips , lengthening your spine .
MEAGAN MCCRARY
Staying in your forward fold for eight full rounds of breath , hold on to the back of the calves — bending the knees more or less as necessary to compensate for tighter hamstrings .
When you ’ re ready to rise , bring your hands back to your hips , lifting your elbows and shoulders up toward the ceiling . Rise with a flat back , taking your chest forward and up . As you rise use your hands to press down through both legs .
2 . GARLAND POSE ( MALASANA ) Coming into a squatting position with your feet outer hip distance apart and slightly turned out as needed , root your heels down into the mat as you keep your bottom off the floor . If your heels do not come down , try rolling up a blanket or the back end of your yoga mat and place it under your heels for support . This pose can also be done with your bottom on a block , especially for those with any knee pain .
3 . BOUND ANGLE POSE ( BADDHA KONASANA ) Sitting on the earth , or with your pelvis raised on a blanket or cushion if your hips and groins are tight , bring the bottoms of your feet together allowing your knees to fall open to the sides . Holding on to the front of your ankles bones , continue to press the outer edges of the feet together as you lengthen up your torso , releasing your inner thighs and groins down towards the earth .
Inhale and exhale , forward fold , walking the hands forward as necessary . Rather than bringing your face down to your feet , continue to extend your spine , reaching your heart past the tips of your toes .
Despite common belief , the goal of the pose is not for the knees to come closer to the floor . Instead concentrate on your inner upper thighs ( the inseams of your pants ) turning down to the floor between your legs . Never force your knees down and try to avoid bouncing of the legs .
4 . LEGS-UP-THE-WALL ( VIPARITA KARANI ) If you don ’ t do any of the above poses , do legs-up-the-wall for five or ten minutes and you will ground your nervous system and boost your circulation , quickly recovering from all of your holiday travel .
Start by sitting sideways with your hands supporting you and one hip against the wall . To come into the pose , swing your legs up the wall as you gently lower your shoulders and head to the earth . Lying with your back flat , allow your arms to rest away from your body , palms up , relaxing your shoulders to the earth .
To release , bend both knees into your chest , roll to one side and take a few breaths . When you ’ re ready use the strength of your arms , placing both hands flat on the ground , to push yourself back up to sit .