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Veerasana

Postures > Standing > Veerasana

Posture

'Vira' means brave. The way a brave man takes position while attacking his enemy, the similar position is formed in this asana, hence it is called as 'Virasana'.

Pre position

Standing position

Procedure

1. Take the left foot forward and place the left foot on the floor at the maximum distance from the initial position.
2. Bring both the hands together, join the palms and place them on the knees of the left leg. Bend the left leg in the knee in such a way that the thigh and the calf come in 90 degrees. Keep the right leg straight.
3. Raise the joined hands up and take them back above the head and then without bending the hands in the elbows, bend the head backward and keep the sight backward down.

Position

The front leg should be bent in 90 degrees angle and the back leg should be straight. Keep the toes frontward. The back leg, the back, the neck and both the hands form a very good arch in this position and this forming of arch is desirable, too. The body should be weighed backward and keeping the arms near the ears, the neck should also be bent downwards.

Releasing

1. Start bringing the body forward and place the hands on the knee. Keep sight to the front.
2. Straighten the knee and restore the hands to their original place.
3. Restore the left leg to its place and take up standing position.

Duration

It should be maintained for at least one minute, to have the desired strain and benefits; with practice, duration can be increased to three minutes.

Internal effects

In this asana the joints of the legs, the waist, the spinal column and the neck get curved in opposite direction. As a result of this, the blood circulation to these joints is regulated. The spinal column becomes elastic and its functioning improves. There is pressure on the digestive organs and the belly gets stretched, which promotes their functioning.

Precaution

The process of the backward bending should be slow and controlled, else it becomes difficult to maintain the balance. The loss of balance may prove injurious to certain parts of the body. Slow and controlled movements help in having halt at the needed point and avoiding the unwanted strain.

Note: This asana is to be repeated for the right leg also.