Asana of the Week

Hips Folded
In this upside down forward bend, your back rests on the floor instead of your legs.

1. Lie on your back with your feet together. Place your arms at your sides, palms down.

2. Inhale and raise your legs. Bring them toward you until they form a 45-degree angle with your torso. Press your lower back down.

3. Interlock your fingers around your feet.

4. Folding from the hips, exhale and gently pull your legs toward you. Bend your elbows to the sides. Touch your toes to the floor behind your head if you can, leaving as much of your back on the floor as possible. Breathe slowly and evenly as you hold for 20 to 30 seconds.

5. Inhale and slowly roll your spine down. Move your legs away from you and straighten your arms without releasing your feet. Repeat 3 to 5 times.

6. Exhale as you slowly lower your legs to the floor and relax.

Here's an Easier Way...
If you can't interlock your fingers around your feet, hold the sides of your feet or your ankles. If you can't reach your ankles without bending your knees, loop a strap around your feet.

Hints...
• As you bring your legs toward you, try to get your thighs onto your abdomen.
• When lowering your feet to the floor, bring them as close to your head as possible.
• Flex your feet for a stronger hamstring stretch.

Benefits
• Stretches the spine and hamstrings
• Tones the kidneys, liver, and pancreas
• Stimulates the abdominal organs

Click here to watch Wai Lana's Asana of the week

Wailana's Lord of the Dance

Wailana's asana of the week:

Lord of the Dance (Step 2)

The trick to balancing is concentration. And a good way to improve your concentration is to practice balancing poses. There is a final step to this graceful posture, but now let's just focus on balancing and extending the body in this preliminary stage.

1. Stand with your feet together.

2. Slowly bend your left knee back and take hold of your foot.

3. Raise your right arm, palm facing forward. Tuck your buttocks under slightly as you lift your spine.

4. Keeping your standing leg straight, tilt forward from the hips so that your torso and arm extend out at a 45-degree angle. Move your left knee back slightly and hold your left foot close to your buttock. Reach forward with your extended arm, elongating from the shoulder joint. Breathe slowly and deeply as you hold.

5. Slowly straighten your hips and back.

6. Lower your arm.

7. Release your foot and repeat on the other side.

Focus in the Pose...
With your hips tilted forward, elongate your lower vertebrae and on up through the spine. Be aware of the gentle thigh stretch as you hold your heel to your buttock.

Hints...
• Balance your weight evenly on your standing foot so that you're firmly grounded. With a solid base, you'll be able to lift upward more easily.
• Keep your gaze steady. Focus your eyes on a fixed point in front of you to help you balance.