ABDOMINAL GROUP EXERCISES

1.                 UTTHAN PADASANA

§        Lie on back. Make body still. Legs Straight. Hands by the side of body. Palm facing ground.

§        Inhale. Hold Breath

§        Lift both legs up to almost one fut. (Legs to be lifted where it gives move effort to hold)

§        Pause

§        Slowly inhale and bring legs down. The legs should be lowered very slowly.   Slow lowering is essential for getting better benefit.

§        Pause

§        This is one round

§        Take two normal breath

§        Start 2nd round. Initially four rounds may be done.

   (B)   Variation

§               Raising of legs may be done upto 45 angle from ground.

§               Other steps will be same as (a) above.

   (C)    All steps same as (a) above except legs may be raised upto 90 from ground. Here legs will be vertical to the ground.

    2.   SUPTA PAWANMUKTASANA

     (A)

§             Lie flat as in 1(a)

§             Inhale & raise head

§            While exhaling band legs from knee and clasp the hands on the skin bones just below the knees.

§            Bring head and touch the knees

§            Hold as comfortable

§            Release the posture while inhaling

§            Come to normal position

§            Pause

§            Take two normal breath

§            Start 2nd round

§            Initially practice 3&4 rounds.

(B)        Variation

§        Here only difference is - the hands are clasped after inhaling in the final position the breath is hold and exhale while releasing the posture.

 Note :     Not to be  performed by persons "suffering from high blood pressure".

   3.      Solar Plexus Pose (Variation Posture of 1(a)

§               Lie on back as in 1(a)

§               Bring your arms around your chest, firmly hugging yourself.

§               Inhale

§               Raise your head

§               Hold & inhale slowly. Keep head in raised position

§               Take two normal breath

§               Inhale & hold

§               Raise two legs upto almost one foot from ground.

§               Start "Breath of Fire" (Bhasrika) in this position.

§               Continue few seconds as you feel easy

§               Slowly inhale and lower head & legs. Come to normal position.

§               Relax & take normal breath

§               Continue 2nd round

§               Initially start with two rounds.

 Thoracic Breathing

• This is done after abdominal breathing.
• Lie in shavasana or sit comfortably in Meditation posture.
• Make body calm & still. Watch the breath.
• Bring awareness to the middle portion of the trunk in thoracic region.
• Feel the movement of ribs outward and upward. Keep awareness at the ribs.
• Inhale and expand the chest as much as possible. Feel the movement of ribs during inhalation. Hold for few seconds.

• Exhale by relaxing the chest muscles. Feel the rib cage contracting and forcing the air out of the lunge. Breathe out completely.

• Do not use diaphragm
•  Pause slightly. This is one round.
• Continue thoracic breathing for a few minutes, pausing slightly after each round.

Clavicular Breathing  

§        This is done after thoracic breathing. This is final stage of total rib cage expansion Here little more air is inhaled as was done in thoracic breathing.

§        Lie in shavasana or sit in meditative posture.

§        Relax whole body. Watch the breathe

§        Perform thoracic breathing for a few minutes.

§        Inhale and fully expand the rib cage.

§        When the rib cage is fully appended, inhale a little more air until you feel expansion and pressure on shoulders and collar bones.  Here collar bones should also move slightly.

§        This will need some effort.

§        Exhale slowly. First release air from lower neck than upper chest, than the rib cage back to starting position.

§        Pause slightly. This is one round.

§        Continue for few more breathe (round) observing the effect of this type of breathing.

Yogic Breathing

§        This breathing combines abdominal breathing, thoracic breathing and clavicular breathing. This gives control over breath, increase oxygen intake and correct poor breathing habits.

§        This may be practiced at anytime. This is very useful for stress control, for anger control and for calming the nerves.

§        Inhale slowly and deeply. Allow abdomen to expand.

§        At the end of abdomen expansion. Continue inhalation & expand chest outward & upward. When ribs are fully expanded, inhale little more so that collar bone move up. Some tension should be felt in the neck.

§        Feel the air has filled from abdomen to upper lobes of the lungs.  This complete inhalation. This all will be continuous movement.

§        Pause.     

§        Start exhalation slowly.

§        First start from lower neck, than contract downward from thoracic to abdomen. All in continuous and harmonious movement.

§        Pause.

§        This completes one round of yogic breathing.

§        Start from 5 round to minimum of 10 rounds daily.