Dolphin Yoga Pose

(July 2, 2010)

How to Do the Dolphin Pose in Yoga?

The dolphin pose is an excellent pose for beginners in yoga. This pose has many benefits and can be practiced every day to keep the body healthy. Some of the benefits of the dolphin yoga pose include stress relief; calming of the brain; treatment of mild depression; stretching of the shoulders, calves, arches and hamstrings; strengthening of the legs and arms; relief from the symptoms of menopause; prevention of osteoporosis; improvement of digestion; relief from headaches, back pain, insomnia and fatigue; and relief from the symptoms of menstruation. Apart from this, the dolphin pose is therapeutic and can help treat high blood pressure, flat feet, asthma, and sciatica.
1. To begin the pose, come onto the floor on your hands and knees. Your knees should be inches apart from each other, resting directly below the hips. The forearms should be placed flat on the floor and the shoulders should be in line with the forearms and the wrists. Press your forearms and your palms into the floor very firmly.
2. Curl the toes of both your feet under and then slowly exhaling; lift both your knees above from the floor, still keeping the knees slightly bent. Stretch your tailbone pushing it away from the pelvis. While feeling this internal resistance, slowly lift the sitting bones and rise upwards towards the ceiling. Keep your head steady, trapping it between the upper portions of your arms to preventing it from hanging or rolling.
3. Ideally, it is important to keep your knees straight in this pose. However, if you feel that keeping the knees together is making you round your back, it is best to bend your knees slightly.
4. Remain in this position and feel your tailbone lengthening way from the pelvic area and your sternum lifting away from the floor. Stay in this pose for about 30 seconds to one minute and then slowly release your knees to come back on all fours. Do this while exhaling slowly.
For beginners, it is important to lift both the shoulders and the elbows so that the shoulders can open up completely. For the optimum utilization of the pose, you can use a sticky mat which can be rolled up and inserted under your inner wrists so that there is ease in the opening up of the shoulders. You can practice the plank pose, Uttanasana (Standing Forward Pose) and the Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose) to warm up for this pose. These poses can help improve the dolphin pose.

Submitted by A on July 2, 2010 at 06:18

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