Standing Yoga Mudra

Called Dandayamana Yoga Mudrasana in Sanskrit, this asana provides an intense stretch to your shoulders, upper back and legs, while helping to increase the flexibility of your spine and hips.  I highly recommend this pose for anyone who is interested in gymnastics, golf,  rock climbing,  or who is new to Pilates.  You’ll reach your goals in any of those activities much faster using Standing Yoga Mudra Pose (SYMP) as a daily stretch.

As with many Yoga asanas, SYMP is useful in clearing your mind after a hectic day or in advance of an important job interview, and helps you become more emotionally centered and aware of your feelings.  Focusing your thoughts on overcoming fears and insecurities adds a special quality to this asana.  You’ll feel refreshed and ready to meet challenges.

INSTRUCTION

1.  Begin in Mountain Pose.

2.  Step your right foot to the right to position your feet slightly wider than hip width apart.

*Your feet should be parallel and your toes should be pointing forward.

3.  Interlace your fingers behind your back.

4.  Press your hands down and away from your shoulders to lengthen your arms.

*Feel your shoulder blades come together as your chest opens.

5.  Exhale as you bend forward from your hips.

*Allow your arms to lift up behind you.  Keep this a gentle, flowing movement.  There should not be pain.

6.  Bend your knees slightly to lessen the strain in your lower back and legs.

7.  Raise your arms behind you as far as is comfortable for you, keeping elbows straight but not locked.  You should feel the deltoids working here.

*Your head moves further the floor as your arms move further away from your body.  When you first attempt this go slowly so you can gauge your own comfort level.

8.  Hold this pose for 20 seconds to 1 full minute, depending on your level as a student.

9.  To come out of the pose, press out through your hands and keep your back flat as you lift up your torso.  Don’t bend or “crunch” your trunk, or jerk you neck.  Grace and poise should be       mental focus words.

Note to students:

Make sure the final angle of your head /neck is in a slightly downward position.  Never look up when holding this pose, it could result in neck injury.   See the image below for proper positioning.

Example of CORRECT neck position for SYMP (Image www.theholisticcare.com)

MODIFYING THE ASANA

To help with difficulty interlacing the fingers behind your back:

You can hold a strap with your hands as close together as is comfortable for you.  This puts much less strain on your shoulders because your hands can be further apart.  Unless you’ve got physical limitations, you can use the mind-body connection to assist you in bringing your hands together closer and closer as time goes on.  When you get to the point of being able to touch hands, you should be ready to give up using the strap.

To help reduce the strain on your legs:

While holding the pose, you may find the stretch in the back of your legs too intense.  Try standing with your feet further apart to reduce the strain.  With continued regular practice of SYMP you should eventually be able to bring your legs closer together.

To make SYMP more challenging:

Begin in Warrior I Pose, with your front knee bent at a 90-degree angle.  Then interlace your fingers behind your back and lean your torso forward over your bent leg, raising your arms up behind you.  Only raise your arms as far is comfortable for you.  Even an advanced student or instructor needs to use caution during asanas – just because your body is in condition it does not mean you can’t get hurt.

Links to foundation poses used in this instruction:

Mountain Pose

Warrior I Pose

Tags: back pain relief, dandayamana yoga mudra, deltoid stretch, end arm flab, golf stretches, golf warm-up exercises, gymnastics stretches, Pilates, rock climbing, rotary cuff stretches, shoulder stretches, standing yoga asanas, standing yoga mudra pose, stress relief, yoga stretches