Hero Pose

• Stretches the thighs, knees, and ankles
• Strengthens the arches
• Improves digestion and relieves gas
• Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
• Reduces swelling of the legs during pregnancy (through second trimester)
• Therapeutic for high blood pressure and asthma

• Heart problems
• Headache: Practice this pose lying back on a bolster.
• Knee or ankle injury: Avoid this pose unless you have the assistance of an experienced instructor.

Often the inner top feet press more heavily into the floor than the outer top feet. Press the bases of your palms along the outer edges of the feet and gently push the pinky-toe sides of the feet to the floor.

Clasp your hands, extend your arms forward (perpendicular to your torso and parallel to the floor), turn the palms away from your torso (so the thumbs point to the floor), then raise the arms on an inhalation perpendicular to the floor, with the palms facing the ceiling. Stretch actively through the bases of the index fingers.

If your ankles are painful in this pose, roll up a towel and place it underneath them before you sit back.

A partner can help you learn to lengthen the spine in this pose. Perform Virasana. Have your partner sit behind you and firmly grasp the base of your skull with the thumb and index finger of one hand. As you lengthen the tailbone into the floor, have your partner tug up on the skull base, lengthening the back spine between its two "poles." Release the crease of your neck into this space between the base of the skull and the back of the neck.

• Balasana
• Baddha Konasana

• Padmasana
• Bakasana

Inversions, backbends, and standing poses

Cup your hands around the knees, straighten the arms fully, and pull on the knees. Firm your shoulder blades against your back, lift the top sternum, and release your chin down onto the chest without straining the back of your neck. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds. Then let go of the knees and raise your head back to neutral without losing the lift of the sternum.