Natarajasana

Steps:

1. Begin by standing tall in Mountain Pose (Tadasana) with your weight equally distributed in both feet.
2. Shift your weight onto the right foot. Bend your left knee to lift your left foot off the floor. Keep your left knee hugging toward your midline throughout this pose.
3. Grasp the instep of your left foot with your left hand. Your thumb is resting on the sole of your foot and pointing in the direction of your toes.
4. Lift your right arm straight up to the ceiling.
5. Lift your left leg behind you as you bring your torso forward as a counterbalance. Remember that your left knee should not splay out to the side. Your right arm will also move forward.
6. Kick your left foot strongly into your left hand to lift the leg higher and deepen the backbend. Keep your left toes active.
7. Fix your gaze (Drishti) on something that doesn't move so that you don’t lose the balance.
8. Hold 5 to 10 breaths.
9. Keep kicking your left foot into your left hand to rise back up. Lower your left leg back in line with your right. Repeat the pose on the other side.

Safety and Precautions

Avoid this pose if you have an ankle or back injury or if you have dizziness or balance problems. Be sure to protect your supporting knee by not locking it or hyperextending it (bending it too far backward).

Benefits

King Dancer Pose strengthens the legs, improves balance and core strength, and stretches the shoulders. It opens the hip flexors (psoas muscles) as a counter to tight hips that develop from too much sitting.

By Kishore MR, Yoga coach and consultant yoga therapist