Natarajasana: Lord Of Dance Pose

The Natarajasana or Lord Of Dance Pose is a great pose for helping to improve overall flexibility. It can also help with developing balance and concentration and is great for stretching your hip flexors while strengthening the arch and standing foot. This pose can expand the chest and front body, and is designed to develop range of motion in the shoulders. In this post I will give you the steps needed to complete the Natarajasana yoga pose successfully.
STEP 1: Start by standing in the Tadasana pose or Mountain pose. Next inhale and move your weight so it moves onto your right-side foot before lifting your left heel up toward your left-side buttock as your knee bends. Next take your right thigh bone’s head and press it deeply into the hip joint. While doing this pull your knee cap up to help keep you standing straight and strong.
STEP 2: There are two variations available that you may like to try here with your hands and your arms. Try to keep your torso in either case relatively upright. With the first variation reach back with your left hand and grasp your ankle or left foot on the outside. Actively lift your pubis to help avoid any type of compression in your lower back so it moves towards your navel. While doing this press your tailbone toward the floor.
STEP 3: With your left foot, begin to lift it up and away from the floor and back so it moves away from your torso. With the left thigh extend it behind you so it is sitting parallel to the floor. With your right arm stretch it forward parallel to the floor in front of your torso.
STEP 4: The second variation is to sweep your right hand so it sits around behind your back to hold the left inner foot. With your left hand sweep it back to grab the left outer foot. This variation of the pose will challenge your balance. As described in step 3, raise your thigh. This variation will help to increase your chest’s lift and will stretch your shoulders.
STEP 5: Hold this pose for up to 30 seconds before releasing the hold on your foot. With your left foot place it back to the floor and repeat using your other side for the same length of time.
Full Pose
To complete the full pose, perform, as described, step 1 above. Next with your left arm turn it actively outward before bending the elbow and gripping the outside of your left foot. Your fingers will cross over the top of your foot with the thumb pressing against your sole. Lifting your leg up, inhale and bring your thigh to the floor in a parallel position. Rotate your left shoulder so that the elbow that is bent swings around and up, pointing toward the ceiling. To externally flex and rotate the shoulder joint it requires extreme flexibility. With your right arm reach it straight forward so it sits in front of the torso and is positioned parallel to the floor. Hold for up to 30 seconds before releasing and repeating on the second side for the same amount of time.

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