Saral Natarajasana improves coordination

Saral Natarajasana, or dancer's pose for beginners, is a balancing pose that cultivates an open heart while opening the shoulders and strengthening the legs. The pose instills concentration, grace and composure.

Saral Natarajasana

- Stand with the feet together and focus on a fixed point.

- Bend left knee and grasp left foot with left hand behind the body.

- Extend right arm forward. Keep knees together and maintain balance.

- Slowly raise and stretch the left leg backward, as high as comfortable.

- Make sure left hip does not twist and the left leg is raised directly behind the body.

- Raise right arm. Fix gaze on right hand.

- This is the final position. Hold for up to a minute or as long as comfortable.

- Release the posture by reversing the order of movements and repeat with right leg.

Benefits

- This asana lengthens and tones the legs, arms and spine while increasing the range of motion in the hips and shoulders.

- It opens the chest and lungs for breathing.

- It corrects improper posture.

- It develops a sense of balance and improves coordination.

Caution

Avoid it if you have a heart condition, high or low blood pressure, back problems, knee injury, hernia or vertigo.

Bharat Thakur guides you through practices that will connect you to the wisdom of the ancient Indian science of exercising.