4 Yogic Standing Postures, Part 3
Yogic standing postures, or asanas, provide an opportunity to increase strength, flexibility and create a harmonious balance for the rest of the asanas in a yogic routine.
Standing posture number: Modern-day Sun Salutation
While the Classical Sun Salutation is a gentle, flowing series of postures, the Modern-Day Sun Salutation is a more vigorous asana. This asana can be done in a shortened version or a slightly longer version, but both result in strength, flexibility and endurance. Like the Classical asana, the Modern-Day Sun Salutation offers the body increased circulation, an energizing workout, and a blessing to all major body systems.
If you want a little more of an aerobic workout, this asana can be repeated several times as it increases the heart rate. Perform the shortened version ten to twenty times for a great heart pumping, sweat inducing routine. Most generally, the shortened version is done two to four times and the longer version is done once to warm up the body for further asanas.
While some of the movement are done very quickly, there still needs to be a short pause in between them so that you can stretch or arch the body consciously. Even though your inhalations and exhalations will be coming more rapidly in this asana, it is important to keep them deep, rhythmic and thorough. Most of the positions in the Modern-day version will be the same or similar to the ones in the Classical Sun Salutation.
Bar Postures
Access to a bar is a prerequisite for bar postures, and they are a wonderful preparation for further asanas. The bar postures create flexibility throughout the entire spinal region, accelerate the entire body’s blood flow, and loosen up all the joints in the body. They are:
• Full body warmup
• Triangle preparation
• Leg stretch on bar
• Twisting leg stretch with the bar
• Hip opener with bar
• Side stretch with bar.