Chest Opening Stretches To Practice Daily
3 Chest Opening Yoga Stretches & Its Benefits By Pooja Doshi
1. Cobra pose (Bhujangasana)
Lie on your stomach facing the floor. Stretch your legs back, with the top of the toes on the floor. Spread your hands on the floor under your shoulders. Squeeze your elbows back into your body. Make sure you tighten your core into the floor. On inhalation, slowly start straightening the arms to lift the chest off the floor to the point where you can maintain a connection with your core. Make sure the tailbone is in towards the naval and tighten the hip muscles. At this point, the shoulder blades should be firm against the back.
Hold this posture for 10 to 20 seconds, breathing comfortably then slowly release the pose with an exhalation and relax.
Benefits:
1. Strengthens the spine
2. Stretches chest and lungs, shoulders, and abdomen
3. Firms the buttocks
4. Stimulates abdominal organs
5. Helps relieve stress and fatigue
6. Opens the heart and lungs
7. Soothes sciatica
8. Therapeutic for asthma
9. Traditional texts say that Bhujangasana increases body heat, destroys disease, and awakens kundalini.
2. Bow pose (Dhanurasana)
Lie on your belly with your hands alongside your torso, with your palms facing up. (You can lie on a blanket to pad the front of your torso and legs.) Bend your knees which are hip-width apart, bringing your heels as close as you can to your buttocks and hold of your ankles.
Inhale and strongly lift your chest and head up, holding your ankles, lifting your thighs and pulling your ankles away from your buttocks. Make sure your shoulder blades are pressed firmly against the back as you open your chest. Look ahead and make sure your shoulders are away from your ears and be comfortable in the posture.
Keep breathing and try to hold this posture for 20 to 30 seconds. As you exhale, release the posture and lie on your stomach for a few seconds. Follow up with a child’s pose to relax your spine.
Helps with:
1. Constipation
2. Respiratory ailments
3. Mild backache
4. Fatigue
5. Anxiety
6. Menstrual discomfort
Benefits:
1. Stretches the entire front of the body, ankles, thighs and groins, abdomen and chest, and throat, and deep hip flexors (psoas)
2. Strengthens the back muscles
3. Improves posture
4. Stimulates the organs of the abdomen and neck
3. Camel Pose: (Ustrasana)
Sit on your knees hip-width apart making sure your back is straight, tucking your buttocks into your torso. Make sure your feet are tucked firmly into the floor, sitting in a comfortable posture. Position your palms on top of your buttocks, fingers pointing down. At this point, use the pressure on your palms to push your tailbone forward very gently. Make sure your shoulder blades are pushed in towards your back. As you inhale, slowly lean back and reach your hands to your ankle (if possible) then slowly dropping your head back giving your neck a stretch. If you cannot touch your feet, then tuck your toes under and lift your heels to a comfortable posture. Make sure you don’t strain your neck and be comfortable in the posture.
Try to stay in this posture between 30 seconds to a minute. Inhale and release the posture gently making sure your hands are at the hip points, tuck the chin in and slowly come back. Take a child’s pose for a few breaths after this posture.
Benefits:
1. Helps with respiratory ailments
2. Relieves mild backache
3. Relieves fatigue
4. Helps with anxiety
5. Relieves menstrual discomfort
Pooja Doshi – Yoga Practitioner
Chest opening stretches with Pooja