The Hero
- Focus: Arches
- Level: Beginner
- Total Time: 30 seconds plus
- Indications: indigestion, flatulence, menstrual pain
- Contraindications: ankle injury, knee injury
The Hero
Note:
The hero strengthens the arches of your feet while simultaneously stretching your legs and ankle. It is great for relieving menstrual pain, indigestion, and flatulence. Experts believe that the hero can help asthma and high blood pressure. If you experience heart problems or have a headache, you should avoid this one. If you have an ankle or knee injury, you should consult with an experienced instructor before taking on this pose.
Note: The safest way to perform the hero, especially at the beginning is by sitting on a yoga block. It enforces proper positioning of knees and thighs to avoid injury. You should feel no pain in your knees when you are in this pose. If you feel any pain at all, stop and add some height to your hip support.
The illustration above provides a modification for more experienced yogis.
Pose Instruction
- Lay a folded mat before you and place a yoga block on the ground in front of the mat. Stand on your knees in the middle of the mat with your ankles supported on its edge. Your knees should be hip-distance apart. Your feet will extend to either side of the yoga block on the ground, slightly wider than your hips. Inhale.
- As you exhale, slowly lower your hips between your heels and sit down onto the yoga block, resting your palms comfortably atop your upper thighs. If you experience any knee pain at all, stop and provide additional seating support, raising your hips to relieve the pressure on your knees.
- As you breathe in, double-check your feet; the pressure on the ground should come from the center of your feet, not from either inner or outer edges. Your inner heels should be touching your outer hips.
- Continue breathing and check that your thighs are parallel. Ensure that your sitting bones are even. Tilt your hips so that you are sitting atop your sitting bones. Let your tailbone reach down into the block. Let your back sustain its normal curvature.
- Let your arms rise into their sockets and use slight activation in your shoulder blades to expand the top of your chest. Align your head atop your spine and let your soft gaze be straight ahead and slightly below eye level.
- As you breathe in deeply, be aware of your breath filling your body and going deep down into your being. Exhale slowly, following your breath and letting it take with it all tension, stress, and anxiety.
- Beginners should stay in this position for 30 seconds at first. Over time you will be able to gradually extend your time in this pose to five minutes.
- To release this pose, lean forward, onto your hands and knees and straighten behind you first one leg, and then the other..
Disclaimer
In this article, I have shared The Hero : Yoga For The Back. The information included in this Blog is designed to provide helpful information on the subjects discussed.
This Blog is not meant to be used to diagnose or treat any medical condition. For diagnosis or treatment of any medical problem, consult your own doctor.
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