parsva (side) + urdhva (upright) + hasta (hand) + asana (pose)
Upward Salute Side Bend (certainly not as poetic as our Standing Half Moon), is a lateral bend that´s a "must" addition to your yoga practice. Why? Because as we always say, side bends aren't a natural movement in our day-to-day life, & are so very necessary for increasing spinal flexibility, lengthening & strengthening the entire midsection, hips, & thigh muscles, & also for improving our balance. It´s also a delicious posture for those of us who sit all day. This Beginner-friendly asymmetrical pose appears simple enough: stand in Mountain Pose & stretch to the side with raised arms, hands in prayer, but yogis nonetheless need a lot of core strength & balance. Prepare for Parsva Urdhva Hastasana with Mountain Pose, Palm Tree Pose, & perhaps Goddess Pose, & then afterwards, spend some time in Standing Backbend Pose & Standing Forward Fold. For those who want to make this more accessible, sit (in a chair or in Easy Pose) while expressing the pose, & for those who want to "up" their moon, clasp your right wrist with your left hand, & then stretch to the left (& vice versa). This posture prepares us for more challenging balancing poses (those which demand lower body strength & an upper-body side stretch) like Extended Side Angle Pose. However you choose to call the pose or express it, your whole body will thank you.
Benefits:
stretches the entire side body
strengthens the core, legs, ankles, & feet
lengthens the spine, increasing agility & flexibility
releases tightness in the shoulders, back, & hips
stretches the side muscles of the rib cage, helping to improve breathing
activates internal organs, such as the liver, spleen, gall bladder, lungs, & intestines
improves digestion
helps to correct bad posture
energizes, de-stresses, relaxes through Breath-Body Awareness.
Remember: no hunching! - your shoulders should be away from your ears. If it's difficult to balance with your feet together, you can stand with your feet hip-distance apart, & then gradually step your feet closer together as you gain balance in the pose. If it´s appropriate for your neck, you can look up during the expression of this pose; if not, keep your eyes forward.
Props: hold onto a yoga strap or scarf if you have strength or balance issues, or you can try the pose sitting in a chair. If this pose is at all too challenging for you, try Palm Tree Pose instead.
Avoid or modify Upward Salute Side Bend if you
have severe arthritis in the hips, knee joints, &/or ankles
have sustained injuries to the hip joints, ankles, & shoulders
have had spine, hip, knee, &/or ankle surgery
lack Breath-Body Awareness.
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