Try ardha malasana or extended leg squat to stretch your hips and thighs

The asana also stretches your pelvis and strengthens your legs while improving your balance and stability.

Tania Tarafdar | Updated: March 24, 2017 6:44 pm

Are you looking for that one yoga pose to tone your hips and thighs? Try ardha malasana or the extended leg squat. According to yoga expert, Sunaina Rekhi this is an excellent yoga pose for strengthening your psoas muscle which is vital for a strong core, a good posture and overall good health. Also, try these yoga asanas to loosen up tight hamstrings.

Benefits of the asana: The pressure that you feel on your lower body while performing this asana makes you stronger. This yoga pose also helps keep your hip joints and pelvic healthy. The asana also stretches your pelvis and strengthens your legs while improving your balance and stability. Plus, it improves your metabolism and aids in digestion.

Steps to perform:

Stand while keeping your feet together and as you inhale join your palms.
Slowly exhale and bring the palms near your heart.
Inhale and move your right feet apart. As you exhale, bend your knees and slowly go down. While your left knee is fully bent, make sure that you shift all your weight on your right foot.
Keep your right leg straight and hold this position for 4-5 breaths.
You can ease out of the stretch by slowly coming back up.
As you inhale, bring your feet together and get back to the starting position. Then repeat on the left side
You can start by performing three sets of this asana and then gradually increase it to five.

Beginner’s tip: If you have trouble balancing in this pose, you can always try using blocks and balance yourself by placing your left hand on the floor instead of keeping your palms joined near your chest. Here are common yoga mistakes beginners must avoid.

A word of caution:

Avoid this pose if you have a knee or foot injury.
Also, do not perform the pose if you are pregnant.
Do not try to get into the pose while you are menstruating.

Image source: xuanlan_yoga/Instagram

Read this in Hindi.

Published: March 16, 2017 3:23 pm | Updated:March 24, 2017 6:44 pm

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