Eight-Angle Pose (Astavakrasana): How To Practice, Benefits And Precautions

Eight-Angle Pose: Modifications And Tips To Perform Astavakrasana

Fire up your body with an asana like never before. One such asana is the Astavakrasana, which is exceptionally challenging. However, it can be tremendously rewarding. It requires strength, balance, flexibility and confidence. Before trying this asana, ensuring you have a strong core and back is essential. To perfect this asana requires time, ranging from weeks to months. You have to prepare your body to be strong enough to take all the weight in a manner that does not cause any injuries. Therefore, it is better to take your time to first focus on practising asanas that add strength to your core and upper back.

Astavakrasana is a powerful upper-back strengthener which targets the upper body while focusing on arm strength. With a focus on building balance and stability, Meenakshi Mohanty, Fitness Expert shares a step-by-step guide to Astavakrasana.

1. Sit comfortably with your legs stretched out.
2. Bend your right leg from the knee and hold your right foot with your left hand.
3. Bring your right arm inside the right thigh.
4. Extend the right leg up while holding your right foot with left hand. Your right thigh must rest on your right arm's upper shoulder.
5. Place your palm firmly on the floor beside your right hip.
6. Hook your right arm with the right knee.
7. Press your palms on the floor and lift your hips and legs off the floor.
8. Hook the right ankle with the left ankle while bending your left knee. Extend both legs to the right.
9. Shift your weight and bend your arms at the elbows while keeping your shoulders square.
10. Breathe deeply and gaze ahead for 35 seconds.
11. Straighten your trunk and arms while bringing your legs forward to release the pose. Then, relax your ankles and return to the Dandasana pose.
12. Repeat on the other side.

There are several great reasons to include this asana into your yoga schedule. Some of them have already been at the beginning of this article. Others are-

1. One of the essential benefits of Astavakrasana is that it improves your arm strength. The training you to balance your body weight on your arms gives you bigger biceps and better functionality.
2. Astavakrasana helps you tone your abdomen. Since this asana doesn't require an elaborate setup, you can easily include it in-home workouts.

People who are suffering from any of these conditions must avoid doing this asana without consulting their doctor:

1. Carpal tunnel syndrome.
2. Pregnancy
3. Recent surgery
4. Cardiovascular diseases
5. High blood pressure
6. Vertigo

Some essential tips before this asana is tried are imperative. Like one cannot or should not directly try to do this challenging asana, some prior experience in yoga and other build-up asanas need to be known. It should be learnt from a proper trainer. This is essential to prevent injuries. A slow and steady route should be taken.