Dandasana

Staff Pose Seated pose

Key Benefits

• stretches the leg muscles, massages abdominal organs and strengthens the waist muscles

• tones the kidneys and trains one to sit straight with spine erect

How to get into Dandasana

1. Sit on blankets with your legs outstretched. Keep the legs and feet straight and together. Move the flesh out from under the sit bones and keep the sacrum moving into the body.  

2. Straighten the torso and the arms next to the body as you bring the hands next to the sit bones. Press into the blankets and look forward.

Key Point

1. Press the top center thighs down as you lift the kneecaps into the thighs and stretch the outer knee ligaments. Roll the thighs together and extend from the inner groins out to the inner ankles as you press the toe mounds away from the body.

2. Lengthen the torso towards the ceiling keeping it perpendicular to the ground and bring the shoulder blades together and spread the collarbones and lift the sternum.

Modifications:

• Sit on blankets to keep the tailbone and pelvic floor neutral and low back straight

• Sit on edge of a bench if hamstrings are too tight, and rest feet on the floor, keep the back straight