Purvottanasana

aka: Upward Plank Pose

Exercise: Start In Staff pose with your hands back from your hips with fingers pointing forward. Inhale and press your feet down while you lift your hips off the floor. Keep your arms straight and look forward.

Physical Benefit: Strengthens the arms, wrists and legs.

Mental Benefit: Improves concentration.

Step Into the Pose

Sit in Dandasana (Staff Pose) with your hands several inches behind your hips and your fingers pointing forward. Bend your knees and place your feet on the floor, big toes turned inward, heels at least a foot away from your buttocks.

Exhale, press your inner feet and hands down against the floor, and lift your hips until you come into a reverse tabletop position, torso and thighs approximately parallel to the floor, shins and arms approximately perpendicular.

Without losing the height of your hips, straighten your legs one at a time. Lift your hips still higher without hardening your buttocks. Press your shoulder blades against your back torso to support the lift of your chest.

Without compressing the back of your neck, slowly drop your head back.

Hold for 30 seconds, then sit back down in Dandasana with an exhale.