Benefits: Strengthens quads, knees; stretches hips, hamstrings, calves
Helps: Anxiety, headache, insomnia, menstrual cramps, depression, soundness of mind

  1. Stand up straight with your big toes touching in mountain pose (tadasana). Bring your hands to prayer position in front of your chest.
  2. Then inhale and lift your chest, arms, and gaze up. As you exhale, fold forward from your hips, keeping your spine straight. (Tip: Stack your hips directly over your ankles by leaning a bit more forward than feels right – the tendency in this pose is for the hips to be behind the ankles. Lengthening your legs straight up from your heels to your sit bones will give you a better release in your hamstrings.)
  3. Bring your palms to the floor if possible, lining your fingers up with your toes. (Modifications: If your hamstrings are tight and your back rounds as you come forward, separate your feet or bend your knees a bit and then try to come down with a straight back. If you can’t reach the floor, you can clasp opposite hand to opposite elbow, take hold of your calves, or stay on your fingertips.)
  4. Inhale as you come up onto your fingertips, lift your chest, lengthen the front of your spine, and gaze slightly forward. Then exhale as you place your palms back on the floor and lower your chest back toward your thighs and head toward your knees. Hold for three to five breaths.
  5. Inhale, come onto your fingertips, lift your chest, and gaze forward. Then place your hands on your hips and return to mountain pose, keeping your spine straight as you come up. Bring your hands to prayer position.

Tip: Bending your knees deeply can release tension from the crown of the head all the way to the lower back and legs.