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Yoga poses to tone your hips and thighs

The yogic pelvic-strengthening poses are tough even at the beginner's level. Yet, they are complete poses that help with a host of problems. They also work on the shape of the body powerfully and therefore must not be neglected.

Most of the hip toners in this column are variations of the same pose, called the Kandharasana or the shoulder pose.

Various yoga schools have various names for it, including setubandhasana (or the bridge lock pose). From the basic to the advanced variation of this pose, the main therapeutic impact of this lies in the powerful lock at the chin, which manipulates and massages the thyroid and the parathyroid, involved with metabolism and tissue health.

The spine is also pushed up all along, from the neck to the tailbone, inviting great flexibility throughout. The advanced variations shown here challenge the hands and the wrists, making them extremely strong. The thrust at the hip also services the entire abdomen, making the digestive tract respond with greater efficiency.

On the aesthetics front, these poses shape the hips, thighs and legs, toning them like no other if you learn to hold each pose for long duration, from half minute upwards.

Here Shameem Akthar, yoga acharya trained with the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, Trivandrum, shows you five yogic hip toners.

For more of Shameem's yoga writings visit http://jaisivananda.blogspot.com. Follow Shameem's yoga products on her online shop Yogatique on Rediff Shopping here.

Disclaimer: This column just shares the columnist's passion for yoga, which is ideally learned under the guidance of an expert.

Setubandhasana (Bridge lock pose)

Lie on your back and fold legs at the knees. Keep feet flat, close to the hips.

Stretch arms to hold your ankles as shown in the picture. If that is not possible, then place hands flat on the ground as close to your ankles as possible. Inhale and exhale.

Inhaling, raise your hips up ensuring your chin is firmly locked between the collarbones. Hold for a count of five to ten initially.

Exhale, dropping hips gently back to ground. Repeat thrice. Later you may do once, but for longer, over half minute or so.

Benefits: This pose helps you tone the back of the legs, from the hips to the calves powerfully. It is therapeutic for lower backache. Helps deal with diabetes, blood pressure and hypothyroidism. Improves immunity.

Kandharasana (Shoulder pose)

Lie down on your back. Fold legs at knees. Keep feet flat near hips. Stretch arms and place your palms flat on ground as show in the picture. Inhale. Exhale.

While inhaling, thrust the hips up. Hold for five to ten counts. Exhale while dropping hips back to ground. Repeat thrice. Later increase duration after few weeks of practice.

Benefits: This pose helps you tone the back of the legs, from the hips to the calves powerfully. It is therapeutic for lower backache. Helps deal with diabetes, blood pressure and hypothyroidism. Improves immunity

Setubandhasana (Bridge lock pose), Variation 2

Lie down on your back. Bend legs at knees. Keep feet flat on the ground close to the hips. Inhale and exhale once.

Inhaling raise hips up, then gently place hands under your lower back to hold it up, as shown in the posture. Thumb should point up, with other four fingers below the back. This is important.

Try not to take the weight on the wrists. Hold for a count of five. Exhale. Drop down hips back gently. Do thrice.

Caution: Avoid if having weak wrists.  This pose can be very tough on the wrists and therefore, care must be taken to keep the hips up rather than pass the weight on to the wrists.

Benefits: Builds stamina and brings more flexibility all over the body. Improves breathing, as do all the other variations mentioned in this column.

Setubandhasana (Bridge lock pose), Variation 3

Attempt this pose only after mastering the earlier three. To do this variation repeat steps as in the previous pose. Then inhale and lift your right leg. Exhale; drop it back. Repeat for left leg. This is one round. You may do a few rounds.

Avoid if you have weak wrists.

Benefits: Builds stamina and brings more flexibility all over the body. Improves breathing, as do all the other variations mentioned in this column.

Setubandhasana (Bridge lock pose), Variation 4

This pose may be tried only by regular and advanced practitioners of yoga.

Do as in Setubandhasana (Bridge lock pose), Variation 2, following all the steps as indicated. Hold the hips up firmly with hands. Now, taking one step a time, slowly move your feet ahead as much as you can, shifting the weight to the arms as you do so.

This pose may take several weeks to master. Hold for as long as is comfortable, breathing normally. Exhale, dropping hips back to ground. Rest in the corpse pose or shavasana to complete the sequence.

Avoid if you have weak wrists.

Benefits: One of the most powerful poses to improve stamina and mental determination. Powers the wrists. Tones the spine. Makes entire body flexible and makes the back and legs shapely.