Staff pose

Staff pose is also known as dandasana.



It teaches you to sit with correct posture. Practicing this regularly will make your hips and pelvis more flexible and strengthen the lower back. Your upper body should be erect but relaxed while the lower portion should be grounded. You can sit on a blanket to prevent the stiffening of the hips as well as preventing the rounding of lower back and alignment of spine.



You can use the wall for supporting the back if you have back problems or find it difficult to hold the pose.

How it is to be done – Sitting.

Suitable for – Everybody.

Steps - Actual procedure for that asana.

1.



Sit on the floor with back straight and legs extended out in front of you. Your legs and feet should be hip width apart and parallel.

2. Press the sitting bones in the floor and point the crown of your head to the ceiling to lengthen and straighten the spine.

3. Flexing your feet, press out through your heels.

4. Keep your palms on the floor adjacent to your hips for supporting your spine and relaxing your shoulders down. Keep your torso straight but relaxed.

5. Ground your lower half firmly to the floor by relaxing the legs.

6. Remain in this pose for 20 to 30 seconds.

Modification to the exercise: Stretch the upper body in this pose, alter the pose as follows: interlacing the fingers, stretch out your arms forward, parallel to the floor. The palms should face away from you with thumbs in downward direction. Now inhale and raise the arms upward till they reach slightly behind the ears. Shoulders should be relaxed. This helps in opening up the chest and stretches the front of the abdomen.

Benefits to body parts - Teaches you to sit correctly. Increases the flexibility of the hips and pelvis. Improves the posture of lower back