Level 2 - 3 Difficulty.  A great way to strengthen and loosen your quads and your upper body, this pose is a good substitute for the Bow.   It's good for swimmers, runners and other athletes.  

We recommend that you learn the movements of the Half Bow before adding these extra steps that make it the Half Bow Extension.

Start by doing the Half Bow Preparatory Pose, once on each side. Now add a second and third repetition. Bring your foot up to your hip and hold on to it, as before. This time press your groin into the floor. (This will shift your hips into a Pelvic Tilt which will protect your lower back. Now tug the foot up and away from your body. Hold for 2- 6 breaths, feeling your body relaxing and stretching more and more each time you breathe out. Or stretch until you've reached your limit, then stay there and hold for one extra breath.

Feel the opposite action between your hand and your foot. Your foot is trying to pull up and away from your head. Your hand is trying to pull up and toward your head. (Your arm stays straight.) This will produce a bowing motion in your back.

You Will Feel This In Your thigh, lower back, upper back, upper arm and shoulders. Release Lower your leg and arm to the floor. Relax. Switch Sides.

Safety Tip If you feel pressure in your lower back, you've lifted up too far. Ease off. In time, by doing this pose and others that build up to it, your body will build enough strength and flexibility in your back to increase your extension farther and farther. Don't worry if you don't feel this in all the muscle groups mentioned in the instructions. This pose will eventually work your thigh, lower back, upper back, upper arm and shoulders. If you don't feel it in all those places, this means that one muscle group is way behind the others in strength or flexibility. As this muslce group improves, you will start to feel the others working.

Breathing

Breathing for the first three rounds is the same as the Half Bow . When you get to this fourth round:

Breathe in Bringing your foot up to your body and holding on to your foot Breathe out Pulling your foot up and away from your body. Hold for 2 - 5 breaths or to your limit plus one breath Breathe in Breathe out lowering your foot and arm to the floor.

Do This Posture at:

Red Level Do the steps and enjoy a good stretch Orange Level Do each pose using the Orange Level procedure. OR for a simpler Orange Level routine: Pay close attention to breathing in and out at the right time when doing each posture. Yellow Level Match movements with the breath For each step of going into and out of the pose: Start the movement and the breath at the same time Pace them together End the movement and breath at the same time