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Details on the Bow, the Half Bow and Half Bow Extension, for excellence, most benefits and safety. Including how to modified the poses for your own level of ability.
| Click here to go back to the Main Pages for the Bow, the Half Bow or the Half Bow Extension | | Here are more detailed instructions and tips for the Bow, Half Bow and Half Bow Extension | | We suggest that, before you study these details, you familiarize yourself with the basic instructions on our Main Pages for the Bow, Half Bow and Half Bow Extension. | - Master the basic movements of the Half Bow first. Then add the steps of the Half Bow Extension. When these feel comfortable for you, you are ready to move on to the Bow.
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| Start
You can start lying on your front with your chin to the side. However, it makes it more difficult to elongate your spine and can lead to the following safety problem: | Safety Tip Do not rest your chin to the side. This will put more pressure on your lower back. Also this will not allow you to elongate your spine as much before you begin. |  | Elongating Your Spine
Once you are in your starting position, take a moment to lengthen your spine - let your spine "grow" a little. This will give you better results, more flexibility, more benefits & less injury. |
| | Safety Tip Do not twist your ankle to hold on to your feet. If you can't manage this safely, then hold on to your ankle or your leg, or your pant leg or use a belt. |  |
| Safety Tips
Many people get very ambitious with this pose and push their bodies up too much. This will strain the lower back, is harder work for your shoulders than you might be ready for - and so is discouraging. If you're fighting the pose, try going a little lighter & try not aiming for so much extension so soon. Or go back to the Half Bow or the Half Bow Preparatory Pose to build up to this one more. |
| | It's important to protect your lower back and hips by doing a Pelvic Tilt first. To achieve this tilt, before you go into the pose, press your groin into the floor slightly. You'll feel the cheeks of your bum coming closer together and the lower part of your hips swiveling into the floor slightly. |  | Tips For the Rocking Movements - Start the rocking movements by breathing in and then, breathing out, lean forward, 'kicking up' with your knees.
- Keep your body well rounded and the rocking movement will start more easily.
- When you're rocking: To get the pumping action going, start a tug-of-war between your hands and your feet and work your abdominals. Feel the opposite action between your hands and feet, with your hands trying to come up-and-forward and your feet trying to come up-and-back.
Repeat 2 - 20 times - or as much as you like!
| Posture Excellence
To get the most out of these poses - once you're in the pose push your belly & chest toward the floor for a rounded, boat-like shape. If you've taken the time to elongate your spine first, this will be easier and you'll achieve better extension. |
| | Do These Postures 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 |
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