Fit_Life_July_2017

TWEAK YOUR TECHNIQUE
GLE
FIND YOUR CENTRE WHILE
STRENGTHENING YOUR
ENTIRE LOWER BODY WITH
THE POWERFUL EAGLE POSE
EYE
Words: Lucy Miller-Fry; Photography: Gallo/GettyImages
While the eagle pose may look rather
intimidating at first, once you conquer it,
you’ll have the attention of all the yogis in
the room. Besides praise from your peers,
and a good opportunity for a few Insta
snaps, this pose loosens up your muscles
and increases blood flow – in just one
move. So while you wait for your dinner
to cook or for the washing machine to
finish its cycle, get into the eagle pose
and let your inner yogi shine.
How to do it
Standing with your feet together and
knees relaxed, shift your weight to your
left foot and lift your right foot up. Cross
your right thigh over your left and then
hook your right foot behind your lower
left calf.
While balancing on your left foot, inhale
as your stretch your arms out to your sides,
and exhale as you bring your arms back
together and cross them over each other
in front of your chest. With your right arm
below your left, bend your elbows and
raise your forearms so they’re perpendicular
to the ground. The palms of your hands
should be facing each other. Press your
palms together (as much as you can),
lift your elbows up and stretch your
fingers toward the ceiling, while drawing
your shoulder blades together.
Advantages
Practising this pose regularly helps
strengthen your entire lower body,
stretches your back, shoulders and
hips, and also improves your balance,
concentration and coordination. It
also opens up the sacral area at the
bottom of your spine, where many
people hold tension, allowing a freer
flow of energy in your lower body.
TRY THIS
If you find this
pose too hard,
place the foot
of your top leg
on the ground,
outside your
supporting foot.
FL says
Struggling to balance?
Practise near a wall for extra
support. Place your back
against the wall and lean
your torso into it while doing
the pose. If you have weak
knees, it is best not to overexert
them with the twisting
leg motion. Instead, do the
pose while seated in a chair,
keeping your back straight
and posture aligned, so less
pressure is placed on your
knee joints, but you’ll still
experience the benefits.
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