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Benefits * stretches the chest, neck, spine, and hips
* strengthens back muscles, buttocks, and hamstrings
* calms the brain and central nervous system
* helps alleviate stress and mild depression
* massages abdominal organs and improves digestion
* stimulates lungs and thyroid
* helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
* reduces anxiety, backache, headache, and insomnia
Contraindications/ Cautions * neck injury. Avoid this posture if you have neck injury
* caution for late term pregnancy
* knee injury
Step by Step Setu Bandhasana (SET-too BAHN-dahs-anna)
setu = dam or bridge
bandha = lock
1. Lie supine on the floor. Bend the knees and place your feet flat on the ground. Position your heels hip width apart directly under the knees. Press the palms down into the floor beside the hips. Position the chin lightly away from the sternum so the neck has natural curve and lift off the ground.
2. As you exhale, contract abdominal muscles and move the tailbone under toward the pubic bone. Feel how the pelvic tilt has flatten the lower back into ground and raised the low end of the hips off the ground. Maintain this pelvic tilt. Inhale and slowly lift the hips and lower back off the floor. Keep pressing into the inner edge of the feet to keep the knees and legs parallel. Continue to comfortably lift the middle and upper back until you lift the hips to the height of the knees.
3. Maintain the pelvic tilt to prevent placing a forceful arch into the lower back. Prevent the bottom front ribs from flying upwards. Roll the shoulders under rising onto the back of the shoulders. Press the shoulder blades firmly into the back as the arms root down. Ensure that the neck is not being forced into the ground. Avoid pulling the shoulders down from the ears as this forces and overstretches the neck. Maintain the natural curve and space under the neck. Gently move the pubis toward the navel.
4. Hold the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute breathing slow and fully into the belly. To exit, exhale and move the shoulder out from underneath as you slowly lower the spine starting from the upper back down through to the hips. Once the hips are resting on the ground, hug the knees into the chest and rock side to side.
Modifications/Cautions
* For beginners, only lift the hips, lower back and some of the middle back so the pose lifts only half way. Lift the torso high enough that the spine creates a straight line from the shoulders to the knees.
* For a deeper version, lift the heels as you press into the balls of the feet. Move the balls of the feet back under the knees and ground into the inside toe mounts to keep the knees and legs parallel.
* For a deeper chest opener, after the shoulders roll under the back, interlace fingers and clasp hands. Stretch the arms long and press the entire arm and wrist into the mat. Avoid the arms and shoulders from pulling down from the ears. Keep a natural curve and space under the neck.
