Stretch your shoulders, abdominal muscles, neck, back, hip flexors, quadriceps, and even ankles and feet with Fallen Dancer Pose!

Fallen Dancer Pose (Supta Natarajasana II) is an intermediate-to-advanced-level yoga pose that offers a deep stretch for the entire front body.  It also strengthens the muscles of the back (lower back), gluteus (buttocks), core, psoas (hip flexors), pelvic floor muscles, quadriceps and hamstrings. This unique backbend pose is also thought to activate and stimulate the abdominal organs, including the abdominal organs such as stomach, liver,  and intestines, and improve digestion and detoxification. It is also believed to help increase focus, concentration, self-confidence, and body awareness, and boost physical and mental energy.

This back bend is performed from a prone position, creating a more challenging stretch that requires flexibility in the shoulders and hips, plus a strong core and hamstrings. This is a good pose to help intermediate students prepare for more challenging yoga back bends.

Be sure to keep your breath relaxed throughout the pose, and focus on the core muscles to help maintain balance. If you are not able to hold onto the foot, you may loop a yoga strap around the raised foot and hold the ends of the strap instead.

Those with injuries or recent surgery to the knees, shoulders, elbows, wrists, ankles, neck, spine, hips, rib cage, or internal abdominal organs, or those with a hernia, a thyroid imbalance, or who are pregnant should avoid this pose. Due to the energizing nature of the pose, it should not be performed before bedtime.

How to Do Fallen Dancer Pose:

1. Lie on your stomach with your upper body propped up on your forearms in Sphinx Pose.
2. Bend one leg, and reach back to grasp the raised foot, raising the knee off the floor.
3. Using the toes of your straight leg, work to rock your torso forward, bringing your face towards the floor.
4. Reach back with your other hand to hold onto the raised foot with both hands. (You can also wrap a strap around the foot and hold this with your hands.)
5. Breathe slowly and focus on maintaining balance in the pose.
6. After several deep breaths, allow your body to slowly rock back so that your hips are resting on the floor.
7. Release the foot and repeat on the other side.

Learn more about this pose at Tummee.com…