Stretch your chest and open your heart as you strengthen your upper body with Upward Plank Pose…

Upward Plank Pose (Purvatanasana) (also called Front Stretching Pose or Inverse Plank or Reverse Plank Pose) is the counter pose to Pascimatanasana (Forward Seated Bend Pose), and it provides an amazing stretch for the front of the body. It also strengthens the muscles in the shoulders and back, helps balance the spinal support muscles, and opens the heart. When done correctly, this pose helps to stretch the psoas and strengthen the core as well.

While this is a fairly simple beginner pose, it can feel difficult to some people, especially if you have tightness in your chest and shoulder areas. Concentrate on lifting and opening the chest with each inhale to bring a feeling of lightness to the pose. If you feel any strain in the neck, or if it doesn’t feel safe to release the head backwards, you can keep the neck in line with the spine.

This quick tutorial demonstrates how to do this simple but beneficial pose: