Posture: | The Noble or Powerful Pose - Ugra-asana | |
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Translation: | The Sanskrit word ugra means powerful, mighty, strong or noble. We usually keep this posture untranslated but it can be called the noble or powerful posture. | |
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | oo-grah-sa-na |
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Alternate Name: | Also known as the pascimottana-asana or the brahmacharya-asana. The word pascima can mean behind, later, last or final but it literally means "western" as in the direction. Pascimottana thus means back-stretching posture. | |
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Difficulty: | ![]() | (4) |
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"Having stretched the feet on the ground, like a stick, and having grasped the toes of both feet with both hands, when one sits with the forehead resting on the thighs, it is called Pascimo-tana-asana" (or ugra-asana). This Pascimo-tana carries air from the front to the back part of the body. It kindles gastric fire, reduces obesity and cures all diseases of men."![]() |
Instructions:
Comments: When the ugra-asana is properly performed, all the vertabrae of the spine and each muscle in the back is stretched. This type of stretching is highly beneficial. Try it regularly for a week and you will, without doubt, notice the benefits.
The compression or contraction of the stomach followed by the release increases blood flow to the abdominal region and tones the muscles. Gas is release and sluggish digestion and/or constipation is improved. The muscles in the calves and thighs get a good stretching, helping to relieve fatigue and soreness in the lower extremities.
Variations:
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