Yoga Pose:
Virasana
Important Note
Take special precautions while doing any asana. If you are learning yoga, then take the advice of a knowledgeable person. Do not put any kind of force in the event of pain or unable to do so. Keep in mind that you will be able to succeed only with constant practice.
Brief Introduction Of The Virasana
- Virasana is also referred to as the Hero Pose. In the Sanskrit language, Vira means Hero, while asana means Pose. It is rather pronounced as veer=AHS-anna. A conventional hero is one who fights to save the world. He safeguards his own and protects all who believe in him. He takes rest only after he has fully vanquished his army. In this asana, the yogic hero is expected to overcome his/her inner turmoil. The objective of the asana is to develop a calm mind. It helps the person to be free from all types of stress, tension and turmoil that people face in their day-to-day lives.
- This meditative pose is best practiced in the morning hours. If you lead a busy life, then you can also practice it during your free time in the evening. It is a basic level yoga asana that can be done easily and effortlessly by beginners. It belongs to the Hatha yoga style. Repetition is not required. It should be practiced for about 30-60 seconds. It helps strengthen your foot arches and stretches your ankles, thighs and knees.
How To Do The Virasana?
Steps to perform Virasana correctly
- First, kneel on the ground. Your heels should be placed right under your hips. Allow your hands to be kept on your knees.
- Bring closer your knees to one another. Do it in a manner such that the gap that exists between your feet widens automatically. It needs to be wide enough than that of your hip width.
- Next press firmly your feet top part on the ground.
- Lower gently your hips like sitting on a mat. Now, roll your calves away. Your hips in this position should be right between the heels.
- While getting into this pose, makes sure not to feel any twisting sharp sensation in the knee region.
- Allow your toes to point back and outwards. You need to safeguard your knees from unwanted injuries. To achieve this, drawn in your inner ankles.
- Pull your navel. Then extend the tailbone from your heads crown part to the ground.
- Be in this position for approximately thirty seconds and then release your hold. Be comfortable in this posture. This can also be a meditative pose.
Useful tips for beginners to follow when practicing Virasana
- Beginners may face some difficulty while trying to balance pressure of their feet top part when placing it on the ground!
- Your feets inner parts are likely to press harder on the ground instead of the outer parts.
- This can be avoided by pushing your palm base along your feets external edges.
- It should be done while pushing gently each foots little toe on the ground.
Advanced Virasana pose alteration
- You can further deepen the pose to derive its benefits. To achieve this use your palms to engulf your knees. Your arms are to be kept straight. Then pull your knees, but ensure that shoulder blades become firm against the back part. Now, lift your sternums top part and allow your chin area to fall on the chest.
- Be in this position for approximately twenty seconds and release your knees. Take back your heat to the neutral position, while continue your holding the lifted sternum.
Preparatory poses to practice before doing Virasana
- Balasana
- Baddha Konasana
Follow-up poses after practicing Virasana
- Bakasana
- Padmasana
Benefits Of The Virasana
Practicing this pose offers numerous health benefits, some of which are enumerated below:
- It strengthens your feet arches.
- It stretches your knees, thighs and ankles.
- It provides relief from menopause symptoms.
- It acts similar to a digestive, improving the overall process as well as providing relief to gas.
- It enhances blood circulation in your legs, thereby providing relief to tired legs.
- It also reduces swelling taking place in the legs, thus alleviating pain in this part of the body. Practicing this asana provides relief to women experiencing the 2nd-trimester stage of pregnancy.
- It cures flat fleet, asthma and high blood pressure.
- It improves body posture.
Precautions To Be Taken While Doing The Virasana
When practicing Virasana, keep in mind several points of caution to be on the safe side and avoid potential injuries.
- If you suffer from a painful knee injury, then avoid doing this asana. If you would like to go ahead with your practice, you can do so under the guidance of a yoga practitioner.
- While practicing this asana, if you suffer from a headache, then simply lie on the bolster.
- If you suffer from heart problems, then avoid doing this asana.
You can perform this asana even after having your food as being on empty stomach is not mandatory. However, if you precede or follow this asana with other poses, then you need to follow the rules. It will be then better to have your food minimum of 4-6 hours before starting your practice. Also, empty your bowels to make your body more flexible.
Conclusion
- While practicing Virasana, it is found that most yogis tend to fail their expansiveness sense. As a beginner, you may assume this asana to be incredibly simple. But the truth is that you need to have greater flexibility in your hip flexors, ankles and thighs. Also, your knees should have a deep fold. If you do not have the habit to sit on the ground, then your feet top part is likely to experience immense pressure. Moreover, your lower torso will compress, thus placing strain on your thighs. In this pose, very few people can be found to be sitting cheerfully, mostly experienced practitioners.
- You can derive lots of benefits by practicing this pose. But the steps practiced should be correct. Doing this asana provides a good stretch to your legs. It allows you to carry out simple daily activities such as cycling, walking and running. Moreover, your feet arches are provided with sufficient strength. It widens your sacrum and elongates your quadriceps. This is a must-do pose for those tied to desk jobs and is required to sit on their chair throughout the day. Often, their sacrum experiences congestion. Proper and better digestion can be promoted by doing this asana.
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