Practise Cat Style Yoga & Canoe Style Yoga Exercise
Edited by AliRaza, Eulalee, Charmed, Eng and 1 other
This asana evolved from studying the movements of cats as they stretch after a nap or interrupt a walk to give their legs an energizing flex. When mastering this movement, it helps to think of the way a cat would move. This asana is a great way to wake up your entire body and boost its circulation. Follow the instructions in this article.
Cat Style Method 1
- 1Kneel on all fours with your hands at shoulder width apart and your knees at the same distance apart.
- 2Take a deep breath and, as you exhale, move your chin down to your chest so that you are looking towards your abdomen.Keep your arms straight throughout the exercise, if you can.
- 3Your spine should now be stretched into a very gentle C shape.Arch your back, making your shoulder round and keeping your buttocks down.
- 4Your spine should now form a shallow, inverted C shape.As you inhale, hollow your back into a concave position and lift your head, curving your neck and shoulders upwards.
- 5Think slow languorous cat, not bucking bronco, throughout the movement.Repeat these two positions five or ten times, concentrating on creating a slow, fluid movement.
Cat Style Method 2
- 1From the starting position of the cat, take a deep breath, exhale and arch your back.
- 2This time, however, bring your right knee towards your forehead.
- 3As you inhale, hollow your back, as before, with your head curved up and push your right leg back and up as far as you can go.Bring your forehead down to meet the right knee.
- 4Do not kick your leg back.
- 5Return to the starting position and repeat the movement with the left leg.
- 6Repeat these steps three or four times on each leg or until you feel tired.
- 7This is a very vigorous exercise and will require quite a lot of physical strength to keep the movement fluid and controlled.
Canoe-Style Yoga Method
This is a good exercise to tone the abdominal muscles and the spine.
- 1Lie on your front with your arms stretched out in front of you, your legs stretched out behind you with the backs of the feet making contact with the floor, and your chin resting on the floor.
2
Keep your hands and feet about shoulder width apart
. 3
Take a deep breath and, as you inhale, lift your right leg and your left arm and stretch them
. 4
Allow your head to move upwards but not so far as to stretch your neck
. 5
Try to keep your left hip and right shoulder in contact with the floor
. 6
As you exhale, slowly lower your arm and leg to the floor
. 7
Inhale and do the same movement with the left leg and right arm
. 8
For the full canoe, take a deep, deep breath and lift both arms and legs, keeping them straight as before
. If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.
