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Physical Education · Ch 3 — Yoga as Preventive Measure for Lifestyle Disease

Dhanurasana

3.1.8

Dhanurasana

The name comes from the Sanskrit dhanura meaning bow — in the final position the body resembles a drawn bow, the straight arms forming the string and the curved torso and legs the arc. It is a prone back-bend, and for obesity it is prescribed because lifting the chest and thighs together rests the whole body on the abdomen, creating a deep compression that massages the digestive organs and helps remove excess fat.

Figure 8Dhanurasana (bow pose): a person lies face down, holds both ankles with the hands, and lifts the head, chest and thighs so the body curves like a drawn bow.
Fig. 8 — Dhanurasana (bow pose): a person lies face down, holds both ankles with the hands, and lifts the head, chest and thighs so the body curves like a drawn bow.

Drawn by us to help you understand the concept clearly, and verified to make sure it's accurate. For exams, practice from your NCERT textbook's own diagram.

Side view of the bow pose: the person lies on the stomach, reaches back to hold both ankles, and lifts the head, chest and thighs off the floor so that the arms form the bowstring and the curved to …

Procedure

  1. Take a prone position, legs together and hands straight by the sides of the thighs, chin resting on the ground.
  2. Fold the legs at the knees and bring them towards the thighs; the knees should stay together.
  3. Bring the hands backward and hold the toes of each leg with the thumb and forefinger of the respective hand.
  4. Raise the legs up a little and at the same time raise the head and chest.
  5. Holding the toes, pull the legs towards the ears and bring the toes near the ears, gazing in front.
  6. To return, loosen the hands, take the legs back, let the thighs touch the ground, release the toes, and finally bring the legs and hands back to the first position.

Breathing awareness: inhale deeply in the starting position; retain the breath while coming into the final position and breathe slowly and deeply there; exhale while returning.

Watch out

Lift smoothly with controlled muscular effort — do not jerk the legs up using momentum, as this can strain the lower back.

Benefits

For obesity, Dhanurasana reduces fat and improves digestion and spinal strength:

  • Makes the spine and the back muscles flexible and removes nervous weakness.
  • Cures constipation and removes excess fat. …
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