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

Pavanmuktasana

3.1.3

Pavanmuktasana

The name comes from the Sanskrit pavana meaning wind and mukta meaning free or released, so Pavanmuktasana is the wind-releasing (wind-removing) asana — it literally helps expel trapped gas from the digestive tract. It is a supine asana, and for obesity it is useful because excess abdominal fat crowds the digestive organs and causes sluggish digestion, bloating and constipation; this pose massages the abdomen and colon to counter exactly those problems.

Figure 3Pavanmuktasana (wind-releasing pose): a person lies on the back and draws the bent knees onto the abdomen, holding the shins with the hands and lifting the head toward the knees.
Fig. 3 — Pavanmuktasana (wind-releasing pose): a person lies on the back and draws the bent knees onto the abdomen, holding the shins with the hands and lifting the head toward the knees.

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

Side view of the wind-releasing pose: the person lies on the back, both knees bent and drawn in against the abdomen and held there by the clasped hands, with the head lifted so th …

Procedure

  1. Lie on the back, stretching the legs out straight.
  2. Bend the right knee and hold it with the hands, pressing it towards the abdomen. Breathe out while lifting the head, and try to touch the knee with the chin.
  3. Breathe in and stretch the leg straight again.
  4. Repeat, pressing the abdomen with the left leg.
  5. Then press the abdomen with both legs together, placing the chin between the knees. From this position, swing the body back and forth 5 to 10 times, and then from side to side 5 to 10 times.

Breathing awareness: breathe normally throughout the asana, drawing the knee in on the exhalation (which relaxes the abdomen and lets the thigh press in more deeply), and staying aware of the coordination of the movement.

Benefits

Pavanmuktasana directly addresses the digestive complications of obesity:

  • Stretches the neck and the back.
  • The abdominal muscles are stretched and the internal organs are compressed, which increases blood circulation and stimulates the nerves, raising the efficiency of the internal organs.
  • The pressure on the abdomen releases any trapped gas in the large intestine.
  • Improves the digestive system.
  • Relieves constipation.
  • Strengthens the lower-back muscles and loosens the spinal vertebrae. …
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