Reclining Hero Pose (Sanskrit: Supta Vīrāsana / सुप्टा विरसाना)
Once you’ve mastered Virasana, the next obvious step would be to master Supta Virasana (Supta Vīrāsana) which is practiced by reclining on the floor while maintaining the Virasana position. This pose gives us a deep quad stretch and at the same time, it stretches our thighs, hamstrings, and knees. ‘Supta’ means reclining or lying down in Sanskrit and ‘Vira’ means hero. This pose is also known as Saddle Pose or Fixed Firm Pose.
Instructions for Doing the Reclining Hero Pose
- Start by getting into the final position of Virasana by sitting on your heels or sitting on the floor by spreading your thighs a little and sitting in between your heels. Place your palms on your thighs.
- With an exhalation, lie down on your back by resting your elbows one at a time on the floor.
- Slowly extend your hands towards your shins (one hand at a time), relieving the pressure off your elbows.
- First, rest the crown of your head gently on the floor and then rest the back of your head followed by your spine.
- Now take your arm over your head and stretch them straight while gazing at a point on the ceiling.
- Hold this position for about 30 to 120 seconds, breathing slightly deeper than normal, without any jerks.
- To release the pose, place your arms in line with your torso and press down your elbows to sit up again in the Virasana position.
Benefits of Doing Supta Virasana
- This asana stretches the entire front side of your body, stimulating your chest, abdomen, pelvic region, thighs, and knees.
- It also improves your digestion and helps relieve the symptoms of menstrual pain and sciatica.
- Supta Virasana expands your chest completely, increasing your lung capacity. This helps you fight ailments like asthma and other respiratory issues.
- This pose is also beneficial for curing fertility issues, high BP, varicose veins, and arthritis.
Precautions
- Do not practice this pose if you have a serious neck, back, knee, or ankle injury.
- Pregnant women should avoid this pose completely as it puts a lot of pressure on the abdominal area.
- If your hips do not touch the floor (if you are sitting in between your knees), put a folded blanket underneath your hips.