Supta Virasana Improves Digestion, Relieves Tired Legs, Strengthens the Arches

Even the healthiest among us spend most of our lives sitting at a desk, in a car, or another forward-facing seated position. Literally or figuratively, we narrow our attention to the tiny display directly in front of us before standing up and bearing the world’s weight.

As a result, we start to distance ourselves from our inner world of feelings and emotions by circling our front body around the area of our hearts.

Our back bodies are overworked and strained, our shoulders are chronically tight and frequently slightly rounded, hips and legs are tight, and necks are slightly ahead of our spines.

However, the silver lining to this cloud is that we have Supta Virasana as a remedy for the stress and separation brought on by our way of life.

The hero pose, or virasana, is designed to exemplify bravery and bravery. By doing this, we “reset” our automatic forward rounding and allow our courage to take us into the starkly exposed area of complete openness.The emotions that arise from opening our front body in this way can be very strong and physically difficult.

Supta Virasana can also awaken emotions and sensations that have been repressed or “locked down” by rounding the upper back and protective tension in the shoulders because of extreme front body opening.

You develop a willingness to be present with yourself on all levels by letting the body let go of every sensation.

You can start to counteract your daily onslaught of stress and strain with an experience of expansion and release if you approach Supta Virasana with an openness to what arises, compassion, and sensitivity.

Doing this will gradually but surely widen your heart and give you more room for your breath to support you.

Steps for Supta Virasana

• Sit on, or between, your heels to begin in Virasana, also known as the Hero Pose.
• Place your hands on the mat from behind you.
• Firmly press the inner ankles in and press the tops of the feet into the mat.
• If it still feels comfortable for your knees and lower back, bend the elbows and slowly lean the body back as you exhale, lowering onto the forearms and then your upper back.
• Instead of the muscle’s attachment points at your knees, you should feel a stretch in the quadriceps muscle’s midsection.
• You can put your hands on your belly if your back is on the mat, bring your arms out to the sides, or bring them alongside your ears.
• Hold this position for ten breaths.
• Try to exit the pose mindfully, just as you entered it. As you inhale, contract the abdominal muscles and press your hands or elbows into the floor to lift yourself back up into Virasana.

BENEFITS OF RECLINING HERO POSE:

1. Promotes Digestion and Can Be Used After Meals

   This one is one of the few poses that can be done right after eating and aids in energizing the digestive system.

2. Benefits Liver and Kidney

   The pancreas, liver, spleen, and kidneys are all directly impacted by Supta Virasana.

   It’s important to practice this pose for at least 20 minutes each day to maintain the health of these vital organs, which aid in the digestion of the food we eat daily.

3. Makes Your Legs Stronger

   This position is advantageous because it strengthens the muscles in your legs, which support you when you walk, run, or engage in strenuous activities. Supta Virasana can also be used as a follow-up to other yoga poses like Bhujangasana (cobra position), as they both greatly strengthen the upper body, particularly the shoulders and neck region, and the lower body as well.

4. Stretches Important Muscles

   This position aids in stretching the important abdominal, hamstring, and front thigh muscles. Additionally, it stretches the Quadratus lumborum (QL), a power located just below the rib cage on either side, and the psoas major, a hip flexor that originates from the lumbar spine, so these two anatomical structures are also stretched in Supta Virasana pose.

5. 5. Treats Digestive Conditions

Supta Virasana will stretch out your intestines, which results in better functioning gut flora bacteria processing food more efficiently through its natural processes without causing any issues like diarrhea, etc. This yoga posture can help eliminate digestive problems like constipation or indigestion.

6. Helps with sciatica

   Deep in your glutes and in charge of sending pain down your leg, the piriformis muscle can be stretched with the aid of Supta Virasana pose.

7. 7. Lowers Levels of Stress

The fact that this pose relaxes both the body and the mind contributes to its ability to lower stress levels. Supta Virasana can be very beneficial for calming you down and promoting better nighttime sleep after a stressful day at work.

8. 8. Improves Overall Well-being:

Heal’s acid reflux, diarrhea, arthritis, high blood pressure, flat feet, infertility, insomnia, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

In addition to these advantages, Supta Virasana is renowned for treating several medical conditions, including insomnia, infertility, headaches, flat feet, acidity, vomiting, etc. This pose has a lot of health benefits if it is practiced consistently and with dedication

9. 9. Reduces Period Pain

By relaxing the muscles in the pelvic floor and abdomen, this posture is also very beneficial for reducing menstrual pain.

10. 10. Soothes achy legs

You can get rid of the fatigue by standing or walking all day by performing Supta Virasana. This pose can be performed immediately following other yoga asanas like Bhujangasana (cobra position). They will both greatly strengthen the upper body, particularly the shoulders and neck region, and the lower body.

Supta Virasana stretches the quadratus lumborum (QL), a muscle just below the rib cage on either side and the psoas major, a hip flexor that arises from the lumbar spine.

11. 11. It has healing qualities

As a restorative pose, Supta Virasana has a very calming effect on our body and mind. You will feel renewed and refreshed after performing this pose.

CONTRAINDICATIONS OF RECLINING HERO POSE:

• Stay away from this pose if you have knee or ankle pain or an injury.
• Keep a folded blanket or a block between your feet if your buttocks are not touching the ground.
• If the student’s quadriceps are tight, they won’t be able to recline, so lean on a bolster to prevent overarching the lower back.
• Props are recommended for this asana to allow for deeper relaxation and prevent complications.

FAQ

1. 1. What are the beginners’ advice on Reclining Hero Pose?

Try one of two temporary fixes if your thighs continue to slide apart in this position:

Either squeeze a 2- to 3-inch thick book between your thighs or bind your thighs together with a strap placed around the mid-thighs.

In either scenario, raise your inner groins into your pelvis sharply.

2. 2. Can I take partner’s help to practice this pose?

You can practice this pose with a partner to help you get a feel for how the top thighs should move. Her hands should be placed on your top thighs, which you can cushion with a folded sticky mat, as you stand with your hands at your sides.

Then she should turn your thighs inside out, rolling the inner thighs down toward the floor. Let your partner know if you want more or less pressure applied to your thighs.

3. What are the variations for Reclining Hero Pose?

1. Start with Supta Ardha Virasana (are-dah = half), a halfway variation of Supta Virasana, before moving on.
2. Draw only your right leg back into Virasana to sit in Ardha Virasana.
3. You can straighten your left leg by pushing through the heel while keeping your left knee bent and foot flat on the floor.
4. Following all the warnings, recline, as previously described, onto a support or the floor.
5. Repeat with the left leg back after exiting the pose as directed for Virasana.