If you’re tired of sit-ups and plank pose, lolasana offers a good alternative for core strength right down to your hip flexors and involves the arms as well.
Lolasana is known as pendant pose because if you manage to get both your knees and feet off the floor (like this guy), your body resembles a pendant. It might seem easy, but it’s deceptively hard. So here’s a more friendly version that still gives you all the same strength benefits without the impossibility.
- Start kneeling and place your hands on the ground next to your thighs.
- Press down through your hands without locking your elbows.
- As you breathe out, think about pushing your upper back up towards the sky and then try to pull your knees to your belly.
- Try to keep your neck relaxed – find a neutral position for your head.
- See if you can hold this position while you take a couple of easy breaths. Then lower down and try again.
If you find this intense on your wrists, try placing your hands on blocks. Using blocks will also give you a little extra height to start with, making it easier to lift up from the floor. This video from Yoga International demonstrates how to use the blocks and gives some extra ideas for getting closer to those feet lifting off the ground.
