7 Incredible Health Benefits of Utthan Pristhasana (Lizard Pose)

The Spiritual Power Of Chanting Gayatri Mantra (गायत्री मंत्र)

By Rishikul Yogshala

July 8, 2019

TheLizard Pose is a multifaceted exercise that stretches and strengthens the inner hamstrings and groin while setting up the body for a deeper hip opener. Make sure to focus on your breathing during this exercise. To get into more details, read below as to know its benefits, steps, and precautions. 

Utthan Pristhasana is a wonderful pose as it focuses on both your upper body as well as the lower body. This asana creates an incredibly balanced stretch for the outer and inner hip. While this can also help with relief from strain and prevent discomfort, exercise caution. It is a Surya Mudra, which symbolizes health, life, and refreshing cycle that can be seen and tied to the sun and its orbit. This mudra is uniquely useful for bringing rejuvenated energy into your practice, boosting metabolism, and relieving stress, which you may discover in your daily life.

Lizard Pose activates the second chakra that is Svadhisthana. This chakra is linked with confidence, survival instinct, creativity, and a feeling of generosity. Read on to uncover the benefits and much more to this asana.

 Steps To Perform Utthan Pristhasana

Step 1: Start with downward facing dog posture.

Step 2: On an exhalation, step your right foot forward to the outside edge of your right hand by resting your forearms on the mat on the left side of the right leg.

Step 3: Let the right knee be bent at 45 degrees angle and let the left leg be straight.

Step 4: Your head should remain straight without arching upwards or downwards. Let your spine be straight and don’t let your chest drop to the floor.

Step 5: Stay in the final position for around 30 – 60 seconds while breathing deeply.

Step 6: To unlock the position, bring the right foot back by coming back to the downward facing dog posture.

Step 7: This posture can also be practiced with the left foot forward.

Contraindications of Utthan Pristhasana

  • People who are suffering from any hips or knees injury should avoid this pose.
  • This posture requires balance on the shoulder and on the forearms, so the pressure at these two body areas is intense. Hence, it is not possible for people with a weak or dislocated shoulder.
  • The practice of this exercise creates intense stress on the lower back area, so people with lower back injury should avoid this asana.
Read More:  7 Excellent Health Benefits of Kapalbhati Pranayama 

7 Incredible Health Benefits of Utthan Pristhasana

  1. Tones Your Glute Muscles
    Glutes found at the buttocks are the muscles which get extended by a daily practice of this asana. This posture tones up your glute muscles by strengthening them and making them stronger. This muscle helps your body in walking, running, helps the body to stand upright, and in extended the thigh. Thus the overall toning happens with a good stretch from this exercise.
  2. Calms Your Mind and Controls Stress
    It gives you a deep stretch in the lower abdominal area by relaxing your stressed muscles. By focusing on the physical balance of the body, it creates awareness to the mind as well as the body. The intense breathing also brings a rush of energy in your blood while regenerating the blood cells, which eventually leads to the refreshment of the mind.
  3. Tones Up The Shoulder and Chest
    The balance of the body in this posture leads to toning up the muscles of your upper body as well because the main focus is on the shoulder and chest muscles. It also helps in strengthening your chest and shoulder muscles by making them strong, which will eventually cut down the excessive fat in the area. The deltoid muscles located in the shoulder becomes strong as these muscles help in shaping the shoulder and give assistance in bearing with heavy loads. It also helps in preventing the joint dislocation which you can get while carrying any heavyweight.
  4. Improves Flexibility By Relaxing The Hip Muscles
    The lizard pose requires a full stretch of your hip muscles, which leads to flexibility of the hips. The flexibility helps in improving the balance, which helps in removing the tightness and stiffness in the hip muscles.
  5. Reduces Extra Belly Fat
    The deep stretch of this pose makes your abdominal muscles tighter. The longer you hold, the more effective it would be. This posture tightens up your core muscles, which leads to toning up your belly by reducing the excessive fat around the lower abdomen.
  6. Excellent Pose for a Sportsperson
    This pose is best suited for sportspersons as it tones the entire legs by making the quadriceps and hamstrings muscle tight and strong. The strength of the legs plays a vital role in the life of a sportsperson, especially those, who are involved in running, soccer, and in a much more sports-related activity. It is also a good asana for swimmers as it makes strengthens your shoulder and chest muscles by making them stronger and steadier.

The daily practice of this asana will help you in leading a healthy and happy life.

Namaste!!!

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