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ELEVATED BOW OPPOSITE ARM/LEG (eka pada dhanurasana) SHAPE PREP Come onto hands and knees with arms and thighs vertical to floor. Separate hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Separate fingers, point index fingers straight ahead. Separate knees, feet outer hip-width apart. Point feet. SHAPE POSE Lift right leg parallel to floor, bend knee, clasp inner or outer edge of right foot or ankle with left hand; st

SIDE PLANK or V SAGE PREP (vasisthasana prep) SHAPE PREP (from downward facing dog) Look at hands: check to make sure hands are slightly wider than shoulders, separate fingers, point index fingers straight ahead. Move feet back 2-3 inches. Come into a sideways plank, balancing on right hand and foot. SHAPE POSE Stack ankles; lift top arm vertical—close fingers (more doable: lower bottom knee or place top foot on floo

FOUR-LIMBED STAFF or LOW PLANK or PUSH-UP (chaturanga dandasana) SHAPE POSE (from plank pose) Bend elbows to a 90-degree angle—upper arms parallel to floor, shoulders as high as elbows (more doable: lower knees to floor or stay in plank). Do not point elbows out. Lift ribs up—do not collapse low back. Keep heels vertical; keep looking forward. SAFETY PREP Grip floor with fingertips—press inner edges of hands down. Ti

PLANK POSE (phalankasana) SHAPE PREP (from downward facing dog ankles together) Look at hands, check to make they are slightly wider than shoulders, fingers are separated, and index fingers are pointing straight ahead. SHAPE POSE Come into plank—top of a push-up position (more doable: lower knees to floor like in eight angle). Move heels vertical, directly above toe mounds; straighten legs, arms. Lift chin, look stra

M SAGE 3 (marichyasana 3) SHAPE PREP (from staff pose) Move hands back one foot or so. Bend left knee, bring heel in front of left hip, point knee up. Bring left ankle against right inner thigh. Slide hips forward, bring left heel to left hip. Move left leg to right—line up knees. Lift right arm up, curve low back in (more doable: sit up on block). Place right shoulder against outer left knee. Bend elbow. Look at fro

M SAGE 1 (marichyasana 1) SHAPE PREP (from staff pose) Move hands back one foot. Bend left knee, bring heel in front of left hip; point knee up. Bring left ankle against right inner thigh. Slide hips forward, bring left heel to left hip. Floint right foot (halfway between flex and point). Lift left arm up, curve low back in (more doable: sit up on block). Place left shoulder against inner left knee, bend elbow. Bring

REVOLVED M SAGE 1 CLASP WRIST (parivrtta marichyasana 1) SHAPE PREP (from staff pose) Move hands back one foot. Bend left knee, bring heel in front of left hip, point knee up. Bring left ankle against inner thigh. Slide hips forward, bring left heel to left hip. Lift left arm up, curve low back in (more doable: sit up on block). Place left shoulder or elbow against inner left knee. Bend elbow. Bring left thigh, left

FISH POSE or HALF LORD OF THE FISHES (ardha matsyendrasana 1) SHAPE PREP Come onto hands and knees. Turn right foot in so that big toe points at left foot. Step left foot forward, have a seat on inner edge of right foot—right hip to right heel, left hip to big toe mound (more doable: sit up on a block). Place left foot on floor outside right knee—toes flush with knee (more doable: ankle flush with knee). Lift right a

ARCHER’S POSE 2 (akarna dhanurasana 2) SHAPE PREP (from archer’s pose 1) Lean onto left hip, straighten right leg. SHAPE POSE Bring right calf and ear together (more doable: move right leg out to side, straighten arm and leg; more doable still: place left hand on floor outside hips—lean onto hand). Look forward (as in, look forward to coming out of this pose). SAFETY PREP Minimize rounding in low back. Tone quads, ti

ARCHER’S POSE 1 (akarna dhanurasana 1) SHAPE PREP (from staff pose) Lean forward, hold big toes with first two fingers, thumbs of each hand; straighten arms, legs. Keeping legs, arms straight, lift right foot as high as optimal (more doable: hold foot with both hands—shin parallel to floor). SHAPE POSE Bend right knee, move knee out, place sole of foot against ear; point right elbow back. Look straight ahead. SAFETY