To keep the joints of the body healthy and to give strength and flexibility to the ligaments and keep them disease-free, practice the following exercises regularly:
Sit in Dhandasan position:
Method:
All asanas that are done sitting down are started from the position of Dandasan. Keep both feet together stretched out in front. The palms of both hands should be touching the ground firmly on both sides of the waist. Fingers should be pointing backwards. Keep waist and hands straight and do as directed below.
- For your toes:
Bend the toes of both the feet forward with force. In the same way, also bend them backwards. Keep the heels stable. Do this 8-10 times. - For heels and the entire leg:
Press the entire feet along with the heels forward and backward. While pressing forward and backward, the heel will rub against the floor. This exercise is very helpful for sciatica pain as well as for the knees. - For the feet:
Keep both feet at a distance. First rotate the right foot in a circular motion in one direction. Repeat this for 5-7 times. The do the same thing in the opposite direction. Now repeat the whole exercise with the left foot. After that do it with both feet together at the same time. - For knees and hips: (a) Bend your right leg and place it on the left thigh. Hold the right feet with the left hand and hold the right knee with the right hand. Now putting your right hand below the right knee, lift the knee so that it touches the chest. In the same way, do it in the opposite direction too by placing the left leg on the right thigh. In the end, holding both feet with the hands, make the knees touch the floor and then lift them up.
(b) Titli Asan (Butterfly): Bend both legs at the knee, join both feet together at the soles and bring them to near the joint of the thighs. Now move your knees up and down like the wings of a butterfly for 2 minutes. This is very beneficial for giving strength to the hips and to reduce the fat accumulated there. This will also help while doing Padmasan.
- For the knees:
(a) Keep both legs straight and keep hands on the waist. Do Akunchan and Prasaran kriyas by tightening and releasing the knee heads. After this join interlock the fingers of the hands and from below the knees,hold the thighs. Now bring the legs towards your hips and while doing a cycling motion,trace out a circle resembling the number ‘0’ in front. Now do it in the opposite direction (that is, if you did it lockwise, now do anti-clockwise). (b) Stand straight. Press both heels and both knees together. Keeping both hands on the knees, first rotate towards the right and then towards the left in a circular motion. Repeat this exercise for 5-7 times. This is good for the knees. - For the stomach and waist:
(a) Grinding: Interlock the fingers of both hands and keep them on top of the legs in front. Now rotate the hands from right to left in such a way that the waist bends forward and the hands touch the toes while moving in a circular motion. When the hands come to the thighs, bend the waist backwards. Keep the legs straight and steady. Now repeat this from the other direction. (b) Spread your legs a bit open in front. Keep both hands at shoulder level in front of you. Touch the left toe with the right hand and rotate the left hand straight backward like a mountain. Also rotate the neck towards the left and look backwards. In the same way, repeat it from the other direction. These two exercises give relief in lower backache and the stomach too becomes healthy. At the same time it also reduces fat accumulation at the waist. However, if someone is suffering from severe backache, he or she should not do these exercises. - For the back:
With each hand hold the other hand’s wrist and take it upwards behind the head. Inhaling, with the right hand pull the left hand towards the right behind the head. Keep head and neck still. Exhaling take the hands up. In the same way, do it in the opposite direction. - For fingers of the hand:
(a) Spread both hands below you, keeping the shoulders straight. Then fold the joints of the fingers with force and then s t r a i g h t e n . (b) Then make tight fists enclosing the thumb and then gradually release. Do this for 10-12 times. - For the whole arm and for cervical spondolytis and frozen shoulders:
Keep both hands straight in front of you at the same level with the shoulders and make fists enclosing the thumb. Now move the fists in a circular motion in both directions. Elbows should remain straight. - For the elbows:
(a) Keep both arms in front of you with the palms upwards. Now touch your shoulders by bending your elbows. Slowly straighten once again.
(b) Then keep your arms straight at shoulder level on both sides with palms up. Now touch your shoulders from the sides by bending your elbows. - For heart, cervical and shoulder pain:
(a) Fold both hands and touch the shoulders. Elbows should be in front at shoulder level. Now join both elbows in front of the chest and with circular motion, trace out a big zero. Do this in the opposite direction too. (b) Make fists with both hands and hold them near your chest in such a way so that the lower part of the fingers touch each other. Now, inhaling, straighten the arms in front of you. Keep in mind the fingers are in touch with each other and not separated. After the arms are straight in front of you, exhale and bring the arms close to your chest again. In this way, repeat a number of times. - For the neck:
(a) Sitting straight, rotate your neck towards the right, touching the right shoulder. In the same way, touch the left shoulder. Now bend the neck forward and touch the chest with the chin. Now slowly bend backwards according to the best of your ability. Next rotate your neck in a circular movement in both directions alternatively. (b) Hold your right hand against the right side of your head over the ear and push. Push your hand too with your head. Pressing the hand with the head and head with the hand makes the neck tremble. After doing this for 4- 5 times, repeat on left side. (c) After this, interlock the fingers of the hand and hold them behind the head. Now press your head with the fingers and press the fingers with the head. While doing this the head and neck remains straight. This pushing in opposite direction will only bring about a tremble which will help in blood circulation in the neck and keep it healthy. - For the eyes:
Move the pupils of the eyes first up and down and then left and right. Then move in a circle, left to right.
