Sonal Chauhan got in a great workout in the New Year and she has the pics to prove it.
Photographs: Kind courtesy Sonal Chauhan/Instagram
Sonal Chauhan is dedicated to yoga and loves to show off her flexibility on Instagram.
The actor has the perfect form and she can bend herself into some super complex asanas -- from performing the complex chakrasana (wheel pose) to twisting her body into a karnapidasana (ear pressure pose), stretching into a shashankasana (rabbit pose) to attempting the ardha baddha padma padangusthasana (half lotus tip toe pose), she has attempted it all.
Not to mention anjaneyasana (crescent moon pose) and eka pada setu bandhasana (single leg bridge pose), which show her strong physique.
IMAGE: Sonal enjoys doing yoga and frequently posts her yoga pics on Instagram.
She is seen here doing anjaneyasana (crescent moon pose).
'Perform the anjaneyasana and honour the power of patience, harmony, focus and well-being,' she advices.
IMAGE: According to Sonal, 'chakrasana is especially beneficial for asthma patients.
'It reduces the stress and tension in the body, helps strengthen the back and increases the elasticity of the spine.'
Sonal also shared her tips on how to nail this complex pose.
To do it:
- Begin by lying down on your back.
- Fold your legs, placing your feet firmly on the floor.
- Reverse your palms and place them next to your ears or under your shoulders.
- Your fingers should be pointing forward.
- As you inhale, press your palms and feet into the ground for support, lift up your pelvis by straightening your arms and legs.
- Initially, you can place the top of your head down.
- Slowly, lift your entire body up to form an arch.
- Relax your neck by letting your head fall gently behind.
- Keep your weight equally distributed between your limbs.
IMAGE: Flexibility comes in many forms and this is just one of the many difficult poses that Sonal has mastered.
'Karnapidasana exerts pressure on the ear and is helpful in relieving all the conditions related to ears.
'Being an advanced form of halasana, it is also called raja halasana,' she writes.
IMAGE: Sonal is truly a goddess of yoga, isn't she?
IMAGE: That's her attempting shashankasana (the rabbit pose).
'It gives a good stretch to the upper body, including the spine and postural muscles, which releases pressure on the spinal nerves.
'It's easier than most inversions because you're not completely upside down and there is very little weight on the head.
'You can however receive many of the same benefits -- energisation and mental clarity to name a few -- because your head is below your heart.
'No matter where you're starting from, remember to focus on breathing during the entire yoga pose to gain maximum benefits.
'It is most appropriate and accessible to focus more on the exhales than on inhaling,' she says.