Poses >> Lolasana

Lolasana – Pendant Pose

  • Strengthens the wrists, hands, arms and muscles of the back
  • Tones the abdomen
  • Opens the heart and lungs

1) Begin on hands and knees with your legs together and the tops of the feet flat on the floor. Place your right shin over your left and cross your shins just above the ankles. Pressing your knees toward one another, allow your feet to turn out as you slowly sit back on your heels. Taking the weight onto your feet, lift your right knee vertically up away from the floor a few inches. Rest your hand on your knees and settle into the lower body, bringing your breath into the lower legs and ankles in preparation for the full pose. Patiently visualize softening shins at the cross of the legs.
2) Place your hands on the floor beside your legs, about halfway between the knee and ankle. Exhale and press down into the hands, extending the arms fully and slowly lifting your knees and buttocks up, away from the floor. Keeping the weight on the tops of the feet and hands, lift to your maximum and slowly lean forward to contract the abdomen. Strengthen the triceps and hold the contraction in belly for several breaths. Work here to strengthen the pose.
3) Finally, if you feel ready to lift, strengthen the arms, deepen the pull of the navel toward the spine, tuck the heels up toward the buttocks and draw the knees higher. Allow the back of the body to spread and round as the feet lift, lightly swing the legs to and fro like an earring or pendant. If your feet drag on the ground, place a blanket on the floor beneath you and slide it back and forth with your feet as you swing.

Video and Text by Yogamates Featured Teacher: Daniel Stewart