Home»Yoga»YogaPoses»ParsvaDhanurasana(SideBowPose):HowtoDo&ItsBenefitsMeaningPrecautions&ContraindicationsHowtoDoModificationsParsvaDhanurasanaBenefitsImageSource:[email protected]Parsvadhanurasanaisaback-bendingstretchingpose.Itisperformedinaproneposition.Basicallyit’savariantofbowposeinwhichthebodyisrolledtosidewardstoincreasesthespreadthestretchingeffect.Thechallengesinvolvedintheasanamakesitanintermediatelevelpose.ParsvadhanurasanaisalsoknownbyitsEnglishname,sidebowpose,orflankbowpose.Itinvolvesstretchingofthespineandabdominalmuscles.Apartfromthis,itbenefitsfeet,ankles,chest,knees,andquadriceps.MeaningandInterpretationInSanskrit,‘Parsva’meanssideorflank,‘dhanu’refersto‘bow,and‘asana’means‘pose.’Itisnamedsoaswhileperformingtheasanathebodyresemblestheshapeofabow;abowplacedontheground.Boththefeetareheldbythehandsgeneratingtwocomplementarymotionsinthebody.Itinvolvestheforwardmovementintheshoulderandbackwardpushinthelegs.Thesetwooppositeforcescreateaspacewithinthelumbarregionoftheback.Itisavariantofdhanurasanawithaslightdifferenceofleaningthebodyovertotheside.Itisperformedside-wise,thereforeitdeeplystretcheseachsideindividually.SideBowPosePracticeGuideFollowtheguidebelowtoperformthesidebowpose;ContraindicationsAvoidparsvadhanurasanaincaseofpregnancy,heartdiseases,neck,orlowerbackinjury.Ifyouhaveamigrainethenskipperformingthisasana.Neverperformitifyouaresufferingfromahernia.PreparatoryposesCobrapose(Bhujangasana)Bridgepose(SetuBandhaSarvangasana)RecliningHeroPose(SuptaVirasana)HowtoDoParsvaDhanurasanaLieinthepronepositiononthemat.Bringyourheadupandbendyourkneesprojectingthetoestowardsyourhead.Inhaleandholdyourankleswithyourhands.Liftthethighsoffthefloorandtrytopullyourarmsandliftthelegsasmuchaspossible.Inhaleandrollyourshouldersforward.Exhaleandbringyourrightshouldertowardsthefloor.SqueezethekneetogetherandkeeptheneckalignedwiththespineKeepyourgazetowardsyournoseandbeinbowposeonthesides.Stayintheposefor5breaths.Exhaleandrollontoyourstomachanddiveintotheleftside.Perfor