Develop your Whole Body with Sarvangapushti

Starting Posture of Sarvangapushti

(Ensure that you have done slightly warmup) On the mat (that should not be slippery), spread your feet as much you can (not exceeding your capacity). Form the fists with the thumbs tucked in. Your thumbs are not visible this way. This type of fists is usually preferred during yogic exercises (first position).

Exercise/ Technique of Sarvangapushti

1. Raise both the arms upwards behind the back of the head. Then with one wrist upon the other, bend towards the ankle of the  right leg (Second Position)

   

2. Now change the position of the wrsits and while inhaling through the nose, raise the arms backward (Third Position).

   

3. Describing a circle with the trunk and bring the arms down towards the left ankle (Fourth Position).

   

4. Again change the position of the wrists and while inhaling through the nose, raise the arms backward.
5. This forms one round.
6. Describing a circle with the trunk and bring the arms down towards the right ankle.
7. Repeat the 2nd Step.

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Precaution of Sarvangapushti

You should know the precautions of any exercise that has huge benefits before practising it. Sarvangpushti should not be performed during the following conditions:

• Back pain /lumbar spondylitis / cervical spondylitis. (As forward bending is not allowed during the back or cervical pain).
• Hernia (bending – backward and forward – can aggravate the issue)
• Past Surgical abdominal operation, one should consult physician (There is probability of some inury.)
• Any recent surgical operation (healing can be affected)
• Heart diseases/High Blood Pressure (Blood pressure can be raised during such exertion and can slightly load the cardiac capacity)
• Vertigo (forward bending is avoided during vertigo and hence, the sarvangapushti should not be done during vertigo)

This exercise  should be done very slowly. Never try to perfect the Sarvangapushti in the first instance. Perfection should come slowly. Go through the Basics of Asanas & Pranayama if you are beginner.

Extraordinary Benefits of Sarvangapushti

As the name sarvangapushti suggests by its meaning, ‘sarv’ means all, ‘ang’ means organs, Puṣṭi (पुष्टि, “prosperous, well-nourished”), this exercise is for whole body development and strengthens all parts of the body. It is similar to sarvangasana which is an inverted posture. In Sarvangasana, stagnant blood from the lower parts of the body, i.e. legs and abdomen is drained to the heart thereby improving the supply of fresh blood to these parts and the whole circulatory system. The methods in both of these exercises are differently helping the whole body. In sarvangapushti, the entire body is strengthened by musculo-skeletal spinal movements whereas in sarvangasana, it is the inversion that causes reverse flow of blood.

You must have observed in the above technique that during sarvangapushti, you move your spine through its full range of motion, both forward and backward.  This gives your spine a high level of flexibility, and when done correctly, also good control over your spinal structure. You can see that it inherits the advantage of Padahastasana, Trikonasana and Ardhchakrasana as well. This single exercise has all these extraordinary benefits.

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It is generally said that you are only old as your spine is flexible, i.e. the more flexible your spine is, the more you are young. So, the spinal cord is a column of nerves that connects our brain with the rest of the body. This is why keeping spine flexible is vital for healthy and active life and also important for optimum nervous system function. What else is needed, by practising sarvangapushti, you not only get the benefits out of the spinal flexibility, but also the following

1. The body becomes supple and strong with Sarvangapushti. Shoulders, Back and over all spinal flexibility is improved and stiff backs  are cured.
2. Mental Clarity as the blood flow is increased towards the brain nourishing its cells.
3. Improved Posture and balance
4. Helps in losing extra weight & Reduce excess fat around the waist.
5. Helps in digestive disorders as the abdominal organs are toned up by forward-cum-lateral bendings during this exercise.

Swami Dhirendra Brahmachari, author of Sukshama Vyayama had even mentioned that the tuberculous can derive great benefit from this exercise. Swamiji has put it under Sthula Vyayam. Sthula Vyayam are the five more strenuous exercises which helps in gaining over all control and development of the bigger muscular groups so that other kinds of more strenous exercises can be done. So, Sarvanga-pushti is not an asana; it is an exercise which is deemed to be availing equal benefits of sarvangasana.

In the beginning, you can do 5 rounds and slowly increasing the number of rounds every week. Before doing it, it would be better if you do warm up. This exercise must be followed by any kind of relaxation, preferably progressive muscular relaxation.

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