Dhanura: Bow
Asana: Pose
Purna Dhanurasana at a Glance
Purna Dhanurasana, or the full Bow pose, is an advanced, deep backbend yoga asana in Hatha yoga, which is graceful and a unity of strength and willpower. The final posture looks like a fully stretched bow, offering a complete body health package so-called Purna Dhanurasana because the body takes the shape of a bow during the posture.
Benefits:
- It strengthens and tones the upper body, back, and lower back. which improves flexibility.
- This helps to open the chest and improves the flexibility of your back and shoulders.
- It massages and tones your abdominal muscles.
- It helps to strengthen your legs and arm muscles.
- It enhances your mental and physical strength.
Who can do it?
This is an advanced and deep back bend so only advanced and intermediate yoga practitioners can do this pose. Individuals with good flexibility and good core strength can do this pose. Sportspersons and dancers can practice, Purna Dhanurasana pose.
Who should not do it?
People having any injury to their back, ankle, knee, or neck should avoid doing the full Dhanurasana. For any abdominal issues should avoid doing this asana. People with carpal tunnel syndrome should avoid doing it. Pregnant women should avoid doing the full bow pose yoga. Beginners should avoid doing this pose until they develop their flexibility.
How to Do Purna Dhanurasana?
Follow the Step-by-Step Procedure
Before getting into this pose, equip your body with warmups and the necessary preparatory poses so that your joints and muscles can support you.
- Lie down flat on your stomach on a yoga mat or any soft surface, and do the preparatory poses, like the Cobra pose and locust pose.
- Be in the prone position, with your forehead on the mat, your arms at your side your body palm facing up and keep your legs straight.
- Relax and take a few breaths, then fold your knees and keep a gap between your knees (hip distance), your heels pointing to your buttocks, and bring your feet to your lower back.
- Breathe in and bring both your arms back, to reach your ankles and catch your ankle or the big toe, keeping a firm grip. Deep inhale and lift your head, and chest slowly away from the mat upwards, simultaneously lift your legs away from your buttocks (upwards), and see that your knees and thighs slowly leave the mat with an exhale.
- Exhale and bring your feet closer to your head and your elbows will point up to the sky.
- In the final position keep breathing gaze forward and hold this pose for a few breaths with comfort.
- Slowly release your legs bring your upper body to the ground and come to the prone position.
- Relax in eh child’s pose with a few breaths and cool down your body and mind.
What are the Benefits of Purna Dhanurasana?
- A full bow pose helps to stretch your back, and neck and strengthen your back and shoulders.
- It strengthens your arms and thigh muscles.
- It also improves your blood circulation.
- This pose activates the Solar Plexus chakra, giving good pressure to your abdominal muscles.
- It improves spinal health and also helps the hip flexors to be more flexible.
- It improves your concentration and confidence level.
Health Conditions that Might Benefit from Purna Dhanurasana
- It helps to correct your hunch from your upper back and improves posture, keeping your spine healthy.
- Tones adrenal glands and balances the selections. Massages the kidneys.
- It stimulates your abdominal organs, which helps in proper digestion.
- This pose can help to keep your blood sugar level in check.
- this pose helps to reduce excess body fat.
- This deep stretch of the internal and external organs keeps your stress and anxiety away.
- Regular practice can help to enhance lung capacity.
Safety and Precautions
- People having High Blood pressure, severe back pain migraine, or abdominal surgery should avoid it.
- Do it on an empty stomach.
- Do the warmup and the preparatory poses followed by the follow-up poses.
- Do it within your physical limits.
Common Mistakes
- Avoid holding your breath.
- Use props if needed.
- Focus on engaging your core to avoid back pain.
- Don’t rush into or get out of the pose.
- Follow the physical alignment principles.
- Do it under the guidance of the yoga teacher.
Tips for Purna Dhanurasana
- Respect and listen to your body.
- Start with a half-bow pose and slowly progress.
- Breathe throughout the pose.
- Keep your core and thigh muscles engaged.
- Don’t hold your ankle too tight.
Physical Alignment Principles for Purna Dhanurasana
- Your navel, hips, and pubic bone should be pressed toward the ground.
- Keep your thighs and torso engaged while lifting off the mat.
- Knees are bent and in line with your hips.
- Open your chest, lift, and forward.
- Gaze forward and neck in line with the spine.
- Elbows point upward while holding your ankle or toes.
- Bring your shoulder blades toward each other.
- Crown of your head reaching up to the sky.
- Push back with your feet and pull with your hands equally.
- Bring your foot toward your head.
- A deep bend is formed.
Purna Dhanurasana and Breath
Breath is very important to form this deep backbend pose. Inhale deeply, while you start the pose and exhale when you have to deepen your back bend. Inhale and bend your knees hold the toes or the ankle and Breath out. Then inhale deeply and lift your upper body, inhale open your chest and shoulders keep breathing throughout the pose, and feel the stretch and the grace of the pose. Exhale return to the starting position and relax with gentle breaths.
Purna Dhanurasana and Variations
- Ardha Dhanurasana.
- Use props like the strap to hold your foot and place cushions under your thighs.
- Ardha Dhanurasana with one leg.
- Bow pose on the side.
- Shooting Dhanurasana.
The Bottom Line
This advanced, backbend pose can be done with good flexibility and strength, but you can modify and go for easy or difficult variations according to your level. Follow the alignment procedures and keep breathing throughout the pose can be comfortable, and stable. Do it consistently and progress slowly to get the final pose. If you are a beginner, start under the trained yoga teacher and in case of any medical concern, consult your healthcare provider before starting this asana. This helps to focus and improves your self-awareness, and concentration, and reduces your stress and tension.
Take Your Practice to Next Level
To deepen your practice of restorative poses like Purna Dhanurasana join our 50-Hour Yin Yoga Course. This course is all about deep stretching and relaxation techniques to relieve tension and improve flexibility. For complete yoga education our 200-Hour Online YTT will cover various poses and practices. Or start with our 14-Day Free Trial to try out our courses. Join us to improve flexibility, relax and balance in body and mind.
