Asanaverse

Phase 2 · Standing, Without Speeding Up

Part of the 12 Week Yoga Program for Healthy Blood Pressure

35 Minute Yoga Sequence for Blood Pressure and Circulation

Weeks five to nine. Standing poses come in, held at a pace where the breath never speeds up.

This is the longest session in the program, and the one that adds standing work. The rule that runs through it is simple: if the breathing changes, the pose is too much. Standing poses here are held long and worked gently rather than pushed, which is how they appeared in the trials this is built on. The eight minute breathing block still comes first.

35 min · Level 1

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Wann hilfreich

For weeks five to nine, three times a week, with the ten minute session on the other days. Thirty-five minutes. A cushion, a wall and a blanket. This is an addition to your medical care and any blood pressure medication, not a replacement for either. Do not hold your breath at any point, and leave out full inversions such as headstand and shoulderstand.

Breath

Eight minutes of alternate nostril breathing, then a steady even breath maintained through everything that follows.

Physical effect

Standing poses for the legs and the whole body, at an effort level where you could still hold a conversation.

Pace

If your breathing speeds up or you find yourself holding it, come out. That is the only intensity gauge this program uses.

The breathing, first

Eight minutes seated. Longer than in phase one, because by now the rhythm comes easily.

SchneidersitzSukhasana
01
8 min

Schneidersitz

Alternate nostril breathing for six minutes, then two minutes of simply breathing in for five and out for five without the hands.

The last two minutes are the version you can do anywhere. That matters more than the technique.

Mehr über Sukhasana erfahren
StockposeDandasana
02
1 min

Stockpose

Sitting tall, legs long, ordinary breathing.

A pause before standing up.

Mehr über Dandasana erfahren

Standing, and unhurried

Six standing positions. Hold each one long and work it gently. If the breath changes, come out.

BerghaltungTadasana
03
1 min

Berghaltung

Feet hip width, standing tall, breathing evenly.

The reference position. Everything after this should feel like it, only with more going on.

Mehr über Tadasana erfahren
Berghaltung mit SeitbeugeParshva Tadasana
04
45 sec each side

Berghaltung mit Seitbeuge

One arm overhead, a gentle lean to the side.

Opens the ribs standing up, and costs nothing.

Mehr über Parshva Tadasana erfahren
Stehende VorbeugeUttanasana
05
1 min

Stehende Vorbeuge

Fold forward with soft knees, head heavy. Come up slowly, one vertebra at a time.

Coming up slowly matters. Standing up fast from a forward fold makes most people light headed, and that is worth avoiding here.

Mehr über Uttanasana erfahren
DreieckTrikonasana
06
45 sec each side

Dreieck

Triangle, hand on a block or the shin. Keep the breath even.

A long, wide, quiet pose. There is no version of this that needs to be strenuous.

Mehr über Trikonasana erfahren
Krieger 2Virabhadrasana II
07
45 sec each side

Krieger 2

Warrior II, front knee bent as far as it can go while the breathing stays the same.

The legs do real work here. The breathing is the gauge for how much.

Mehr über Virabhadrasana II erfahren
SeitwinkelUtthita Parsvakonasana
08
45 sec each side

Seitwinkel

Side Angle, forearm on the thigh rather than reaching for the floor.

The most demanding standing pose in the session, kept modest on purpose.

Mehr über Utthita Parsvakonasana erfahren

Down, and settle

Ten minutes on the floor to finish.

Hohe KobraBhujangasana
09
30 sec, twice

Hohe Kobra

Face down, low lift, breathing throughout.

Cobra was one of the two most common poses across the effective programmes in this research. Low is enough.

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SchulterbrückeSetu Bandha Sarvangasana
10
45 sec, twice

Schulterbrücke

On your back, hips lifting a little, breath even.

The last active thing in the session.

Mehr über Setu Bandha Sarvangasana erfahren
Das Siegel der UmkehrViparita Karani
11
4 min

Das Siegel der Umkehr

Legs up the wall.

Four minutes here after standing work is the best part of the session for most people.

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TotenstellungSavasana
12
5 min

Totenstellung

Flat, quiet, nothing to do.

Five minutes, every time.

Mehr über Savasana erfahren

Integration

Three times a week for weeks five to nine. If a standing pose makes you feel light headed or your ears pound, come down and rest, and leave that pose out next time.