How to Stretch to Be Able to Pull Your Foot to Your Head

The pose where you pull your foot to your head is called lord of the dance pose, or Natarajasana. To master this pose, you need to open your chest, shoulder, leg and abdominal muscles. An excellent pose to prepare your body for Natarajasana is camel pose, or Ustrasana. Ustrasana will stretch your abdominals, quadriceps, chest, shoulders and hip flexors. Practicing camel pose repeatedly will open and stretch your body, getting it ready for the extremely challenging yet extraordinarily invigorating lord of the dance pose.

Things You'll Need

  • Yoga mat
  • Wall
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Instructions

    • 1
      Camel pose is an excellent stretch to prepare your body for Natarajasana.

      Place your mat perpendicular to the wall. Face the wall and come to your knees. Place your knees an inch or 2 away from the wall.

    • 2

      Bring your hands to your sacrum or low back area with your fingers pointing toward the floor and your thumbs pointing out away from each other. Gently push your low back down as you push your hips into the wall and look up.

    • 3

      Lift your chest toward the ceiling as you lower your right hand to your ankle. Grab the inside of your ankle with your right hand, fingers facing in and thumb pointing out. Lower your left hand and grab your left ankle.

    • 4

      Lift your sternum to the ceiling to open your chest. Push your hips to the wall. Lengthen the back of your neck.

    • 5

      Hold camel pose for at least six long and deep breaths. Inhale deeply and exhale slowly. Deepen your stretch by driving your hips forward, lifting your sternum higher and lengthening the back of your neck.

    • 6

      Inhale and contract your abdominals to lift you back onto your knees. Support your low back with your hands.

    • 7

      Repeat Ustrasana at least three times before you move onto Natarajasana. Each time you repeat Ustrasana, stretch a little farther.