#MondayMotivation: Alia Bhatt nails the backbend with a yoga wheel

The gym may be closed, or you might not be as comfortable heading to the gym due to the pandemic — but that doesn’t mean you can’t work out at home! It is being done by many celebrities, including Bollywood favourite, Alia Bhatt. Her latest Instagram post shows her performing a yoga pose with a yoga wheel.

This isn’t the first time that Bhatt has given us a sneak peek into her fitness routine. In fact, she always keeps her fans posted about her fitness secrets. Although she is busy prepping up for big-ticket films like Gangubai Kathiyawadi or the RRR with SS Rajamouli, she has consistently been taking care of her fitness routine. 

Recently, she took to her Instagram to share her Monday yoga session. Here’s what the post says, “Progress over perfection? #happymonday.” For the session, Bhatt chose to wear grey leggings with a tank top. 

Let’s know all about the yoga pose performed by Bhatt

Bhatt shared a photo of herself performing a yoga pose, which is also called the full camel pose aka paripurna ustrasana. The term paripurna ustrasana comes from the following Sanskrit terms – “paripurna” meaning complete or full, and “ustra” meaning camel. 

This asana simply stretches the thorax, abdomen, inguinal region, and thighs. It’s a chest opening pose, which helps increase lung volume and strengthens the thorax. Not just that, it is a pure backbend pose which also stretches your spine. It’s important to learn the right technique to perform this backbend with a yoga wheel, just like Bhatt. 

Here’s how to perform a full camel pose with a yoga wheel:

1. Massage your spine with a yoga wheel first.
2. Move to the hero pose now. Sit tall. Your shins must be to the outside of the thighs, and femurs parallel to one another. 
3. Align your knees to the hips and point the soles of the feet upwards. 
4. From here, wiggle the wheel underneath the low to mid-back. Keep your arms as they are or reach your hands back to hold the wheel. 
5. If your flexibility is deep, you may even be able to reach to hold the ankles. If you are feeling any pinching in the lower back, ease off of the grip and stay in the supported hero pose instead. 
6. After a reasonable length of time here, bring the hands to the shins as you slowly push your way up and out of the pose.
7. Stay in this posture for a couple of breaths. Breathe out and slowly come back to the initial pose. 
8. After these deep backbends, be sure to close the practice with the child’s pose, and a reclined spinal twist before making your way into savasana.

Ready to perform the pose?