Supta Virasana (soup-tah veer-AHS-anna)
supta = lying down, reclining
vira = man, hero, chief

Eka pada=one leg

Supta Virasana & Eka Pada Supta virasana Sometimes known as Supta Ardha Virasana (are-dah = half).

Eka Pada Supta Virasana (Diagram) Along with Hero pose is a preparatory posture for Supta Virasana

This simple stretch can bring freedom and relief by stretching the psoas and related muscle group it is one of my favorites and has done wonders for my injured knee.To begin, sit down on the floor with your legs outstreched in front of you. Take a breath and soften inside. Start the pose with an attitude of present awareness, accepting your body and yourself in this moment, as you are. Let go of whatever you've been doing too much of, and bring yourself more fully into the moment. Now, bend your right knee and draw your shin and foot to the outside of your right thigh. Make sure the top of your right foot is on the floor, toenails clicking down on the floor. Bring the left foot on the floor next to the right knee. At this point, as you look down your body, your thighs and knees should be parallel with the right knee and the left foot a little less than hip-width apart. Hug your legs gently towards each other courageously and keep your mind present with your body as you move further into the asana.Now, for the first variation of this pose, place your hands about a foot behind you, fingers facing forward, shoulder-width apart. In this position, arch your lower back slightly to find your sitbones on the floor and your pelvic floor soft and open. Now slowly lift your hips and buttocks off the floor until your chest, belly and right thigh are in one plane. This will most likely begin to stretch your right thigh considerably. Again, while you keep your legs slightly active, let your mind and face relax -- acceptance. To deepen further, keep your knees drawing towards each other as you extend your sacrum and tailbone towards the back of the right knee. At the same time, draw your lower abdomen just above the pubic bone up and in towards the chest. Pull energy up from your hands to your shoulders, spinning the shoulder blades into the back to lift the heart with focus and courage. Allow your head to rest back on the pad of your upper shoulders. Finally, to support your neck, draw your lower palette (just below the chin) in towards your shoulders, slightly lengthening your neck towards the back of the head. Stay in this position for nine to 13 breaths, breathing slow and deep. Gently raise back up, raising the head last by lengthening the back of the head and neck and drawing the lower palette in. Straighten out the legs, and then repeat on the other side. Keep your attention focused on the strength of the legs while you open and release the inner body's holding.

For the second, more advanced variation of eka pada supta virasana, start in the same way as before, hugging your legs towards each other on the floor. Now slowly lower yourself down onto your elbows. Keep your sacrum and tailbone lengthening towards the back of the right knee as you come down. If your breath is still relaxed and your face without tension, continue to lower yourself down until you are lying on your back on the floor. If you right knee starts to come up off the floor, this is a signal to raise back up on your forearms and work the asana from there. On your back, lengthen your sacrum and tailbone towards the knees and draw your lower abdomen up towards your chest. Your head, shoulders and arms stay relaxed on the floor. Continue to draw your legs gently towards each other ­ deliberate courage and focus -- and lengthen from your waist to your right knee, even as the lower abdomen moves in the opposite direction. Stay in this position for nine to 13 breaths, breathing slow and deep. The upper body softens and opens while your lower body stays strong and present. To come up, support yourself with your forearms and hands. Straighten out the legs and then repeat on the other side.
A final note: eka pada supta virasana is a variation of supta virasana. We do this pose with eka pada ­ one leg ­ back instead of two legs back at the same to reduce the strain on the lower back. This pose can be done safely and effectively even for those suffering from lower back pain. The key is to balance your attentive strength and focus in the lower body with relaxed acceptance in the upper body and heart, stetching and opening from a balanced present perspective.

Supta Virasana

Reclining Hero or Heroine Pose intensifies the stretch in the thighs and ankles of its upright version. It also creates new stretches in the front groins, the psoas muscles, and the deep hip flexors. It is a strong pose that can be acheived in degrees with the use of bolsters. The breath is of majour importance to soften the body and release stress.Supta Virasana, the reclining variation of Virasana, is an intermediate pose. DO NOT perform this pose unless you already can comfortably sit on your buttocks on the floor between your feet.

To Perform Virasana. Exhale and lower your back torso toward the floor. First lean onto your hands, then your forearms and elbows. Once you are on your elbows, place your hands on the back of the pelvis and release your lower back and upper buttocks by spreading the flesh down toward the tailbone. Then finish reclining, either onto the floor or a support.
If your front ribs jut up sharply toward the ceiling, it’s a sign of tight groins, which pulls your front pelvis toward your knees and causes your belly and lower back to tense. Use your hands to press your front ribs down slightly and lift your pubis toward your navel. This should lengthen your lower back and lower it toward the floor. If it doesn’t, raise yourself onto a higher support. Then lay your arms and hands on the floor, angled about 45 degrees from the sides of your torso, palms up.
Sink the heads of the thighbones deep into the back of the hip sockets. It’s alright to lift your knees a little away from the floor to help soften your groins; in fact, you can raise your knees a few inches on a thickly folded blanket. You can also allow a little bit of space between your knees as long as your thighs remain parallel to each other. Do not, however, allow the knees to splay apart wider than your hips – this will cause strain on the hips and lower back. To begin, stay in this pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Gradually extend your stay to 5 minutes. To come out, press your forearms against the floor and come onto your hands. Then use your hands to lift your torso into Virasana. As you come up, lead with your sternum, not your head or chin. Come out of Virasana in the recommended manner.

Benefits :Stretches the abdomen, thighs and deep hip flexors (psoas), knees, and ankles, strengthens the arches, relieves tired legs improves digestion, helps relieve the symptoms of menstrual pain.Therapeutic Applications Arthritis Asthma Diarrhea Digestive problems Flat feet Head cold Headache High blood pressure Infertility Insomnia Intestinal gas and acidity
Menstrual discomfort Respiratory ailments Sciatica Varicose veins

Emotional: Releases fear opens the heart calms anxiety.

Contraindications: Serious back, knee, or ankle problems, avoid this pose unless you have the assistance of an experienced instructor.


Modifications & Props: If you’re not able to recline fully on the floor, set a bolster or one or more folded blankets behind yourself to fully support your spine and head. Use as much height as you need to make the position reasonably comfortable. To help release the groins, lay some weight across the creases of the top thighs where they join the front pelvis. Start with a 10-pound sandbag and gradually over time increase the weight to 30 pounds or so. Beginners Tip
If your thighs insist on sliding apart in this pose, you might try one of two short-term solutions: bind your thighs together with a strap positioned around the mid-thighs; or squeeze a 2- to 3-inch thick book between your thighs. In either case be sure to draw your inner groins sharply up into your pelvis.

Deepen the Pose : You can also involve the arms in this pose. Inhale and raise your arms toward the ceiling, parallel to each other and perpendicular to the floor. Rock back and forth a few times, further broadening the shoulder blades across your back, then stretch your arms overhead, on the floor, palms up toward the ceiling. Rotate your arms outward, so the outer armpits roll toward the ceiling, and pull your shoulder blades down the back toward your tailbone.


Partnering : A partner can help you get a feel for the proper movement of the top thighs in this pose. Have her stand at your knees, bend forward, and place her hands on your top thighs, which can be padded with a folded sticky mat. She should then press lightly down on your thighs and turn them inward, rolling the inner thighs toward the floor. Tell your partner if you want more or less pressure on your thighs.

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