Health Benefits of Akarna Dhanurasana (Archer’s Pose)

If you want to aim at boosting flexibility and strength altogether, yoga is one of the most effective and durable procedures. However, you need to practice advanced-level asanas to achieve your goals.

One such yoga pose that can help you reach your targets and provide plenty of health benefits is the archer’s pose or Akarna Dhanurasana. Those who want to include the archer’s pose in their workout routine can read this write-up to know more.

Akarna Dhanurasana is known as the archer’s pose because it resembles the posture of an archer. The major benefit of practising this is to work on your legs, tone abs and enhance flexibility.

The intensity involved in this asana is such that it engages your entire body. As it includes extreme stretching, it is not recommended for beginners. Nevertheless, if any beginner wants to try to practice this, they can start with some preparatory poses to loosen the muscle stiffness.

Here is a list of some preparatory poses you can try before doing this yoga posture.

• Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose)
• Malasana (Garland Pose)
• ParipurnaNavasana (Boat Pose)
• Ardha Navasana (Half Boat Pose)
• BaddhaKonasana (Bound Angle Pose)

You must engage your whole body and mind to get the utmost benefits when involved in this archer's pose. This is one such yoga pose that works on the core, along with other parts of the body. Here are some of the advantages of this yoga:

1. Strengthens Muscles

When doing the archer's pose, you will sense a stretch in your thighs, calf muscles, arms, and shoulders. This can be painful in the beginning, but as you get accustomed and your muscles relax, it strengthens your legs, arms and shoulders.

2. Tone Abdominal Muscles

Along with exerting pressure on the legs, arms and shoulders, you can also develop your abdominal muscles by regularly practising Akarna Dhanurasana. In addition, you also stimulate your abdominal organs, promoting ingestion. So, in the long run, you get not just good abs but also an improved digestive system.

3. Enhances Flexibility

If you include the archer’s pose with your regular workout session, you will soon notice an immense improvement in your flexibility. It is primarily because this posture stretches your muscles and reduces the stiffness in your joints.

4. Promotes Blood Circulation

As you stretch your chest muscles while doing the archer’s pose it elevates the heart's functions. Hence, it results in enhancing blood circulation.

5. Boosts Immunity

If you regularly practice Akarna Dhanurasana along with other yoga postures, your body will eliminate the toxins from your body. This results in improved immunity to combat ailments.

6. Expands Lungs Capacity

While stretching your chest muscles in the archer’s pose, you must continue breathing normally at each step. This expands your lungs and also improves oxygen intake capacity. Therefore, one of the advantages of Akarna Dhanurasana, is that individuals with respiratory problems can get help from it.

7. Improves Posture

The archer's pose is one such asana that stretches the spine and makes it strong. This is one of the most effective poses for improving your body posture and balance. Although this pose is difficult to attain at first, you can perform it with dedicated practice.

Other Benefits of the Archer’s Pose

• Improves concentration
• Regularises menstrual cycle
• Heals pain in the abdominal area

Since the archer's pose is an advanced level of yoga, you must learn the steps to perform this yoga accurately. Here is a step-by-step guide for the archer's pose:

Step 1: Sit with your legs spread in front of you, and keep your feet as close as possible.

Step 2: Now bend forward and stretch your arms to hold the toe.

Step 3: Exhale and lift the left foot, keeping your elbow and knees straight.

Step 4: Inhale and pull your feet towards you. Your aim here should be to get the heels to reach your ears.

Step 5: At the same time, do not lose the grip of the other foot.

Step 6: You must keep your neck and spine erect throughout the process.

Step 7: Stay in this position for 15-20 seconds, and breathe normally.

Step 8: Return to the original posture, and repeat with the other leg.

As you now know about the procedure of Akarna Dhanurasana yoga, it will help if you know some tips. Below mentioned are some of the easy tips to achieve the right posture:

1. To begin with, always make sure that you go through a proper warm-up session to avoid any muscle strain.
2. Like any other exercise, you must synchronise your breath and movements while doing this yoga.
3. Start with the preparatory poses if you find the archer's pose difficult.
4. You can also practice easier versions of the same exercise prior to trying the advanced asana.

Although there are several pros of Akarna Dhanurasana, you must follow certain precautions. This is because this yoga is highly advanced and requires extreme body flexibility. Here is a list of precautions and contraindications which you should keep a note of, especially if you are a beginner:

• Individuals suffering from any kind of back injury, slipped disc, or spinal injury should avoid the archer's pose.
• If you are pregnant, you must consult your doctor to know whether it is safe.
• Those who have a weaker waist should refrain from doing this exercise.

If you are tempted by the health benefits but find the posture extremely challenging, you can modify it a little. In this way, you minutely make your way towards doing the actual posture:

• Use a Chair: Take a chair to rest your feet as you pull it towards your ear.
• Get a Yoga Strap: Those who cannot grab their feet can use a yoga strap.

Use a Pillar for Support: When it is hard to balance, perform this yoga beside a pillar to rest your heel.