Sankatasana - Difficult Yoga pose

As the name of this yoga pose suggests,  Sankatasana is an advanced yoga pose,  but it is not that much difficult as the name suggests. The Sankatasana provides lot of benefits like -  strengthening of leg muscles, increasing the blood supply to the leg joints..  The asana is a good cure for Rheumatism.

How to practice Sankatasana     

• Stand in tadasana.
• Now bend  the right leg slightly and shift the weight of the body onto the right leg.
• Now try to lift  the left leg up by bending it slightly at the knee. The body is now balanced completely on the right leg. 
• Now cross the left leg over the right leg and hook the top of the left foot behind the right calf. 
• Raise the both hands above hand and wrap the same way as legs are wrapped. 
• The upper body should be kept straight. 
• Once the left leg is wrapped over the right, the right leg should be straightened in order to feel the strain on the left leg. 
• Gaze forward at a fixed point to maintain balance. 
• Remain in the position for atleast 30 seconds on each leg. 
• Then release the hands from twisted pose and return the arms to the side of the body. 
• Release the left leg and bring the left foot back onto the ground to standing position.

Caution : 
People suffering from arthiritis should perform this asana under expert guidance.

It may be slightly difficult initially for the beginners to wrap one leg around the other leg fully. Bending the right leg more would allow the left leg to be more easily wrapped around it.   

If you do not have knee pain,  you can repeat the same on the other side.

The duration of the asana should be at least 30 seconds on each side.