5 Best Yoga Asanas For Strong Feet and Ankles

Divija ‐ 03/25/2016

In yoga, asana refers both to the place in which a practitioner yogi or yogini sits and the posture in which he or she sits. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali defines “asana” as a way to be seated in a position that is both firm and relaxed. At least now we know where the name came from. There are 84 asanas as told by Lord Shiva that are currently used in Yoga. However, there have been a new set of 130 widely debated asanas set by Bikram Ghosh

. In 2008, to clearly show that all asanas are public knowledge and therefore not able to be patented, the Indian government formed a team of yoga gurus, government officials, and 200 scientists to register all known asanas in a public database. They collected postures from 35 ancient texts including Hindu epics, the Bhagwad Gita, and Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Since 2010, they have identified 900 asanas for the database which was named the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library and made available to patent examiners.

The focus of this article will be on the Asanas, or “postures” in hatha yoga, which deal with the feet. The human body experiences a lot of wear and tear on a day to day basis, these asanas will help you restore some power into your feet and ankles and make them strong and flexible. It is especially great for women as we are more prone to osteoporosis. Lets see how can strengthen your feet with yoga.

List of Top Five Yoga Asanas for Strong Flexible Feet and Ankles:

1. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

Possibly the simplest but most effective asana, this tadasana/mountain pose helps promote foot strength. In order to do this, you first need to:

• Straighten your knees
• Keep your soles flat on the earth in an upright position
• Change over your feet close to each other; however, your heels must be separated.
• Make sure your arms are relaxed
• Hold your arms by your sides and gaze ahead

 2. Trikosana (Triangle Pose)

The triangle pose or Trikosana is beneficial for people who have problems in the feet. You’re probably familiar with this, as it’s quite common in physical education classes often taught at school. In order to do this pose:

• Spread your feet wide apart from one another while standing up
• Make sure you’re completely standing straight up and then turn your body so that your arms are horizontal to your feet
• Now clean up your right leg and flex your hip down to the side.
• You should grip the left arm with the left shin.
• Immediately lift your other arm straight upwards.
• Bend your head and look towards the raised arm.
• Repeat for the other side in the same way. Make sure to feel a stretch in your hips

3. Virabhadrasana (Warrior Pose)

The pose of a warrior or Virabhadrasana helps improve flexibility and durability in your calves . Named for the legendary warrior Virabhadra, this asana is especially good for you if you’re need a good core or foundation. This is by far the coolest of the asanas. In order to achieve results from this pose, it is important to do this step daily for three months. It goes a long way in promoting foot strength.

• Place your right foot in front and bend your knees. You need to make sure everything is straight.
• Flex your left foot at a 90 degree angle to the right leg. You will feel a slight pull if you’re doing it right.
• Immediately lift your arms and bring them parallel to the base. Don’t be too aggressive about this step though as you don’t want to hurt yourself
• Your palms should be facing the ground as your stretch in order for it to be correct.

4. Kapotasana (Pigeon Pose)

The Kapotasana or pigeon pose is a complete body workout if you’re looking for the easy fix. It helps improve strength in your branches and your upper torso. This asana helps with your feet issues as well as providing stability to your entire body. It helps improve strength in your feet and ankles. Also helps people with foot and ankle problems. In order to do this pose, you must:

• Kneel down on the ground and hold your spine square or at a 45 degree angle.
• Stretch your right leg out behind you, so that it’s close to your face.
• Keep expanding your good leg until your left knee and foot are adjacent to the right hip.
• Your toes should remain as straight as possible too.
• Tilt forward and breathe in deep.
• Force your chest outwards.
• This pose is reminiscent of a bridge in gymnastics and should be done slowly and carefully.
• For flexibility, make sure your toes and your fingers can touch each other and hold it in this position for a while to reap maximum benefits.

5. Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

The Ustrasana has many benefits. It can treat lupus, solve indigestion or congestion, strengthens the back, treats arthritis and helps mobility in the knee, relieve foot pain and ankle problems. In order to do this asana, you must:

• Kneel down on your yoga mat
• Your arms should remain straight.
• Start bending your bodies backwards, try to reach out for your angles with your hands.
• Continue bending until you feel a stretch in your spine.
• Strain and make sure you apply pressure onto your heels with your hands.
• If holding your heels with your hands is unbearable, try holding your hips
• Don’t jerk back to starting posture, as you may end up injuring your back. Take it slowly, there’s no need to rush.

Hopefully, these yoga poses will get you on the track to getting stronger feet and toes. Our feet are our foundation and it’s important we maintain them. Try to do these poses as frequently as possible, preferably on a daily basis in order to see results. Remember, you’re not going to see results immediately, so make sure you’re putting in the daily effort in order to build the kind of healthy body you want. Today, there are multiple ways of doing yoga. If you’re a person who likes group classes, maybe join one with your friends. If you’re someone who only has time to fit in a workout before work, watch a yoga class on TV or a pre-taped yoga session on Youtube. Make sure to also balance your exercise with a balanced diet so that it’s nutritious.

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Which is your favourite yoga asana to strengthen your feet? Share your reviews with us.