Archer Pose: How To Do the Archer Pose Effectively
When you practice it correctly, the archer yoga pose, also known as the shooting bow or bow and arrow pose, evokes feelings of mental fortitude and balance and provides many physical health benefits.
The Sanskrit name for the archer pose, Akarna Dhanurasana, translates to "toward the ear bow pose." The moniker comes from its visual resemblance to an archery position where the archer releases an arrow. It also takes its name from the flexibility and power that the yoga pose and archery both require.
You achieve the archer pose in a seated position with one leg stretched out in front, and the other leg bent upwards to hold the foot close to the ear.
The archer pose offers stress-reducing, pleasure-inducing effects. It also increases hip mobility, tones and deeply stretches upper and lower body muscles, and improves overall circulation.
Here is an explanation of each step you take to properly engage in the archer yoga pose, and a breakdown of its mental and physical health benefits.
Step-by-Step Archer Pose
This pose takes diligence and practice as it can be arduous to perform the range of motion it takes.
Sit upright on the yoga mat and lengthen your spine to reach a straight and tall posture. Extend both legs fully forward. (feel free to lean up against the wall for support as needed)
Maintain a firm seat and inhale while slowly hinging forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
Take hold of your big toes and straighten your arms and legs (if you can’t straighten your legs while holding your toes, feel free to keep as much of a bend in your knees as needed). Continue holding the left side toe with the left side fingers and carefully use the right side hand to lift the right side foot upwards. (you can use a strap held in your left hand, wrapped around the sole of your left foot)
Bend your right knee and slowly draw it back as far as it reaches comfortably, keeping the foot in line with your right ear if possible and your right knee and elbow pointing as straight behind you as possible.
Activate the left leg's thigh muscles and press the leg into the mat to find stability. Stretch the left heel forward and flex the toes back towards your body. Keep in mind you can have a bend in your knee if needed!
Maintain length in the spine and relax your facial muscles while practicing mindful breathing. Hold the pose for ten to twenty seconds.
Surrender the pose slowly by lightly extending and lowering the right leg back into the yoga mat. Release the hold on both feet and raise and lengthen the spine back to a straight posture.
Repeat these steps on the opposite side of the body.
Archer Pose Purpose and Benefits
Each yoga pose engages different areas of the mind and body to maximize health. Some poses provide more physical and psychological benefits than others, and the archer pose offers an extremely wide range of advantages.
The archer pose activates areas of the lower and upper body in ways that improve blood flow and flexibility, ease pelvic pain, enhance breathing, and support and tone various muscle groups. It can also aid in relieving depressive symptoms and improving mental clarity and concentration.
Strengthening & Toning
When you're holding this pose, you are heavily stimulating your core, arms, and shoulders. This muscle activation builds muscle mass.
Additionally, the archer pose utilizes thigh, hip, and glute muscles.
Strengthening the legs, glutes, and hips provides excellent muscular support for the lower back, which reduces pain and enhances posture with better spinal alignment.
This pose also lowers the resting metabolic rate and consistent practice increases physical stamina. Over the long haul, regularly engaging in this pose heightens mindfulness.
Circulation
Holding the archer pose opens blood vessels and raises oxygen outflow to improve blood circulation and cardiac health. It slows the heart rate and lowers blood pressure. Over time, these actions minimize cholesterol and decrease diabetes and heart disease risks.
Pelvic and Abdominal Pain Relief
People commonly use the archer pose to relieve menstrual cramping and other painful pelvic or abdominal symptoms. The tight engagement of the core muscles and significant stretch in the pelvis and hips reduces pain.
Other abdominal ailments that the archer pose can help with include constipation and indigestion. Heavily activating the core stimulates the digestive system.
Regularly stretching the pelvis improves mobility and range of motion while diminishing inflammation and injury risks. It also helps with hormonal and mood balancing.
Promoting Mental Health
The archer yoga pose requires intense focus to maintain proper breathing and alignment. Regular practice improves concentration, lowers anxiety and stress levels, and minimizes mental fatigue.
The mental exercise you get with the archer pose from its meditative nature pairs with its stimulation of the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is part of the brain that releases pleasure hormones. Activating those hormones through the archer pose can serve as a mild and natural antidepressant.
Releasing the stiffness and strain within your back, hip, and leg muscles lessens physical and emotional fatigue. Lower tension levels mean lower stress and anxiety levels, which drain the mind and body's energy sources. The archer pose redistributes pressure through stretching to balance these areas.
Better Breathing
Stretching your body in two different directions in the archer yoga pose opens the chest and causes your lungs to expand. That expansion allows for more oxygen to flow and improves your respiratory function.
Opening the chest in these stretches steadies your inhalation rate, which promotes a healthier balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your blood. These influences have a positive impact on your sleep, muscle and bone health, and energy levels.
Archer Pose Final Thoughts
Now that you know how to do the archer pose, you can begin a regular practice that will yield a host of psychological and physical benefits.
The stretching and muscle activation in the archer yoga pose promotes healthy circulation, better breathing, more strength, flexibility, and mobility. It also improves posture, relieves back, pelvic, and abdominal pain, and increases overall balance and stamina.
The archer pose bolsters mental health by lessening tension, heightening concentration and awareness, activating pleasure-inducing hormones from the pituitary gland, and decreasing mental fatigue.
If you are interested in joining a yoga class, start online classes now with Yoga For All Humans to reap the benefits for yourself!
Author - Derek Haigler
Founder of Yoga for All Humans