This weekend’s challenge is a yoga pose known as Trikonasana or “triangle pose”. It elongates the spine, opens the chest, aligns upper back and cervical vertebrae, and more.
Bear in mind that spinal elongation and alignment does more than just preserve height, it also prevents the dreaded vertebral compression fractures.
As you can see, this pose will help you to greatly improve your posture, so let’s get started!
Why:
A strong, aligned, flexible spine promotes proper posture, fracture-resistant vertebrae, and good balance to prevent falls. The Yoga Spine Elongator Plus works the muscles on either side of the spine, increasing circulation and flexibility.
This exercise also opens the chest, which is vital for deep breathing. Taking deep breaths has been scientifically proven to help alkalize the body. In addition, deep breathing offers other benefits, such as:
- Relief from bone-damaging stress and anxiety
- When combined with full exhalations, deep breathing helps cleanse the body of toxins.
- Improved circulation and digestion
- Increased energy due to greater oxygen intake
According to Yoga practitioners, this pose stimulates the organs in your abdomen, restoring the “fire of digestion.” Also, it’s believed that it awakens the nerves in your cranium associated with the head’s sensory organs.
The Yoga Spine Elongator Plus also strengthens the legs, calves, and ankles, which helps those areas resist fracture. Strong legs and ankles are also key in promoting good balance, which is very important in preventing falls that could result in fracture.
And last but not least, today’s pose is excellent for aligning the vertebrae in the upper back and neck, which is vital in preventing kyphosis and a hunchbacked appearance.
How:
You can use a Yoga mat or carpeted floor for this pose. But once you’re comfortable with it, you can perform it just about anywhere.
- Keeping your back straight, place your feet about 3-4 feet apart, toes pointed forward.
- Extend your arms out to the sides at shoulder level. Adjust your feet width so your wrists are directly above your ankles. (If you can’t, don’t worry – just get as close as you can.)
- Turn your palms upward and open your chest (Yoga practitioners might say to “lift your heart”).
- Turn the toes of your right foot outward 90 degrees, and your left toes inward about 45 degrees.
- Keeping your arms straight and palms facing forward, exhale and slowly bend at the hips toward the right. Keep your pelvis stable and your back straight.
- Keep bending until your right hand reaches your lower leg, right above your ankle (or as far down as you can comfortably get).
- Gently grasp your leg with your right hand. Your left arm should be pointing straight up toward the ceiling with your palm facing sideways (toward the top of your head).
- Slowly turn your head to the left and look up at your left hand, keeping a straight line from your head to your hips. Take a deep breath in and out.
- Slowly come back up and repeat the process in reverse with the opposite leg.
- As you come down and grasp your right leg with your right hand, support your weight with your core muscles. Don’t transfer your weight to your hand by leaning on it.
- Practice this exercise near a stable object that you can easily hold on to, in case you need assistance keeping your balance.
- Resist the urge to “collapse” or bend the ribcage as you come down into the pose. Keep your chest open and your arms wide.
Tips:
Simple, But Challenging!
Despite appearances, the Yoga Spine Elongator Plus is quite challenging. Many of the moves in the Densercise™ Epidensity Training System are similar – although they appear simple, that does not mean they are easy. In fact, “Densercises” are very effective and appropriately challenging, so you get the optimal benefits of bone density training.
Densercise™ has many moves that provide similar benefits to this week’s challenge. For example, the Pray And Pull (page 24) and the Shoulder Press (page 28) open the chest; the Mountain Pose (page 31) and the Arm And Leg Lift (page 29) elongate the spine.
It’s more important from a bone-building standpoint to practice targeted exercises rather than simply wearing yourself out with an exhausting workout that ignores key areas of your body that need strengthening in order to prevent fractures.
Take Exercising For Your Bones to the Next Level!
Learn the 52 exercise moves that jumpstart bone-building – all backed by the latest in epigenetics research.
I hope you enjoy this weekend’s challenge. I can’t wait to hear what you think!
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How To Avoid And Eliminate Neck PainComments on this article are closed.
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Hi Vivian,
I would love to know what sleeping portions are or are not recommended for someone with osteoporosis is the hip. Thanks and I really enjoyll of the information you provide.
Nancy -
Please add me to your email list.
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Dear Vivian, I would love to do this weekend spine elongator yoga challenge – but remember reading elsewhere that if I have osteoporosis I should not be bending my spine in any direction as it could cause friction and damage vertebrae. Could you comment, please before I try it? Many thanks. Patricia
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Patricia, if you have any doubts, please check with your physical therapist or doctor before trying this (or any other) exercise! Everyone’s situation is different, and the Weekend Challenges are intended for the general public. 🙂
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Hi Vivian – Would you please do an article about the recent book called The Calcium Lie II which states that we should stop taking calcium as most of us have an excess in our bodies and that it is this excess which causes various diseases such as osteoporosis. The author claims that if we correct the imbalance with the proper proportion of minerals, we can correct the problem. I have been taking organic calcium for years and have tried to eat calcium rich foods Now I am not sure I am doing the right thing. Please address this in your column as I respect your point of view and have been following the Save our bones program for many years.
Thanks,
Virginia-
Hi Virginia,
I couldn’t agree more that bone health is about many minerals working in synergy with each other, not simply taking large doses of one mineral. That’s why the Program has a list of Foundation Supplements, not just calcium. I’ll take a look at that book. 🙂
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Thank you, Vivian, for the amazing tools you are providing us with! I have been following your program for the last 9 months, after biltateral humeras fractures with diagnosis of severe osteoporosis, I knew that the biophonsonates was NOT the path for me, and Save Your Bones is the holisitic approach that has made me feel confident and exicted about my future 🙂
I do the Densercise exercises 3x a week, as well as walk everyday with my dog.
My Question: are you going to at some point included these wonderful weekend exercises into your densercise program…..or what is the sensible way to incorporate them? Subsititute? I personally would love to see a revised Densercise with all these new additions. With huge gratitude, wishing you a marvelous weekend, Marianne -
I have been taking yoga classes at my gym for 4 years now. I am up to 3 classes a week. We do the triangle pose in each class but I never quite knew of all the benefits. Thanks for all of your weekend challenges and the valuable information you pass on to the Savers.
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Hi Vivian
I not only love your website I depend on it for inspiration and courage. I am 58 and was diagnosed with severe osteoporosis in my spine last June. I have focused since then on how to increase my bone density and my general health using purely natural methods. I do worry that my t-score in areas of my spine are so low (-4.7), and I wonder if you have any specific advice for someone in my condition? Also do you know of other people with this kind of t-score who have been able to improve bone density using the Save Our bones methods? It would be so inspiring for me to hear about them and to share my story with them. Thanks so much for keeping my spirits up.
Best regards, Philippa
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You have come to the right place, Philippa! You’ll find lots of free information at this site, plus a supportive community who can help keep you motivated and encouraged. The decision is yours as to whether or not you want to take the Save Our Bones approach, but I can tell you that many others have improved their bone density on the Program. You can read their stories here:
https://saveourbones.com/results/
Good luck!
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Thanks so much for replying Vivian, and I’ve been reassured by the many success stories in the results section. Is the articles area the best place on your site to share with others, or is there a community area as well?
By the way, sorry for the crazy picture of me, it’s an old jokey one that has attached itself automatically!
With gratitude, Philippa
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Hi Vivian
Your site is very empowering and
Well appreciated
There is always a tag connect on the lower
Right side of screen which is very distracting and annoying
Why is it always there
Many thanks
Janet
Thank you for all the advice Vivian. Much appreciated.
Thank you once again.