Birch legs. Birch exercise: correct execution technique, useful properties and features of the exercise (75 photos). Breathing in Sarvangasana

Fulfilling morning exercises, in our youth, we did the Birch exercise every day, without particularly going into its meaning.

We knew that standing in such a position changes the circle of blood circulation, which provides continuous nutrition and respiration of all cells of the body, organs and systems and removes decay products.

But they could not even imagine that the systematic performance of just one exercise leads not only to recovery, but also to rejuvenation of the body.

Birch exercise: benefits and contraindications

It turns out that this exercise is part of the yoga rejuvenation system and is one of the poses used by them for rejuvenation and longevity. From the point of view of yoga, exercise redistributes the energy of the body.

Rejuvenation of the body in terms of yoga

In the upper part of the forehead is the Soma chakra, which exudes lunar nectar, which, in the form of a stream of energy, smoothly flows down the body down to the solar plexus. This nectar is considered an inexhaustible source of beauty and youth, health and longevity.

In the solar plexus is the Manipura chakra, which burns this energy, which leads to premature aging of the body. Yogis have come up with a way that interrupts the process of burning energy, you just need to turn your body upside down.

In this position, the flow of the nectar of beauty and youth, health and longevity turns in the opposite direction, not reaching the Manipura chakra. All energy accumulates in the head, restoring health, beauty and youth.

It is said that this exercise contributes to the emergence and activation of a variety of abilities, even clairvoyance.

  • Do you want to know how to spend?

Yoga technique involves performing 3 positions or 3 asanas: headstand, handstand, shoulder stand.


All these positions are equally useful, they differ in complexity. In my youth, I calmly did a headstand, now it takes time to master it, and you have to think about the health of the cervical vertebrae, after all, not 17 years old! Therefore, you can choose only one asana or one position, the simplest, but so dear and close - rejuvenation with the Birch exercise.

Sarvangasana. When performing this exercise, the main load falls on the cervical spine, it is necessary to ensure that pain does not occur, especially for beginners.

Viparita karani. The safest type of this exercise, since the angle of flexion of the spine changes.

Viparita Karani promotes health and rejuvenation

Asana Viparita Karani contributes to the preservation of health, youthfulness of the body. The aging process of the skin stops, it becomes more firm and elastic. The practice of performing this asana for several years has repeatedly shown that not only the body, skin, but also hair becomes younger.


A system is needed to achieve the desired effect. Yoga experts advise to perform the asana daily, but I saw disagreements regarding the duration of its implementation. Somewhere it is written that it takes 30 minutes to stand in this position, other sources indicate 8-10 minutes.

But you need to start with 1-2 minutes, gradually increasing the time. All the muscles, especially the arms, get tired out of habit, so you yourself will choose the dosage of rejuvenation for yourself.

  • And read here:

The benefits of exercise Birch

Scientists explain rejuvenation with the Birch exercise in their own way. Standing upside down changes the circles of blood circulation, relieves part of the load. Indeed, in a normal position, in order to drive blood through the lower extremities, the heart has to overcome the force of gravity.

When performing the Birch exercise, the heart is almost in the same plane as the head, so it provides the head and brain with a large blood flow. This means that metabolic processes are increasing, more nutrients and oxygen are supplied, which is often not enough for the vessels of the brain. Especially in adulthood with all sorts of restraints.

Exercise Birch has a beneficial effect on the organs of internal secretion: the pineal gland, pituitary gland, parathyroid and thyroid glands.

Practice has shown that colds and runny nose are cured by the Birch exercise, it is a kind of prevention for diseases such as:

  • bronchitis, rhinitis, tonsillitis,
  • heals and cleanses the kidneys,
  • the work of the urinary system is restored,
  • strengthens the liver
  • improves the condition of varicose veins.

More blood enters the chest, abdominal region. Performing the exercise improves the flexibility of the spine in the cervical and thoracic regions, improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, activates metabolic processes in the body and removes toxins, anemia disappears.


Rejuvenation with a single exercise Birch significantly changes the condition muscular system in the upper and middle parts of the body: face, neck, arms, chest and abdomen muscles.

And this is very important, because everything internal organs located in the chest and abdomen are activated and begin to function normally, thanks to only one exercise, which leads to positive results.

Experts advise to perform the exercise daily, preferably in the morning, on an empty stomach, you can drink a glass of warm water. Start the exercise with 2 minutes and bring it to at least 10 minutes.

You need to learn how to relax in this position, if you can’t relax, then you are doing something wrong. Once again, look at the drawings and photographs for the correct position of the body, you may be increasing the load faster than expected.

If you feel discomfort or pain, stop. Do not forget to finish the exercise correctly (written above).

It is not allowed to perform the exercise while intoxicated. Women are not recommended during pregnancy. It is forbidden to perform the Birch stance with increased pressure, in case of violation of the cervical vertebrae and even pain in the neck. It is not advisable to perform this exercise with severe headaches. With caution in diseases of the heart and liver.

It seems incredible, but with just one simple exercise you can get rid of wrinkles and gray hair, and even rejuvenate in general. We know it under the name "birch".

RULES FOR PERFORMING THE EXERCISE

You can do the exercise every day in the morning. Breakfast before this should not be, but you can drink a glass of juice. Besides, this exercise is incompatible with the use of alcohol - the effect of such a practice can only be negative. For the same reason as alcohol, it is desirable to remove from the diet all unhealthy heavy foods, in particular meat. Women should not do this exercise during pregnancy or menstruation. You also need to be careful for those who have high blood pressure.

While doing the exercise, relax and close your eyes.. If you are unable to relax in this position, then you are doing something wrong. Perform the exercise only until discomfort appears and after a while you will notice that you can stay in this position longer without discomfort.

It is important that if you are doing the birch, be sure to do the opposite pose - the snake.

To do this, you need to lie on your stomach and rise on arms wide apart, as when pushing up from the floor, but bend your upper back, while the pelvis should be on the floor. To avoid health problems, make sure that the time spent in the "birch" is necessarily equal to the time spent in the "snake" position.

Regarding the length of stay in the inverted position to achieve the desired effect, here different sources diverge. Some sources say that you need to stay in this position for at least 30 minutes, while others say that 8 minutes a day is enough.

But all sources agree on one thing: you need to start with 1-2 minutes, gradually increasing the duration of the exercise (you can add 30 seconds daily).

WHAT THEY SAY MODERN RESEARCH

Modern medicine has found many advantages in this exercise. According to doctors, the inverted position of the body removes part of the load from the circulatory system, creates the need to overcome the force of attraction when blood passes through the lower body.

Blood rushes to organs abdominal cavity and upper body, especially to the neck and head. The blood vessels of the legs rest, the brain receives additional blood supply, the thyroid gland is abundantly washed with fresh blood.

In addition, this exercise eliminates constipation, poor digestion, anemia, increases appetite and general vitality of the body, helps to neutralize and destroy toxins.

To all fans healthy lifestyle life, physical education hello! Many of you, for sure, at least once heard about the comprehensive benefits special exercises, postures or asanas Indian yoga. The benefits of their use in everyday gymnastics for girls and women, boys and men are discussed especially a lot.

It is to these healing poses-exercises that I will devote the next few reviews of my sports cycle. And today on the agenda is the birch exercise. About what it is, what gives daily performance and how to do it right, about the impact on various bodies and I will try to tell the system in as much detail as possible.

"Birch" or "candle" is an inverted pose, which is called the "pose for the whole body." In fact, this is a stand with an emphasis on the shoulders, cervical region, head and elbows with the feet up. She was borrowed from traditional yoga, and within the framework of this ancient Indian teaching is called Salamba Sarvangasana (stand based on the shoulder girdle).

The beneficial effect on the body in this case is based on the reverse processes that occur when the position of the body changes.

In ancient India, there was a belief according to which a person, standing on his feet, grows old, and staying in Viparita Karani, becomes younger.

What muscles work

By right, this asana is considered one of the most functional. It involves a large number of muscle groups, starting with the muscles of the cervical-collar region and the shoulder girdle.

To hold the legs at the top point, the oblique muscles of the abdomen and back, the rhomboid dorsal muscles, the latissimus dorsi and square muscle, rectifiers of the spine, as well as the press. The muscles of the pelvic floor also work, along with the internal and external femoral muscles.

Benefit and harm to the body

There are a lot of useful properties of Sarvangasana and its variations, starting with the effect on the muscles and ending with a positive effect on the skin. So, with an improvement in the outflow and subsequent inflow of blood to the pelvic organs, their function improves and congestion(prevention of diseases of the genitourinary system). This effect is especially pronounced in people leading sedentary image life.

In this position, when performed correctly, muscle spasms in the cervical region, vascular spasms in the brain go away, migraines and prolonged, aching headaches recede over time.

I will not tire of repeating that harm from any exercise, including from Sarvangasana, you can apply yourself only if the technique is not followed or if the contraindications are neglected, which I will discuss below.

Contraindications

Since this is an inverted asana, it is contraindicated in severe hypertension. If we are talking about its mild forms, then you can practice it with extreme caution and in consultation with your doctor. Other restrictions and contraindications to performing the pose include:

  • Heart disease.
  • Atherosclerosis.
  • Previous spinal injuries and severe vertebral and cervical pain.
  • Hyperfunction of the thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism).
  • The period of menstruation and pregnancy (especially the first trimester).
  • Epilepsy.
  • Otitis and sinusitis in the acute stage.
  • Retinal diseases and glaucoma.

Correct technique and types

I will give several options for the correct technique of the classic and lightweight versions of the "birch".

Classic "birch"

To begin with, it does not hurt to prepare a place for training. Lay a blanket folded in four on the floor. Lie down so that the head is on the floor, and the shoulder blades are at the very edge of the bedding.

  1. Lie on your back and make sure that the feet touch each other. We strain our knees and stretch our arms along the body. The palms look down, the neck and head are in line with the spine.
  2. As you exhale, raise both legs together, bringing them to a right angle with the body. The toes are pointing up. We breathe calmly.
  3. As you exhale, raise your legs higher by lifting your hips and back from the surface. We support the lower back with the palms.
  4. Now we pull the legs even higher and bring them in line with the buttocks. We pull the back, buttocks and waist inward so that the torso is perpendicular to the ground.
  5. On normal breathing, we hold in this position for a while.
  6. We exhale, release our hands, gradually slide down until the back settles on the floor, and the legs take a position perpendicular to the floor. We drop them to the floor.

Wall-mounted

  • We put the blanket 60 centimeters from the wall. We lie down on our back making sure that the shoulders are located on the mat 3 cm from its edge, and the head is on the floor.
  • We bend our knees and stretch our arms at the seams with palms up.

  • We press the back of the head to the floor, and the arms and shoulders to the blanket. As you exhale, move your legs behind your head and touch the walls with your toes. We bend our elbows and put our palms under the lower back (fingers look up).

Chair option

In addition to the chair, we need a roller. Lay it on the ground, parallel to the front legs of the chair. chest to the back, wrapping her arms around her. Alternately, we throw our legs on the back and slowly lower our hands, moving ourselves closer to her buttocks.

  1. We lower our backs to the level of the seat and rest our elbows on it. We hold on to the back and move the buttocks closer to the front edge of the seat. We lower our shoulders onto the roller, gently sliding off the seat. We lay the head on the surface. We intercept the back legs with our hands and straighten the legs.
  2. We stay in this position for a while. We take our hands on the side edges of the chair (closer to its back). Bend your knees and place your feet on the top of the back. The buttocks lie on the front edge of the seat.
  3. Supporting the body with hands, straighten the legs one by one. Raise the chest as high as possible. We linger in this position for a while.
  4. As you exhale, lower your feet to the back and slowly slide off the seat.

When performing, you should control the position of the elbows - they should not be wider than the shoulders. Picking up lower part bodies to the top, make sure that top part chest touched the chin. In this case, the larynx should not be squeezed. The appearance of a cough at this moment or when lowering the body indicates a constricted throat.

What time of day do you exercise?

How long do you have to stand?

It all depends on personal feelings. At first, holding such a specific position for a long time simply will not work. It is better to start with one minute, gradually increasing the time to 5 minutes.

Sets and Reps

What can replace the exercise?

There are several analogues of this pose:

  • Karnapidasana (ears to knees pose).
  • Halasana ("Plow").
  • Naialamba Sarvangasana (standing on the shoulders without support).

Common mistakes

For beginners, at first it is a problem to keep the legs in vertical position- often they lean forward and create additional pressure on the chest. In this case, it is better to simplify the task by doing everything with your feet against the wall or with a chair.

Indian alchemy holds that there is an important point between the eyebrows called Amrita binda or the nectar of life. In Indian films, you can see how it is distinguished by the inhabitants of this state. They always seek to gain control of this point, but the "nectar" tends to run away and is difficult to keep. Those who succeed are guaranteed life extension, rejuvenation and excellent health. Now we will figure out how to control and use it.

A simple exercise familiar from physical education lessons will help with this. primary school schools. It is called a birch, a candle and is easy to perform. But in order to get the full effect from it, it is important to know how to do the birch exercise correctly.

With this simple practice, you can keep the "Nectar" and keep the presence of Jalandhara Bandha, considered one of the energy locks. At the same time, you will learn further that the “birch” pose includes many stretching options for asanas that help restore the nervous system.

To remember the basics, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the photo of the birch exercise with the image of professionals who know how to perform it correctly. Now you understand what is at stake? “Well, we can continue to study this useful position. As a child, you often used it and did not think that you were doing yoga.

The modern vision of this exercise is based on various inverted positions. At the same time, they managed to significantly expand them, which is felt in the versions with the use of the “Lotus” pose. But step-by-step instruction will help you get the information you need and benefit greatly from this exercise.

It is also called a candle or a birch tree based on the domestic version of understanding the entire execution process. This position is considered royal as it helps to strengthen all parts of the body. Her beneficial features manifest themselves in everything, and one can talk about them for a long time.

However, in childhood, we performed it not quite correctly, as regards the duration and the technique itself. It is necessary to hold this position not for a few seconds, but for 2-3 minutes. Then there will be a positive effect on the heart and the entire circulatory system of a person.

It will help organize the prevention of varicose veins and facilitate blood circulation in the human brain, which is especially useful if it has been disturbed. And it also has a pronounced effect on the left ventricle of the heart, however, it is important to be able to correctly enter this useful position:

It is necessary to lie on the surface of the back, and stretch your arms along the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe body, in turn, the palms are directed towards the floor. Now exhale and at the same time pull your knees towards your torso. Press your palms firmly into the floor, pushing off with them to lift your hips. This must be done in one holistic effort.

It is necessary to bend both arms at the elbows so that you can support your back at its base. Bent elbows must be moved as close as possible so that the level of the shoulders is parallel to each other. It is necessary to hold this posture for one cycle of inhalation and exhalation.

After the next exhalation process, it is necessary to raise the entire body in order to form a full-fledged vertical stance, and at this time the chin touches the surface of the thoracic region - the legs gradually straighten, the toes of both feet are directed towards the ceiling.

It is necessary to relax the muscles as much as possible cervical which will help provide freedom for breathing. The pose must be held for 5 cycles of inhalations and exhalations. With a new exhalation, it is necessary to bend the legs and gently lower them to the surface of the rug. It is necessary to fully straighten up on its surface.

Recommendations for the correct use of the pose called "birch"

Now let's figure out what the benefits and harms of the birch exercise are for various people. Because you can get a lot from it, but it is not available to everyone.

If you suffer from high blood pressure, eye diseases, diseases of the cervical spine, you will have to use the asana very carefully or switch to other yoga exercises. The fact is that a candle in the case of such problems may turn out to be too dangerous for permanent use.

If you do not have sufficient experience or physical strength, the participation of assistants in the face of a folded blanket or towel is allowed. On such a stand, it is necessary to lower the shoulders with the elbows, and provide free space for the head. The neck should not lie on the blanket, as it requires freedom and no load.

Important: The support should not be too soft, as there may be problems with the correct balance of the legs in the air.

What are the main benefits of Sarvangasana?

You have already realized that this exercise is capable of having a positive effect on the body. However, it is worth touching on this topic in more detail:

  • This position helps the blood return through the veins to the heart muscle;
  • Does it have a calming effect on all nerve cells and the system as a whole?
  • Facilitates the course of diseases of the throat and asthma;
  • Improves digestion and relieves excess tension from all internal organs;
  • In the process of execution, the thyroid is stimulated, as well as the parathyroid gland;
  • Improves the efficiency of the lungs and increases the level of oxygenation of all body cells;
  • Promotes the accumulation of energy and forms good mood which helps to gain self-confidence.

Tip: Avoid this exercise if you high level pressure, recent medication, or menstruation.

Do not confuse the candle with the headstand, which brings a quick influx of energy and vigor, as this exercise has a more calming effect. "Birch" is recommended to be used before completing the selected set of asanas.

What is the use of the weaker sex from using the birch exercise?

In fact, for women, this exercise is considered indispensable, since regular use will help to carry out high-quality prevention of gynecological diseases. It will relieve pain during the onset of critical days.

Will have a therapeutic effect in case of suffering varicose veins veins, swelling of the legs, strengthen the immune system, protect against anemia and the appearance chronic fatigue, improve vision and give a charge of vivacity for a new day.

Did you know: That birch is considered the main exercise for artistic and sports gymnasts. This is due to the fact that it helps to develop the skill of holding the body in one position - this is very much appreciated in competitions, and increases the appreciation of the performance of athletes.

However, the weaker sex will be able to feel the impact of this exercise through other important effects:

  • It helps to strengthen the muscles of the back, hips, legs, as well as the press;
  • It leads to a decrease in the deposition of excess salts in various areas of the body;
  • Allows you to strengthen the spine;
  • Creates an attractive posture a short time its application;
  • Helps fight excess subcutaneous fat, exerting a non-pronounced effect on cellulite deposits.

Due to it, blood circulation throughout the body is noticeably improved and this leads to optimal blood saturation, inhaled oxygen, which rejuvenates tissues and visibly smoothes wrinkles. And the skin acquires a smooth and elastic surface.

In addition, the load is removed from the legs, which is useful for women working as sellers, pharmacists and other specialties, forcing them to stand on their two limbs for a long time. With its help, the spine is liberated.

In kindergartens and schools, with its help, they lay the foundation for the health of girls who will become mothers. Their reproductive system on the basis of this asana is noticeably strengthened and this will help to bear children more easily.

Now you have received the basic information regarding this exercise and understand how to use its capabilities in your physical exercises.

Photo exercise birch