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Alternate-Nostril Breathing, Nadi Shodhana Hand Positions

BeginnerMobilityTier T1

You sit tall and cross-legged with your eyes closed and your left hand on your left knee. You use your right hand to close one nostril at a time as you breathe.

Targets: Neck (Cervical Spine)

Stop if

If anything hurts or feels wrong, stop and ask a qualified health professional.

  • Pain 6 out of 10 or more: choose an easier exercise.
  • Pain 8 out of 10 or more: stop and rest.

Equipment needed

  • Works at home
  • Works at the gym

none

Home Options

  • bodyweight

Dosage

2

Sets

10

Reps / Time

30 sec

Rest

controlled

Tempo

Step-by-Step Guide

Set up

  • Sit upright and cross-legged on a flat mat with your spine and head straight, your shoulders level and your eyes closed. Rest your left hand on your left knee, palm down, with your thumb and index fingertip touching in a small circle and the other fingers extended.
  • Raise your right hand in front of your face with the palm toward you and the fingertips up. Fold your index and middle fingers into your palm and keep your thumb, ring finger and small finger extended. Rest the thumb on your right nostril and hold the ring and small fingers clear beside your left nostril.
  1. A man sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, his left hand on his left knee and his right thumb on his right nostril, the other fingers held clear of his left nostril.

    Step 1 of 3

    Sit tall with your eyes closed and your left hand on your left knee. Rest your right thumb on your right nostril, with your index and middle fingers folded in. Hold your ring and small fingers beside your left nostril, leaving it open.

  2. The same man with his right ring and small fingers touching his left nostril and his right thumb held clear of his right nostril.

    Step 2 of 3

    Move your right hand a little toward your left so your ring and small fingers close your left nostril. Let your thumb come away from your right nostril, leaving it open. Keep your spine straight and your left hand on your knee.

  3. A man sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, his left hand on his left knee and his right thumb on his right nostril, the other fingers held clear of his left nostril.

    Step 3 of 3

    Sit tall with your eyes closed and your left hand on your left knee. Rest your right thumb on your right nostril, with your index and middle fingers folded in. Hold your ring and small fingers beside your left nostril, leaving it open.

Breathing

  • A slow, steady, controlled breath that is not forced or restricted: in through the left nostril, out through the right, in through the right and out through the left.

Safety Information

The techniques are general awareness and not a substitute for a physician's advice. If anything hurts, you feel unwell or the practice feels wrong in any way, stop and ask a qualified health professional. Stop if the exercise causes pain or you become unwell. Seek appropriate professional advice about symptoms or suitability.

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Printed from clapmove.com. ClapMove is not a replacement for professional medical advice — always consult a healthcare provider before starting any exercise program.