For your hips

Baddhakonasana is a hip-opening yoga pose that has great benefits. Its regular practice increases blood flow to the abdomen, pelvis and back, and helps reduce risk of arthritis of the knee, hip and pelvic joints. It also aids in reducing labour pains as well as prevents varicose veins.

Some of its other benefits include:

Keeps kidneys and prostate gland healthy
Keeps the urinary tract healthy
Reduces sciatic pain
Prevents hernia
Keeps the female reproductive system healthy, regulates menstrual cycles and reduces vaginal irritation

The pose

Start by sitting in dandasana (staff pose)
Bend your right leg at the knee. Place the right heel as close to the groin as possible
Do the same with the left foot, making sure both soles touch each other Outer edges of both feet on the floor, thighs as close to the floor as possible
Finally, place your hands under your buttocks
A great variation of this is when you hold your feet with both hands and actively throw your shoulders back.

Visualise that you’re trying to push your groin region towards your heels. This helps in opening up the heels and allows you to elevate the spine as well.

 Ensure that the base of your spine does not curve forward because this puts undue stress on the waist and hips.

Don’t practice this if you have a displaced or prolapsed uterus or if you are recovering from a hip injury.

(The author is a yoga instructor based in Bengaluru)