Loosening Exercises: PREPARATORY MOVEMENT

Yogic practices create lot of strain on different organs or parts of the body, our body
should have enough strength to bear this, one should build this stamina with practice.
The preparatory movements provide just the same and help you build the necessary
strength and prepare the whole body for Yogasana.

Following precautions should be taken while performing these movements -

1. Movements should be without jerk or swings.
2. Movements should be slow and smooth.
3. Movements to be tuned with breathing.

Normal Breathing Principles -

1. When the physical movements is in the direction of gravitational pull, i.e.
downwards, exhaling should take place.
2. During upward movement, inhaling should take place.
3. When there is no movement, normal breathing should be resumed.
Preparatory Movements preposition-

• Stand with 1 to 1.5 feet distance

between legs, hands straight and
resting the palms on the sides of the
thighs, look straight.

• This posture makes balancing of the

body easy.

Preparatory Movement 1
Preparatory Movement 1 -

1. In preposition, inhaling raise both the hands above the head slowly keeping
the distance same between them.
2. Then exhaling slowly start bending down in the waist till the palms touch the
ground, keep the head pressed towards the knees.
3. Inhaling raise the waist and take position as in 1.

4. Exhailing bring the arms back to the normal preposition.

Preparatory Movement 2

Preparatory Movement 2-

1. In preposition, inhaling raise both the hands from sides, slowly bringing them
at shoulder height and parallel to the ground.
2. Then exhaling slowly start bending forward in the waist, touch the thumb of
right foot by your left hand, keeping the right arm straight above.
3. Inhaling take position as in 1.
4. Then exhaling slowly start bending forward in the waist, touch the thumb of
left foot by your right hand keeping the left arm straight above.
5. Inhaling take position as in 1.

6. Exhaling bring the arms down to the normal preposition.

Preparatory Movement 3
Preparatory Movement 3-

1. In preposition, inhaling raise both the hands from sides slowly bringing them
at shoulder height and parallel to the ground.
2. Then exhaling slowly start turning to the left in the waist keeping the arms and
shoulder in straight line. At the same time keep knees straight and feet firmly
on ground.
3. Inhaling take position as in 1.
4. Then exhaling slowly start turning to the right in the waist keeping the arms
and shoulder in straight line. At the same time keep knees straight and feet
firmly on ground.
5. Inhaling take position as in 1.

6. Exhaling bring the arms down to the normal preposition.

Preparatory Movement 4
Preparatory Movement 4 -

1. In preposition, inhaling bring both the hands on waist in such a way that
fingers come to the front side and thumb to the back.
2. Then exhaling slowly start bending forwards in the waist keeping knees
straight. Try to bring the head between the legs.
3. Inhaling take position as in 1.
4. Then exhaling slowly start bending backwards in the waist keeping knees
straight. Try to bend as much as possible and maintain your balance.
5. Inhaling take position as in 1.

6. Exhaling bring the arms down to the initial position.

Preparatory Movement 5

Preparatory Movement 5 -

1. In preposition, inhaling bring both the hands on waist in such a way that
fingers come to the front side and thumb to the back.
2. Then exhaling slowly start bending the head and the body in the waist to the
left keeping knees straight. Pay attention to the right side which gets strain
from head to ankle.
3. Inhaling take position as in 1.
4. Then exhaling slowly start bending head and body in the waist to the right,
keeping knees straight. Pay attention to the left side which gets strain from
head to ankle.
5. Inhaling take position as in 1.

6. Exhaling bring the arms down to the normal preposition.

Preparatory Movement 6
Preparatory Movement 6 -

1. In preposition, inhaling bring both the hands on waist in such a way that
fingers come to the front side and thumb to the back.
2. Then exhaling slowly bend forward in the waist.
3. Inhaling rotate to the left in the waist and try to attain position no. 2 as in
Preparatory Movement 5.
4. Continue inhaling and rotate backwards as in the position 4 in Preparatory
Movement 4.
5. Exhaling further rotate to the right and attain the position no. 4.
6. Continue exhaling rotate to the front and take position no.2, as above.
7. Inhaling, rotate to the right and take position no.5 above.
8. Continue inhaling, rotate backwards, and take the position no.4 above.
9. Exhaling further rotate to the left and attain the position no. 3 above.
10. Continue exhaling and rotate to the front and attain the position no. 2 above.
11. Inhaling raise the waist and attain the position no. 1 above.

12. Exhaling bring the hands down to the normal position.

Preparatory Movement 7
Preparatory Movement 7 -

1. Bring both the hands on the waist.

2. Bend the neck forward as much as possible. The chin should get fixed into the
pit below the Adam's Apple.
3. Straighten the neck.
4. Bend the neck backward so much that its front side feels the strain.
5. Straighten the neck.
6. Bend the neck on the left shoulder creating pressure on the right side.
7. Straighten the neck.
8. Bend the neck on the right shoulder creating pressure on the left side.
9. Straighten the neck.

10. Bring both the hands down and come to the initial position.
Preparatory Movement 8

Preparatory Movement 8 -

1. Keep both the hands on the waist.

2. Bend the neck forward at ease.
3. Rotate the neck round to the left and have the position No.6 of Preparatory
Movement type 7.
4. Rotate the neck further to the back and have the position No.4 of Preparatory
Movement type 7.
5. Then rotate the neck to the right and bring it on the right shoulder (Position
No. 8 of Preparatory Movement type 7).
6. Rotate the neck down to the front (Position No.2 above).
7. Now start rotating the neck to the right as in Position No.5 above.
8. Rotate the neck further to the back as in Position No.4 above.
9. Then rotate the neck to the left and keep it on the left shoulder as in Position
No.3 above.
10. Rotate the neck down to the front as in Position No.2 above.
11. Straighten the neck.

12. Bring both the hands down and come to the initial position.
 Preparatory Movement 9

Preparatory Movement 9 -

1. In preposition, inhaling raise both the hands up above the head as in the
position no. 1 in Preparatory Movement 1 .
2. Then exhaling slowly bend forward in the waist and try to touch the fingers to
the ground as in the position no. 2 in Preparatory Movement 1, then bring
palms together and keep knees straight.
3. Inhaling rotate to the left in the waist and try to attain position no. 2
Preparatory Movement 5.
4. Continue inhaling and rotate backwards as in the position 4 in Preparatory
Movement 4.
5. Exhaling further rotate to the right in the same bent position.
6. Continue exhaling rotate to the front and take position no.2 as above.
7. Inhaling, rotate to the right and take position no.5 above.
8. Continue inhaling, rotate backwards, and take the position no.4 above.
9. Exhaling further rotate to the left and attain the position no. 3 above.
10. Continue exhaling and rotate to the front and attain the position no. 2 above.
11. Inhaling raise the waist and arms stretched above your head.

12. Exhaling bring the hands down to the normal position.

Preparatory Movement 10

Preparatory Movement 10-

 1. In preposition , inhaling raise both the heels, then hands from front to the
shoulder level, keep them parallel to the ground.
2. Then exhaling slowly start bending down in the knees, sit on the toes, try to
maintain the balance with the stretched arms.
3. Inhaling raise your body and take position as in 1.

4. Exhaling bring the arms back to the normal preposition.

Preparatory Movement 11

Preparatory Movement 11 -

1. Bend the left hand in the elbow and raise it to the level of 90 degree angle.
The arms and the elbows be kept close to the body.
2. Catch the wrist of the left hand by the right hand lightly.
3. Close the fingers of the left hand and rotate the wrist slowly from left to right
anticlockwise and complete the cycle.
4. Then rotate the wrist of the left hand from right to left clockwise and complete
the cycle.
5. Bring the right hand down.

6. Bring the left hand down and take the initial position. Now take up the right
hand and repeat the above mentioned process.
Preparatory Movement 12
Preparatory Movement 12 -

1. Bend the left leg in the knee and raise it to the level of 90 degree angle.
2. Hold the thigh of the left leg with both the hands and be stable.
3. Now rotate the foot of the left leg in the ankle from left to right anticlockwise
and complete the cycle.
4. Then rotate the same foot from the right to left clockwise and complete the
cycle.
5. Bring both the hands to their places.

6. Bring the left leg to its place. Now take up the right leg and repeat through the
above mentioned process.