Meaning of Stick Yoga Pose
The stick pose consists of two Sanskrit words, Yastik and Asana. The meaning Yastik means stick, and Asana indicates a yoga posture. It is one of the essential preparatory yoga poses to be practised before performing the advanced yoga postures in supine (lying on the back) and prone (lying on the stomach) conditions. It stretches the entire body, thus suitable for stability and strength. Therapeutically, it effectively relaxes the tense abdominal and pelvic muscles and relaxes the body. It can also be practised to tone the body and for weight loss. It toned up the entire nervous system and stretched the muscles and joints of the body. It is beneficial in combating fatigue and stress. We will discuss its easy steps to practice, health benefits and associated precautions here. Please Read Best yoga to fight stress. 
Breathing in Stick Yoga Pose
The breathing mechanism is essential for all yoga postures; the same happens with Yastikasana. With inhale, stretch your body and feel the stretching from toes to finger. Maintain the pose with slow inhaling and exhaling. Come to the original position with a deep exhale.
Stick yoga pose procedures step-by-step
Doing stick yoga technically correctly is paramount to extracting the maximum benefits. The different steps in doing a stick pose are enumerated below.
- Lie down in a supine position (straight on the mat).
- Extend your arms beyond your head, and your legs are straight and stretched (outstretched).
- Ensure there should be the slightest gap between your legs and arms.
- Inhale and feel the stretching from toes to fingers.
- Maintain the pose as long as you can.
- • Perform it 3 to 5 times. • Exhale and come to the original position and relax.
- Perform it 3 to 5 times.
Stick yoga pose for weight loss
Regular stick pose practice will help lose extra fats from the body. It is one of the few yoga poses that can burn fats from toes to fingers as it gives suitable stretching to the entire body. It helps to give your body a slim look and toned shape if you practice regularly. It will provide better results if performed under the supervision of a yoga expert or therapist. Also, read Wonder Yoga for weight loss.
Stick yoga pose for height increase
Practising stick yoga poses can help increase height up to a specific limit. Yastikasna gives suitable stretching to the entire body from toes to fingers and can be practised to increase the size of the growing children. Since it provides maximum extension to the body, it can be included in the yoga regime for height increment. Please read: Best yoga for height increase
11 Health benefits of stick yoga
Yastikasana has many advantages. Some of the few health benefits of this stretching yoga pose are given below:
- It can be practised to burn fat; this will be helpful for those longing for weight loss, burning of belly fat, stomach flat and obesity.
- It can be performed for pain management in the body and helps ease joint pain.
- It can also increase the height of growing children.
- Since it’s a stick asana, it can make the body as flexible as a bamboo stick.
- It provides an excellent stretch to the spine.
- One can feel proper stretching in arms and thighs.
- It is also suitable for those who have tennis elbow.
- It can be practised by those who have knee problems.
- It is helpful in de-stressing.
- It relaxes the abdominal and pelvic muscles and provides overall relaxation to the body.
Contraindications
The various contraindication cautions and side effects of stick pose yoga is
- Avoid this asana if you have chronic back pain.
- In case of high blood pressure and cardiac condition, avoid this asana.
- A person with spinal injuries should perform with due care.
- Avoid kyphosis.
Precautions
- While practising the pose, one should ensure the surface where one is practising should be straight and flat.
- Feel evenly stretching from toes to fingers.
- While maintaining the pose, focus on breathing. It should be deep and slow.
- While performing the pose, do maximum stretching forward from your fingers and maximum stretching from your toes downward.
