Virasana
Hero Pose

• Come onto your hands and knees in table posture.  Bring your knees together and separate your feet as wide as your buttocks.
• Iron your calf muscles back towards your feet and slightly away and sit your buttocks in the space between your shins.  Note: If you buttocks do not come completely to the ground place a blanket, block or cushion in the space for support.
• Use your inner thigh muscles to keep the knees together or hips width apart. Note: It is important to not let your knees go further then hips distance apart.
• Make sure your feet are close into your side so that they are touching the outside of your buttocks - no gap.
• Move the flesh of the buttocks apart by using your hands.
• If the feet sickle in, meaning they cup inward around the buttocks, press out through your big toes (you will feel your body rise slightly) and squeeze the shins in towards the body.
• To go to the next stage (ONLY if your buttocks are completely down on the floor), bring your palms to the soles of your feet and lower down onto your elbows (elbows should be in line with your feet).
• Tuck the tailbone under so you lift off your buttocks slightly and set your buttocks back down.
• The next stage: slowly allow your elbows to move away from being under your body and lie your upper back down.  Lower back will be arched and you would like your upper back and head to rest on the ground.  If there is a lot of space between you and the ground use a cushion or prop under your upper back.
• Finally clasp opposite elbows above your head.
• To release: Bring your palms to the soles of your feet and bring your elbows in line with your feet.  Leaving the head to come up last, press into your elbows and soles of your feet and let your heart raise you up - head is last.