The Prayer Pose

This pose is simple, but very effective, and is a key movement to more advanced poses. This pose will teach you how to push from under the shoulders and out of the lats, the major muscle group of the back. A key movement in a lot of yoga poses.

It strengthens and aligns the upper body while releasing tension and increasing the circulation to the shoulder joint, which is a ball and socket joint. It also aids in strengthening the abdominal and lumber region as you look to form a solid base.

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Instruction Table
1	Centre yourself in mountain pose and take a few deep breaths here, breathing down into the abdomen, continuing the breathing that you are now familiar with.
2	Inhale, raise your arms to shoulder height and stretch them out in the opposite direction to each other
3	Now twist your arms from the shoulder and turning your palms upwards. Keep the body in a nice strong upright position
4	Bring your arms out in front of you, pushing your elbows firmly together and your fingers extending away from you, while focusing on pulling your shoulder blades together..
5	Continue squeezing the elbows together as you bring your palms together
6	Now bend at the elbow and take the forearms to vertical. Keep pressing firmly with the palms and the elbows as you breathe the arms upwards. With each exhale moving slightly higher.