Sukshma Vyayam - Step by Step Information Regarding Joint Movements

by Bhoomika Shah
(Bangalore, India)

Sukshma Vyayam is nothing but minor exercise from toes to head. Below I have pasted the whole series of joint movements. Hope that will help.

Minor exercise from head to toe – Initial Stage

Before starting asana, you should practice joints movements to make your body flexible and fit for asana.
The joint movements are classified as:
• Leg joints movements
• Hand joints movements
• Neck and Head movements

Position/Posture
While doing all the joints movements you should sit straight having the angle of 90 degree between your legs and upper portion of your body. Keep hands on either sides of your back. Join your legs. Your back, neck and head should be straight.

Relaxation
While doing joints movements, if you feel tired, you must relax for few seconds.
Relaxation in the sitting posture: Make little gap between your legs. Lie down your feet, bend your back little backward and tilt your neck in any one direction. Feel relaxed and do normal abdominal breathing.

Leg joints movements
1. Move your toes up and down for 10 times.

2. Move your feet up and down for 10 times.

3. Rotate your feet in both clockwise and anticlockwise direction for 5 times. With the practice, you can gradually increase rotations till 10 times.

4. Keep left leg over your right knee such that your left foot should remain completely out. Rotate your left foot in both clockwise and anticlockwise direction for 5 times. While rotation, you can hold left toes with your right hand and put left hand on the left ankle. Now lift your left leg till it reaches your right thy. Put left hand on the left knee and move it up and down for 10 times. After moving it up and down, in the same position rotate your left leg in both clockwise and anticlockwise direction for 5 times. Again lift your left leg and try to touch heel to your navel. Repeat all these steps with your right leg as well.

5. Bend your left leg vertically. Cross your fingers and put them on your left leg. Press your chest with your left leg and then stretch it (left leg). Do this for 10 times. Leave your left leg in middle and put crossed fingers below the knee over your left thy. Now rotate your left leg in both clockwise and anticlockwise direction for 5 times. After doing this touch left ankle to your forehead (don’t bend your neck while doing this). Repeat all these steps with your right leg.

6. Join your legs. Contract and relax your knees for 20 times.

7. Butterfly flapping – Join the bottoms of your feet, cross your fingers and put them below the feet. Bring your feet closer to you as far as possible and flip your legs up and down for 10 times. Initially you may feel pain in your thigh muscles.

8. Take your legs apart from each other as far as possible. Lift your hands on either side. Turn to your left and try to touch the left toes with your right hand. See towards left. Similarly turn to your right and try to touch the right toes with your left hand. See towards right. Do it for 10 times.

Hand Joints Movements
1. Make fists. While making fist thumb should go inside. Open and close your fists for 10 times. Stretch the fingers when you open the fist.

2. Lift your hands up parallel to your legs. Move your palms up and down for 10 times. While bringing your palms up, feel that you are pushing some heavy object.

3. Rotate fists in both clockwise and anticlockwise direction for 5 times. If you feel pain in your hands, bring them down. Press and rub them till you feel comfortable.

4. Stretch your hands on either sides and then bend them to touch the shoulders. Again stretch your hands and touch your shoulders. Do it for 10 times.

5. Bend your hands horizontally and bring both the palms pointing towards each other. Now move your hands to the back side as far as possible. In this case your chest will expand. Do it for 10 times. This exercise is good for releasing neck and upper back pain.

6. Stretch your hands to front side and invert your palms. Slowly-slowly move your hands inward and outward for 10 times.

7. Turn the fingers of both the hands and lock them. Take this loop to the back of your neck and stretch it in the left and right directions for 5 times.

8. Rotate your shoulders in both clockwise and anticlockwise direction for 5 times. For this put your palms on respective shoulders and bring them up (elbows will touch while doing this) then back and then to the front side.

9. Join both the palms as if you are doing ‘Namaskara’. All the fingers should be over each other. Now clap them for 10 times.

Neck and Head movements

Neck
1. Cross your fingers. Put them on the back of your neck and push the neck in forward direction. Do it for 5 times.

2. Sit straight. Slowly-slowly move your neck down. Now Slowly-slowly lift your neck up. Do it for 5 times. Similarly Slowly-slowly move your neck to left side and then to the right side for 5 times. Also do side bending that is bend your neck to left side(left ear will touch the left shoulder) and then to the right side(right ear will touch the right shoulder). Do it for 5 times.

3. Rotate your neck in both clockwise and anticlockwise direction for 5 times. While doing this, it is preferred to close your eyes to avoid giddiness.

Head
Put one hand on your forehead and other on its back. Push them inward for 5 times.

Eyes
1. Sit straight. Your back, neck and head should be straight. Look down. While looking down, only move your eyeball, your neck should be straight. Slowly-slowly look up i.e. move your eyeball upward. Similarly move your eyeball to left and right directions. Repeat it for 5 times. After doing this close your eyes for 10 seconds.

2. Rotate your eyeball in both clockwise and anticlockwise direction for 5 times. After doing this close your eyes for 10 seconds.

3. Close your eyes. Put 1st finger (pointer/index) of both the hands on respective eyelids and move them gently in both clockwise and anticlockwise direction for 5 times.

Ears
With the help of your palms, open and close your ears for 10 times.

Cheeks
Widely open your mouth. Stretch your cheeks and then relax. Repeat it for 10 times.

Teeth
Put the upper series of teeth over the lower series and press it. Repeat it for 10 times.

© Bhoomika Shah, 2010